Although down Sydney way, The Kerry Stokes Show barely managed to fill half a conference room in Pyrmont, it was standing room only when Jac Nasser and Friends rolled into Brissie on Thursday for the BHP Billiton AGM.
Despite Stokes' best vaudevillian efforts to inject a bit of life into proceedings at the Seven Group Holdings AGM – including taking a swipe at Rod Sims' ACCC for allowing Facebook and Google "to take Australian advertising dollars without being truthful" – it was all the septugenarian businessman could do to jolt the handful of senior citizens in the crowd (who had clearly come along for the free croissants and filter coffee) into consciousness. It was like Mogadon Hour at your local nursing home.
But then who wants fireworks at their AGM any way, eh? (We're looking at you, Peter Costello ...)
Jac Nasser's presence up north drew a full house for BHP Billiton (which perhaps says more about the other regular Friday-morning distractions in Brisbane than it does about Jac's skills as a showman).
Despite the best attempts of former ALP identity Chris Schacht to dominate proceedings from the floor, the day belonged to the confusingly named Tony Boyd (no relation, we're assured) to grab the mic and climb the stairs to take the stage and deliver a masterclass on how to conduct an audit. And riveting it was, too.
