At a press conference this morning Premier Roger Cook did not hold back in his assessment of the conduct of Disrupt Burrup Hub protestors at oil and gas giant Woodside’s annual general meeting in Perth on Wednesday.
Cook said it was a “despicable act” by protestors to shout the names of the children of Woodside chairman Richard Goyder and chief executive Meg O’Neill which should be taken seriously by police.
CEO Meg O’Neill at Woodside presser. Credit: Trevor Collens
Amidst Woodside’s chaotic AGM on Wednesday that included a flashmob protest choir, two teenage Disrupt Burrup Hub protestors shouted the names of O’Neill and Goyder’s children at them before being ejected from the meeting by security.
The pair later told media they shouted the names to encourage the pair to think about climate changes’ effects but Cook condemned the protest as intimidation that should be taken seriously by the police.
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“That’s not about saying we care about the future, that’s an exercise of intimidation of those executives and it’s outrageous. It’s outrageous,” he said.
“They say we simply wanted to say their names because we’re concerned about the people in the future.
“That was a direct threat and was a threat should be taken seriously by the police.”
Cook was a little more circumspect in his assessment of Woodside shareholders’ decision to reject its climate plan at the same AGM.
He shared shareholders’ concerns that action on climate was a matter of urgency.
