Article by Jack McGinn, courtesy of BusinessNews
08.05.2025
The early moments of Woodside Energy’s AGM have been marred by protests, with activists interrupting chief executive Meg O’Neill several times in its opening 20 minutes.
Woodside’s annual meeting runs today at Crown Perth and has been a lightning rod for disruption from environmentalists in recent years.
Security is tight at the event, with metal detectors and baggage restrictions in full force.
It has not prevented disruption.
In opening the meeting, Woodside chair Richard Goyder issued a call for shareholders to limit their questions to two and avoid repetition – following a marathon AGM last year which was interrupted by protests, activists and even a flash-mob dance.
“You are free to make a speech, but not at this AGM,” he said.
But Woodside’s calls for a disruption-free AGM appeared unlikely from the outset, and chief executive Meg O’Neill’s keynote address immediately thereafter has been interrupted by several protesters blowing whistles who are being escorted out of the room one by one.
She has repeatedly stopped her speech when interrupted to show Woodside promotional videos while the protesters are removed.
“We are not inclined to tolerate discussions, we are happy to answer your questions – but we’ve got plenty of those videos,” she said.
Protesters wearing Disrupt Burrup Hub branding were later removed for shouting “Woodside is a parasite” at Mr Goyder and Ms O’Neill.
The presence of environmentalists in the room comes as no surprise.
Greens Senator for WA Dorinda Cox has held a doorstop outside Crown Towers in the lead up to the event, while Greenpeace Australia foreshadowed that its CEO – David Ritter – would participate in the AGM as a proxy shareholder.
Greenpeace also held a protest outside the venue, and has urged shareholders to reject Woodside’s plans to drill near the Scott Reef in the North West.
Mr Ritter, Conservation Council of Western Australia executive director Matt Roberts and Professor Fiona Stanley fronted media following that protest.
Inside, the order of business is Woodside’s performance.
Former Shell Australia boss Ann Pickard, ex-WA Treasurer Ben Wyatt and Tony O’Neill will be up for re-election to the board.
Ms Pickard, who is the chair of Woodside’s sustainability committee, used climate change as rationale for her re-election pitch for her last term on the board.
Her re-election has reportedly been opposed by two large US pension funds and Norwegian manager Storebrand.
Mr Wyatt reflected on Woodside’ progress since he first joined the board in 2021, and said Woodside’s skillset in finding and exploiting LNG resources was a “fundamental skill for Australia”.
Shareholders will also vote on the grant of executive incentives to Ms O’Neill, following a Q&A.
During the Q&A Ms O’Neill spruiked – through protester interruption – the benefits of natural gas versus other fossil fuels in response to lengthy climate-related questions from Professor Stanley.
She was followed by Mr Ritter, who did not acknowledge Ms O’Neill and was met sternly by Mr Goyder.
“I’ll give you a minute but i’m not giving you any longer than that,” he said as the Greenpeace CEO launched into a question.
“This is not a Greenpeace meeting, it is a Woodside AGM.”
That was followed by a back-and-forward in which Mr Ritter accused Woodside of thinking it was “above Australian laws” and accused it of exporting third-party gas from Karratha without a permit, and Mr Goyder accused Greenpeace of the same, referencing alleged tresspassing at its North West facilities.