Government ‘seeking information from ABC’ over ‘extremist’ protest at Woodside CEO’s house

After initially stonewalling, the ABC has admitted a Four Corners crew attended a protest at Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill’s house.

Meg O'Neill, CEO of Woodside Energy.

Pressure is mounting on the ABC to explain exactly how and why a Four Corners television crew happened to be present at a climate protest outside the home of Woodside Energy chief executive Meg O’Neill - roundly condemned as a gross invasion of privacy - on Tuesday.

After initially stonewalling, the ABC conceded on Wednesday that a television crew which attended the protest by “extremist” Disrupt Burrup Hub activists, which resulted in the arrest of four people, was shooting footage for the investigative program Four Corners.

The ABC was twice asked if it was a Four Corners crew, which it did not initially verify, before issuing a statement on Wednesday afternoon confirming that was indeed the case, but asserting there was no collusion between the protesters and the crew involved.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said on Wednesday she had “sought further information from the ABC on this matter” in addition to the broadcaster’s public statements.

“I note that the ABC has both operational and editorial independence and I await that further advice I have requested,” she said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong also said she was concerned about the presence of the ABC at the protest, which Woodside has dubbed “illegal’ and “extremist”.

Opposition education spokeswoman Sarah Henderson asked Senator Wong in Question Time if the government had sought “an explanation” from the ABC about the involvement of its television crew.

Senator Wong said she would look into obtaining more information about the matter.

“I share Senator Henderson’s concerns about the way in which the media were alerted of this,” she said.

“People have a right to their privacy. People’s family’s have a right to feel safe and I think all of us would say that... we have legitimate political protest in our nation, people have a lot of different views... (but) that has to be utilised responsibly.

“I personally don’t believe... that it is responsible for such protest to be taken to someone’s home where their family is.

“I will certainly see if there’s anything I can do to provide further information about that matter.”

Senator Henderson asked if the government would request the recently-appointed ABC ombudsman conduct an “urgent inquiry” into the matter.

Senator Wong said she would take advice from Minister Rowland and provide further information.

The ABC said its crew attended the incident in response to a tip off.

“A Four Corners team attended the protest action to gather material for a potential report later this year,’’ an ABC spokesperson said in a statement.

“Just prior to the action the team received a tip to go to an address, they had no knowledge what was at the address or that it was someone’s house.’’

The spokesperson said the crew had no knowledge of what was going to occur, and “When they arrived the police were already in attendance, in numbers’’.

“The ABC team remained on public land observing what was happening and getting some vision, as journalists do.

“They at no time went on to private property or had any involvement in what was happening.

“The ABC team in no way colluded with the activists.’’

When asked whether any further internal investigation would occur, an ABC spokesperson said: “After receiving queries the ABC looked into what happened and I have sent you the outcome of that’’.

Woodside declined to comment further on the matter on Wednesday.

The Disrupt Burrup Hub group is protesting the expansion of energy projects on the Burrup Peninsula in WA’s Pilbara region, with Woodside’s Scarborough and Pluto Train 2 projects targeting eight million tonnes a year of new gas from offshore wells starting in 2026.