Virtual and Hybrid Meeting Compliance in 2025: A Guide for Australian Organisations

March 25, 2025

Virtual & Hybrid Meeting Compliance in Australia
BlogMeetings

As virtual and hybrid meetings continue to reshape the way Australian organisations govern, compliance has become a critical focus. Whether you’re convening an AGM, SGM or EGM, getting the legal and procedural aspects right is essential to ensure decisions are valid, members’ rights are protected, and your organisation avoids potential challenges.

In this guide, we break down the current compliance landscape for virtual and hybrid meetings in Australia, the risks of non-compliance, and how to ensure your meetings meet both regulatory and member expectations.

1. Why Compliance Is Crucial for Virtual and Hybrid Governance

With the shift towards remote participation, organisations face a dual responsibility: maintaining procedural integrity while embracing modern technology. This is particularly important for:

  • Companies limited by guarantee
  • ASX-listed and private companies
  • Associations and incorporated bodies
  • Industry and professional bodies

Regardless of structure, the obligations are clear: all members must be given a reasonable opportunity to participate, vote, ask questions, and access materials — regardless of whether they attend in person or virtually.

Importantly, it’s not just regulators who expect this anymore — shareholders, members, and participants increasingly expect the ability to attend and engage in meetings virtually. Convenience, accessibility, and transparency have become the new standards for modern governance. Offering hybrid or fully virtual meeting access is no longer a “nice-to-have” — it’s often considered a baseline.

2. Key Legal Requirements for Virtual and Hybrid Meetings

Several legislative updates have solidified the framework for compliant virtual governance in Australia:

Corporations Amendment (Meetings and Documents) Act 2022

This law, which came into effect in February 2022, permanently allows companies to hold meetings:

  • Virtually or as a hybrid (in-person + online)
  • Provided that members have a reasonable opportunity to participate
  • And that technology used is reliable, secure, and accessible

Model Rules and Constitutions

Many associations are governed by constitutions or model rules that may still specify physical meeting requirements. Organisations must ensure:

  • Constitutions are updated (if needed) to permit virtual/hybrid meetings
  • Members are properly notified of any format changes
  • Quorum and voting provisions are valid in a digital context

3. Top Risks in Non-Compliant Virtual Meetings

If your virtual or hybrid meeting fails to meet compliance standards, outcomes may be challenged — or even deemed invalid. Common pitfalls include:

  • Unclear or inaccessible meeting links
  • Technology failures preventing fair participation
  • Insecure voting systems that lack audit trails or identity verification
  • Exclusion of member questions or motions due to poor facilitation
  • Inadequate record-keeping, such as not capturing attendance or resolutions

4. Best Practice Checklist for Virtual and Hybrid Meeting Compliance

To help your team stay compliant and confident, here’s what every virtual or hybrid meeting should include:

Legally valid notice of meeting, clearly stating format and access details
Secure and user-friendly virtual platform that allows full participation
Member authentication to verify identity and eligibility to vote or speak
Live voting tools with accurate tallying and real-time results
Dedicated support staff to assist participants with tech issues
Comprehensive record-keeping including chat logs, attendance and recordings
Facilitated Q&A or motion handling, ensuring all voices are heard

Our platform includes:

  • Full participation capabilities, including live voting, Q&A, and motion handling
  • Customisable access controls and authentication to ensure member integrity
  • Audit-ready reporting for resolutions, voting outcomes and attendance
  • Experienced meeting facilitators and technical support staff
  • Integration with your organisation’s constitution or rules to ensure alignment

Whether you’re running a fully virtual AGM or a hybrid EGM, Vero helps ensure compliance is never in question.

Conclusion: Future-Proof Your Governance with Compliant Virtual and Hybrid Meetings

Virtual and hybrid meetings are no longer just a response to disruption — they’ve become a standard feature of modern organisational governance. Shareholders, members, and stakeholders now expect flexible, digital-first options to attend AGMs, SGMs, EGMs and board meetings.

Organisations that invest in secure, compliant virtual meeting solutions demonstrate a commitment to transparency, accessibility, and good governance — all while meeting the regulatory requirements set by ASIC and outlined in the Corporations Act.

By prioritising virtual meeting compliance, using technology that enables real-time participation, and keeping accurate records, your organisation not only avoids risk — it builds trust and improves engagement.

Planning an online AGM or hybrid governance meeting in 2025?

Contact Vero Voting to learn how we help Australian organisations run compliant virtual and hybrid meetings with secure voting, seamless participation, and expert support.


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