Company with share capital
(1) If the shares in a class of shares in a
company are divided into further classes, and after the division the rights
attached to all of those shares are not the same:
- (a)
- the division is taken
to vary the rights attached to every share that was in the class existing
before the division; and
- (b)
- members who hold shares to which the same rights are attached after the
division form a separate class.
(2) If the rights attached to some of the shares in a class of shares in a
company are varied:
- (a)
- the variation is taken to vary the rights attached
to every other share that was in the class existing before the variation; and
- (b)
- members who hold shares to which the same rights are attached after the
variation form a separate class.
Company without share capital
(3) If the members in a class of members in a
company without share capital are divided into further classes of members, and
after the division the rights of all of those members are not the same:
- (a)
- the division is taken to vary the rights of every member who was in the class
existing before the division; and
- (b)
- members who have the same rights after the division form a separate class.
(4) If the rights of some of the members in a class of members in a company
without a share capital are varied:
- (a)
- the variation is taken to vary the
rights of every other member who was in the class existing before the
variation; and
- (b)
- members who have the same rights after the variation form a separate
class.
Company with 1 class of shares issuing new class of shares
(5) If a company
with 1 class of shares issues new shares, the issue is taken to vary the
rights attached to shares already issued if:
- (a)
- the rights attaching to the
new shares are not the same as the rights attached to shares already issued;
and
- (b)
- those rights are not provided for in:
- (i)
- the company's constitution (if any); or
- (ii)
- a notice, document or resolution that is lodged with ASIC.
(6) If a company issues new preference shares that rank equally with existing
preference shares, the issue is taken to vary the rights attached to the
existing preference shares unless the issue is authorised by:
- (a)
- the terms
of issue of the existing preference shares; or
- (b)
- the company's constitution (if any) as in force when the existing
preference shares were issued.