How to Run an AGM for an Owners Corporation: A Step-by-Step Guide
A practical step-by-step guide to running an annual general meeting for an Australian owners corporation, from notice and agenda to voting, budgets and minutes.
An annual general meeting (AGM) is the single most important governance event in the strata calendar. Run it well and your owners corporation approves a sound budget, elects a capable committee and keeps a clean record. Run it poorly and you risk invalid resolutions, disputes and decisions that can be challenged. This guide walks you through the whole process — before, during and after — with the practical detail Australian strata managers, committees and self-managed buildings actually need.
One important note up front: strata law is state and territory based. The terms, notice periods, quorum rules and voting thresholds differ between New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and the other jurisdictions. Use this guide for the structure and principles, but always confirm the exact requirements against your own state legislation and your scheme's by-laws or rules.
What is an AGM and why does it matter?
An AGM is the yearly meeting at which all owners (the owners corporation or body corporate) make the key decisions for the scheme. It is where the group approves financial statements, sets the annual budget and levies, elects the strata committee or council, considers insurance, and votes on any motions put to the meeting.
It matters because most major decisions can only be made by the owners as a whole, not by the committee or the manager. The AGM is the one guaranteed opportunity each year for every owner to vote on how their money is spent and who governs the building. Decisions made without a properly convened AGM — correct notice, quorum and voting — can be invalid and overturned.
Depending on your state, the body that owns the common property is called the owners corporation (NSW, VIC) or the body corporate (QLD). The elected group that runs day-to-day matters is the strata committee (NSW), committee of management / owners corporation committee (VIC) or simply the committee (QLD).
Before the meeting: how do you prepare for an AGM?
Good preparation is most of the work. The meeting itself should just confirm decisions you have already set up properly.
Issue valid notice of the meeting
The AGM notice is a legal document, and getting it wrong can invalidate the meeting. Send written notice to every owner (and anyone else entitled to it, such as registered mortgagees in some states) within the required period before the meeting.
- Check your state's minimum notice period — commonly around 14 days, but it varies, so confirm the exact figure.
- Send notice to all owners using the contact details on the strata roll, by the method your legislation or rules allow (post, email or an approved electronic channel).
- Include the date, time, place (or video link for online or hybrid meetings) and the full agenda.
- Attach all supporting documents: financial statements, the proposed budget, insurance details, and the exact wording of every motion to be voted on.
- Include nomination and proxy forms, and explain how owners can participate or vote if they cannot attend in person.
Build a clear agenda
The agenda tells owners exactly what will be decided. A typical owners corporation AGM agenda includes:
- Confirmation of quorum and apologies
- Confirmation of the minutes of the previous AGM
- Presentation of financial statements and the auditor's report (if applicable)
- Approval of the annual budget and setting of levies/contributions
- Insurance — review of valuations and policies
- Election of the strata committee/council
- Any special or ordinary resolutions on notice (by-law changes, major works, etc.)
- General business
Prepare the financials, budget and levies
The financial decisions are the heart of the AGM. Before the meeting:
- Finalise the financial statements for the past year (income, expenditure, and the balances of the administrative fund and the capital works / sinking / maintenance fund).
- Prepare a proposed budget for the coming year covering both recurrent costs and planned capital works.
- Translate the budget into proposed levies (contributions), usually apportioned by unit entitlement / lot liability.
- Where required, reference or update your long-term capital works / maintenance plan so owners can see that future major expenses are funded.
Call for nominations and prepare for proxies
If the committee is being elected, invite nominations ahead of the meeting and allow nominations from the floor where the rules permit. Send out proxy forms so owners who cannot attend can appoint someone to vote for them. Note that some states cap how many proxies one person can hold to prevent any single owner controlling the vote.
Running the meeting: how do you actually conduct an AGM?
On the day, the job is to confirm the meeting is valid, work through the agenda in order, and record every decision accurately.
Confirm quorum
A quorum is the minimum participation needed for the meeting to make valid decisions. Check who is present in person, online and by proxy against your state's quorum rule (often expressed as a percentage of owners or of total unit entitlements).
- Mark off attendees, apologies and proxies on the strata roll.
- Calculate whether quorum is met.
- If quorum is not present after the prescribed waiting period, follow your state's fallback rule — typically the meeting is adjourned, or those present may form a quorum after the wait. Record what happened.
Chair the meeting
The chairperson keeps the meeting orderly, fair and on time.
- Open the meeting, confirm quorum, and note attendees and apologies.
- Work through the agenda in order — owners can generally only vote on matters that were included in the notice.
- Allow reasonable discussion on each motion, then move to a vote.
- Stay neutral, manage time, and ensure every entitled owner gets a fair say.
Handle motions and voting
Decisions are made by passing motions. Most fall into two categories:
- Ordinary resolution — a simple majority of votes carries it. Used for routine matters like approving the budget, accounts and most committee decisions.
- Special resolution — a higher threshold (and, in some states, limits on how many votes are cast against). Required for significant matters such as changing by-laws or rules, major alterations to common property, or some large expenditures.
For each motion:
- Read the motion as worded in the notice.
- Invite discussion, then call the vote.
- Count votes — usually one vote per lot, sometimes on a poll weighted by unit entitlement if requested.
- Declare the result and record the numbers for and against.
Financial arrears can affect voting rights in some states — an owner who is behind on levies may not be entitled to vote on ordinary matters. Check before counting.
Elect the committee
Electing the strata committee/council is usually a core item.
- Decide or confirm the number of committee positions (within any statutory limits).
- Read out the nominations received and call for any from the floor where allowed.
- If nominees exceed positions, hold a ballot; if not, the nominees are elected.
- Record who was elected and any office-holders (chairperson, secretary, treasurer) if appointed at the meeting.
Approve the accounts and budget
Move motions to adopt the financial statements, approve the budget, and set the levies and their payment dates. Once passed, the levy amounts and due dates become binding on owners, so make sure the figures recorded exactly match what was approved.
This is also where AI-native strata platforms such as Orveya can help — for example by drafting minutes, tallying votes and circulating documents — while keeping every decision under human approval, so the owners corporation remains in control of every resolution.
After the meeting: what do you do once the AGM is over?
The AGM is not finished until the minutes are prepared, distributed and acted on.
Prepare and distribute the minutes
Minutes are the official record of decisions and must be accurate.
- Record the date, attendees, apologies, proxies and confirmation of quorum.
- Record every motion, the result, and the vote counts where relevant.
- Note who was elected to the committee.
- Finalise and distribute the minutes to all owners within your state's required timeframe (often a set number of days after the meeting).
- Store the signed minutes and supporting documents with the corporation's records.
Action the outcomes
Turn decisions into tasks: issue the new levy notices, update insurance, register any by-law changes where the law requires, brief the new committee, and start any works or contracts that were approved. A short action list with owners and due dates keeps everything on track until the next meeting.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice is required for an owners corporation AGM?
It depends on your state or territory — commonly around 14 days of written notice to all owners, but the exact period and the documents that must be attached vary. Always confirm the requirement in your own legislation, and remember that defective notice can make resolutions invalid.
What is a quorum for a strata AGM?
A quorum is the minimum participation needed to make valid decisions, usually defined as a percentage of owners or of total unit entitlements present in person, by proxy or online. If quorum is not reached, most states have a fallback — adjourning the meeting or allowing those present to proceed after a waiting period. Check your state's specific rule.
What is the difference between an ordinary and a special resolution?
An ordinary resolution passes on a simple majority and covers routine matters like the budget, levies and accounts. A special resolution requires a higher threshold (and sometimes a limit on votes against) and is needed for significant decisions such as changing by-laws or major common-property works. The exact thresholds differ by state.
Can owners vote at an AGM if they can't attend?
Yes. Owners who cannot attend can usually appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf, and many states now allow voting by post or electronically, and meetings to be held online or as hybrids. Some jurisdictions cap how many proxies one person may hold. Confirm the proxy and remote-voting rules that apply to your scheme.
Who can chair an owners corporation AGM?
Usually the chairperson of the owners corporation or committee chairs the meeting, but the meeting can elect someone else to chair if the chairperson is absent or the owners prefer. The strata manager often facilitates but does not control the vote. The chair's role is to keep the meeting fair, orderly and within the agenda set out in the notice.