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each holder of our Ordinary shares is entitled to one vote per Ordinary share on all matters to be voted on by shareholders generally;
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the holders of our Ordinary shares shall be entitled to receive notice of, attend, speak and vote at our general meetings; and
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the holders of our Ordinary shares shall be entitled to received such dividends as are recommended by our directors and declared by our shareholders.
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each holder of our B Class shares is entitled to 15 votes per Ordinary share holder by such holder of a B class share;
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the holders of our B Class shares shall be entitled to receive notice of, attend, speak and vote at our general meetings; and
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the holders of our B Class shares shall not be entitled to receive any dividends as are recommended by our directors and declared by our shareholders.
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voting for a variation of class rights that only affect a single share class;
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voting for a compromise or arrangement proposed that would affect a certain class of holder, e.g. a plan of arrangement to transfer a class of share to a bidder; and
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voting in response to a takeover bid for a specific class of shares.
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by a foreign person (as defined in the FATA) or associated foreign persons that would result in such persons having an interest in 20% or more of the issued shares of, or control of 20% or more of the voting power in, an Australian
company; or
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by a foreign government investor (as defined in the FATA) that would result in such a person having any direct interest (as defined in the FATA) in an Australian company.
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are the holder of the securities (other than if the person holds those securities as a bare trustee);
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have power to exercise, or control the exercise of, a right to vote attached to the securities; or
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have the power to dispose of, or control the exercise of a power to dispose of, the securities (including any indirect or direct power or control).
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has entered or enters into an agreement with another person with respect to the securities;
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has given or gives another person an enforceable right, or has been or is given an enforceable right by another person, in relation to the securities (whether the right is enforceable presently or in the future and whether or not on
the fulfillment of a condition); or
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has granted or grants an option to, or has been or is granted an option by, another person with respect to the securities and the other person would have a relevant interest in the securities if the agreement were performed, the right
enforced or the option exercised,
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when the acquisition results from the acceptance of an offer under a formal takeover bid;
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when the acquisition is conducted on market by or on behalf of the bidder under a takeover bid and the acquisition occurs during the bid period;
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when the disinterested shareholders of the target company approve the takeover by resolution passed at general meeting;
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an acquisition by a person if, throughout the six months before the acquisition, that person, or any other person, has had voting power in the company of at least 19% and as a result of the acquisition, none of the relevant persons
would have voting power in the company more than 3% higher than they had six months before the acquisition;
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as a result of a rights issue;
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as a result of dividend reinvestment schemes or bonus share plan;
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through operation of law;
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an acquisition which arises through the acquisition of a relevant interest in another listed company which is listed on a prescribed financial market;
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arising from an auction of forfeited shares conducted on-market; or
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arising through a compromise, arrangement, liquidation or buy-back.
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Corporate law issue
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Delaware law
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Australian law
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Special Meetings of Shareholders
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Shareholders generally do not have the right to call meetings of shareholders unless that right is granted in the certificate of incorporation or by-laws.
However, if a corporation fails to hold its annual meeting within a period of 30 days after the date designated for the annual meeting, or if no date has been designated for a period of 13 months after its last annual meeting, the
Delaware Court of Chancery may order a meeting to be held upon the application of a shareholder.
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The Corporations Act requires the directors to call a general meeting on the request of shareholders with at least 5% of the vote that may be cast at the general meeting. Shareholders with at least 5% of the votes that may be cast at the
general meeting may also call and arrange to hold a general meeting. The shareholders calling the meeting must pay the expenses of calling and holding the meeting.
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Corporate law issue
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Delaware law
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Australian law
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Interested Director Transactions
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Interested director transactions are permissible and may not be legally voided if:
• either a majority of disinterested directors, or a majority in interest of holders of shares of the corporation’s capital shares entitled to vote upon the matter, approves the
transaction upon disclosure of all material facts;
or
• the transaction is determined to have been fair as to the corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified by the board of directors, a committee thereof or the
shareholders.
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A director or that director’s alternate who has a material personal interest in a matter that is being considered at a directors’ meeting must not be present while the matter is being considered at the meeting or vote in respect of that
matter unless permitted to do so by the Corporations Act, in which case such director may:
• be counted in determining whether or not a quorum is present at any meeting of directors considering that contract or arrangement or proposed contract or arrangement;
• sign or countersign any document relating to that contract or arrangement or proposed contract or arrangement; and
• vote in respect of, or in
respect of any matter arising out of, the contract or arrangement or proposed contract or arrangement
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Corporate law issue
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Delaware law
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Australian law
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Unless a relevant exception applies, the Corporations Act requires our directors to provide disclosure of any material personal interest, and prohibits directors from voting on matters in which they have a material personal interest and
from being present at the meeting while the matter is being considered, unless directors who do not have a material personal interest in the relevant matter have passed a resolution that identifies the director, the nature and extent of the
director’s interest in the matter and its relation to our affairs and states that those directors are satisfied that the interest should not disqualify the director from voting or being present. In addition, the Corporations Act may require
shareholder approval of any provision of related party benefits to our directors, unless a relevant exception applies.
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Cumulative Voting
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The certificate of incorporation of a Delaware corporation may provide that shareholders of any class or classes or of any series may vote cumulatively either at all elections or at elections under specified circumstances.
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No cumulative voting concept for director elections. Voting rights can vary by share class, depending on the terms attaching to the shares under the constitution of the company. Ordinary shares carry one vote (by poll) per share.
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Approval of Corporate Matters by Written Consent
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Unless otherwise specified in a corporation’s certificate of incorporation, shareholders may take action permitted to be taken at an annual or special meeting, without a meeting, notice, or a vote, if consents, in writing, setting forth
the action, are signed by shareholders with not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize the action at a meeting. All consents must be dated and are only effective if the requisite signatures are collected
within 60 days of the earliest dated consent delivered.
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Australian public companies cannot pass resolutions by circulating written resolutions.
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Corporate law issue
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Delaware law
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Australian law
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Business Combinations
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With certain exceptions, a merger, consolidation, or sale of all or substantially all the assets of a Delaware corporation must be approved by the board of directors and a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon.
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No requirement for shareholder approval under Australian law, unless the transaction involves a transfer or issue or new shares or other securities to existing shareholders (for example, a business combination through a scrip-for-scrip
merger) or a related party (generally, a director or its associates).
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Limitations on Director’s Liability and Indemnification of Directors and Officers
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A Delaware corporation may include in its certificate of incorporation provisions limiting the personal liability of its directors to the corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages for many types of breach of fiduciary duty.
However, these provisions may not limit liability for any breach of the duty of loyalty, acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, the authorization of unlawful dividends,
stock purchases, or redemptions, or any transaction from which a director derived an improper personal benefit. Moreover, these provisions would not be likely to bar claims arising under U.S. federal securities laws.
A Delaware corporation may indemnify a director or officer of the corporation against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in defense of an action, suit,
or proceeding by reason of his or her position if (i) the director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and (ii) with respect to any
criminal action or proceeding, the director or officer had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.
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Australian law provides that a company or a related body corporate of the company may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent of any of the following liabilities incurred as an officer or director of
the company:
• a liability owed to the company or a related body corporate of
the company;
• a liability for a pecuniary penalty order made under section 1317G or a compensation order under section 961M, 1317H, 1317HA or 1317HB of the Corporations
Act;
• a liability that is owed to someone other than the company or a related body corporate of the company and did not arise out of conduct in
good faith; or
• legal costs incurred in defending an action for a liability incurred as an officer or director of the company if
the costs are incurred:
○ in defending or resisting proceedings in which the officer or director is found to have a liability for which they cannot be indemnified as set out above;
○ in defending or resisting criminal proceedings in which the officer or director is found guilty;
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Corporate law issue
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Delaware law
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Australian law
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○ in defending or resisting proceedings brought by the Australian Securities & Investments Commission or a liquidator for a court order if the grounds for making the order are found by
the court to have been established (except costs incurred in responding to actions taken by the Australian Securities & Investments Commission or a liquidator as part of an investigation before commencing proceedings for a court order);
or
○ in connection with proceedings for relief to the officer or a director under the Corporations Act, in which the court denies the relief.
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Appraisal Rights
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A shareholder of a Delaware corporation participating in certain major corporate transactions may, under certain circumstances, be entitled to appraisal rights under which the shareholder may receive cash in the amount of the fair value
of the shares held by that shareholder (as determined by a court) in lieu of the consideration the shareholder would otherwise receive in the transaction.
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No equivalent concept under Australian law, subject to general minority oppression rights under which shareholders can apply to the Courts for an order in respect of Company actions that are unfairly prejudicial to a shareholder.
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Shareholder Suits
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Class actions and derivative actions generally are available to the shareholders of a Delaware corporation for, among other things, breach of fiduciary duty, corporate waste, and actions not taken in accordance with applicable law. In
such actions, the court has discretion to permit the winning party to recover attorneys’ fees incurred in connection with such action.
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Shareholders have a number of statutory protections and rights available to them, regardless of the quantity of shares they hold. These include:
• The ability to bring legal proceedings in the company's name, including against the directors of the company, with the permission of the court.
• The ability to inspect the company's books, with the permission of the court.
• The ability to apply to the court for orders in cases where the company has been run in a manner that is unfairly prejudicial to a shareholder, or contrary to the interest of the
shareholders as a whole.
• The ability to call a meeting of the company and propose resolutions
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Corporate law issue
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Delaware law
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Australian law
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The right to apply to the court for orders in cases where majority shareholders, or the directors, act in an oppressive or unfairly prejudicial manner towards a single shareholder does not
have a minimum shareholding requirement, and can result in a broad range of orders, including:
• The winding up of the company.
• Modification of the company's constitution
• Any other order the court determines to be appropriate.
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Inspection of Books and Records
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All shareholders of a Delaware corporation have the right, upon written demand, to inspect or obtain copies of the corporation’s shares ledger and its other books and records for any purpose reasonably related to such person’s interest
as a shareholder.
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Any shareholder of the Company has the right to inspect or obtain copies of our share register on the payment of a prescribed fee.
Books containing the minutes of general meetings will be kept at our registered office and will be open to inspection of shareholders at all times when the office is required to be open to the public. Other corporate records, including
minutes of directors’ meetings, financial records and other documents, are not open for inspection by shareholders (who are not directors). Where a shareholder is acting in good faith and an inspection is deemed to be made for a proper
purpose, a shareholder may apply to the court to make an order for inspection of our books.
All public companies are required to prepare annual financial reports and directors' reports for each financial year, and to file these reports with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
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Corporate law issue
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Delaware law
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Australian law
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Amendments to Charter
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Amendments to the certificate of incorporation of a Delaware corporation require the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon or such greater vote as is provided for in the
certificate of incorporation. A provision in the certificate of incorporation requiring the vote of a greater number or proportion of the directors or of the holders of any class of shares than is required by Delaware corporate law may not
be amended, altered or repealed except by such greater vote.
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Amending or replacing the company's constitution, requires a special resolution (75%) of the shareholders.
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