Secret ballots were introduced in strata meetings in 2003 to protect the identity of voters. Before then, you could ring the body corporate manager either before a resolution or after the meeting and find out which way people had voted.
In 2003, specific provisions were introduced that made it compulsory to decide certain decisions by secret ballot. The clearest statutory example is the decision to enter into new management rights agreements or to vary management rights agreements to add further option term.
Bodies corporate also have the flexibility to resolve that other types of decisions must be made by secret ballot, and those matters can be whatever the body corporate chooses. There is one building we are aware of that has made every motion at every general meeting a secret ballot, including confirmation of the minutes of the last meeting. You can imagine how long those meetings go for!