‘Wait and see’: Gas protesters threaten more action

Protesters have sprayed a Woodside logo on an iconic painting at the Art Gallery of WA as they continue campaigning against the state’s biggest energy project.

The Frederick McCubbin work Down on his Luck was painted in 1889, and was on display at the gallery as part of its dis/possession series.

Earlier today, artist and activist Joana Partyka sprayed a yellow Woodside Energy logo on the work, and glued her hand to the gallery wall.

But it’s understood the painting was protected by a perspex cover, ironically a plastic derived from oil.

Woodside is developing a $17 billion project to pipe gas from the Scarborough field off Western Australia’s coast to a new liquefaction train at the Pluto LNG operation on the Burrup Peninsula.

The Burrup is also home to many pieces of ancient Indigenous rock art, which the state government’s Murujuga Rock Art strategy says are likely between 4,000 and 30,000 years old.

Woodside has received a series of environmental approvals for the project but has faced criticisms from opponents who warn about carbon emissions and the impact on the ancient rock art.

“Woodside respects people’s rights to protest peacefully and lawfully,” a spokesperson for the company said today.

The Perth-based energy producer said it had a 35-year track record of safe operations on the Burrup Peninsula and complied with environmental laws underpinned by science.

“Peer-reviewed research has not identified any impacts on Murujuga rock art from industrial emissions associated with liquefied natural gas production,” the spokesperson said.

Ms Partyka is aligned with the Disrupt Burrup Hub protest group.

She said in a statement that Woodside was destroying the largest rock art gallery in the world.

“They are also destroying our climate and our world,” Ms Partyka said. 

“The Burrup Hub will emit six billion tonnes of CO2 by 2070, twelve times Australia’s current annual emissions, and making international action to limit warming to safe levels impossible. 

“We have seen record, unprecedented flooding in the Kimberley already this year, cutting access to WA’s most vulnerable communities.”

Woodside has committed to achieve net zero at Pluto and across its operations by 2050, in line with international climate action goals.

That will be achieved by designing out emissions, abatements, and potentially through carbon capture and storage.

Business News understands a 37 year old person is in WA Police custody and assisting with inquiries.

The Disrupt Burrup Hub group said defacing the painting would be the start of a direct action campaign targeting Woodside.

Asked today if the group planned more actions of a similar nature, a spokesperson told reporters to "wait and see".