Descending into the cavernous Wesley Conference Centre in downtown Sydney on Thursday for the Westpac AGM, shareholders were greeted by a giant sign listing prohibited items: no glue, no banners, no paint, no speakers, no zip ties, no offensive T-shirts and — please, for the love of God — no flares.
Metal detectors and uniformed guards gave the entrance the feel of airport security, with two uniformed NSW police officers stationed just outside the AGM doors.
Inside, a sea of silver-haired, sweater- and spectacle-clad retirees appeared more interested in the sandwiches on offer than in causing a scene.
Australia’s big four banks have become acutely aware of the rising tide of climate angst — and as Westpac found out on Thursday, they risk finding themselves on the wrong side of it.
