Winston Peters calls Fonterra vote result 'utter madness'
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has blasted Fonterra farmers shareholders for approving the sale of iconic brands to a French company.
Co-op chairman Peter McBride’s allowance jumps $15,000 to $470,000 per annum.
Fonterra director fees lift $6000 to $191,000.
The motion to increase director allowance was approved by 85% of farmers at the co-op’s annual meeting in Rotorua today.
The motion to increase the remuneration of councillors was supported by 82% of shareholders.
The incoming council chair John Stevenson will now be paid $120,000, an increase of $10,000. Councillors get $38,500, an extra $1000.
A motion to retain KPMG as auditor for another year was passed by 97% of shareholders.
Almost 96% of shareholders also voted in favour ratifying the appointment of Scott St John as a director for another three year term.
St John was appointed to the Fonterra board in 2016.
He was the chief executive officer of First NZ Capital (FNZC) for 15 years, stepping down from that role in early 2017.
He is the chair of Fisher and Paykel Healthcare and serves on the board of ANZ Bank New Zealand, Mercury NZ Limited and NEXT Foundation.
