WA does not want Woodside!
It’s only 5 days after a very exhausting federal election campaign and hundreds of WA’s finest protesters braved an unseasonably warm autumn morning to join Greenpeace in calling out Woodside at their Annual General Meeting.
A colourful crowd, directly showing the shareholders of Woodside that Western Australia will not stand for Woodside’s Burrup Hub and will fight to protect Scott Reef and its vital sea life.
As we gathered outside Woodside’s AGM I reflected on the joys of the WA Burrup Hub protest movement. Given how long this campaign has dragged on, the culture that has sprung up around protesting is truly something to behold.
The Drummers for Climate Action bringing their mismatched and yet perfectly tuned bucket/drums out of their cars with practiced ease while the newer 1×3 metre Scott Reef on wheels (Allura) is carefully unloaded from the truck. All the while 8 foot effigies of both Federal Minister Madeleine King and WA Premier Roger Cook loom over in the park. WA was out in force.
Everyone came together in full regalia for the march with the rousing call made for everyone to “follow Nicki “as I was handed the megaphone and ushered to the front of the march.
I have to announce at this point that I have a broken foot *awaits sympathy* and am struggling along through life in a moon boot with a decided lack of rhythm and skill. So there I was hobbling down the street, brave slightly confused protesters following behind in an unusually slow procession as I attempted to make up marching chants.
Holding Woodside to Account
All the while the party had truly begun inside the AGM. At the AGM, Woodside has to answer questions from their shareholders. Every year the WA environmental movement organises proxies to gain access and ask questions to hold Woodside accountable.
There is also a swath of hijinks that go on, and this year was no different. We had different people standing up and “blowing the climate whistle” every time Woodside CEO Meg O’Niell spoke (in response, the CEO would play promotional videos about the Fremantle Dockers football team whom Woodside sponsor). The place was a circus.
When Greenpeace CEO David Ritter stood up to ask a question, he revealed that Woodside was under investigation by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) for potentially breaching the EPBC Act. Specifically, that they have started processing third party gas at the Karratha Gas Plant before apparently receiving federal environmental approval to do so. Despite the ongoing investigation, Woodside has continued to process the third party gas unabated.
When asked, “Why does Woodside believe that it is above our nation’s environmental laws?” Woodside Chair Richard Goyder began complaining about Greenpeace’s conduct rather than providing an adequate answer.
Our other Greenpeace representative Geoff Bice, also attempted to ask the following question: “Woodside wants to start carbon dumping, a potentially dangerous and unreliable activity unproven at scale, beside Western Australia’s stunningly diverse Scott Reef. This plan could include repeated seismic blasting every 5 years inside critical habitat for the endangered pygmy blue whale. Yet, Woodside refused to refer the proposal to the state for environmental approval. Why would you deny Western Australians the opportunity to provide comment as to whether they think this risky proposal stacks up against the state’s environmental laws?”
Unfortunately Geoff’s microphone was cut off half way through the first sentence by the testy Woodside Chair. But be assured, Greenpeace, in partnership with the Conservation Council of WA have made the referral to the WA EPA ourselves requesting that Woodside provide a proper account of the impacts to WA oceans that their carbon dumping will entail.
A Notable Contribution
At least Geoff got half a sentence out. A number of others in the room were denied the chance to ask their questions at all, despite some having travelled from the east coast for that purpose. They could not, however, deny WA legend Professor Fiona Stanley AC, former Australian of the Year who’s work in the epidemiology world is so prolific she has a hospital named after her.
Professor Stanley has a long held concern about the impacts of climate change and asked how Woodside intends to deal with the health impacts of their polluting activities based on the growing evidence of harm caused by fossil fuels. Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill responded by suggesting that Woodside was helping people in poverty around the world by giving them access to gas rather than wood to cook with. I highly doubt Professor Stanley was satisfied with that answer.
Keeping the Pressure up on Woodside
In the end the day ran exactly like Woodside’s environmental strategy: chaotic, ineffective and insulting. But it’s obvious that resistance to their damaging plans are going to continue.
And continue it must.
With a new Federal Government fresh off a resounding election win that included a clear mandate for further climate action, the Albanese Labor Government will have an immediate test with Woodside’s North West Shelf decision due at the end of this month. We cannot let this key component of Woodside’s disastrous Burrup Hub be extended out to 2070 and pave the way for gas drilling near Scott Reef.
Greenpeace is determined to protect our oceans and our climate from Woodside’s Burrup Hub but it takes a broad movement of dedicated people to create change. Make sure you are one of them in whatever way you can.
