(THEME MUSIC PLAYS)
HAGAR COHEN: Behind this red door
climate activists HAGAR COHEN: Behind this red door
climate activists are locked in tense deliberations.
They're planning a protest they've never attempted before.
There's no white smoke from the Vatican yet, I'm afraid, folks.
And they fear the police know it.
An unmarked car,
and two people got out
and subsequently identified and two people got out
and subsequently identified themselves as police officers.
and subsequently identified One of them had their gun drawn.
They've decided to go for it.
But there's a hitch.
Oh, no!
I fucking locked myself out!
Shit.
Shit. (LAUGHS)
Holy shit. Thank you. I'm so, so, so sorry.
I left my car key inside, and I locked myself out.
The group Disrupt Burrup Hub
is trying to stop one of Australia's The group Disrupt Burrup Hub
is trying to stop one of Australia's biggest fossil-fuel projects.
They see this as a crucial moment in the battle against climate change.
Oh, my God. The adrenaline. It's, like, kicking in.
Their target is the country's largest oil and gas company,
Their target is the country's Woodside Energy.
I'm getting, like, tunnel vision now.
For what 19-year-old Tilda is about to do,
For what 19-year-old Tilda she could go to prison.
I'm picturing the run sheet.
I'm just, like, 6 o'clock - playtime.
6:01 - lights deploy.
6:02... (LAUGHS)
Love you guys.
Love you, Nick.
You've so got this, Tilda.
Yep.
I've got this.
I'm going to remember this day for the rest of my life.
I'm going to remember this day Holy fucking shit.
GERARD MAZZA: She's home. Yeah, she's home.
GERARD MAZZA: She's home. Yep. Yep, yep, yep.
Alright, folks.
This is the story Alright, folks.
This is the story of the battle for the future
and the lengths all sides will go to to win.
and the lengths all sides will go to Nick, can you grab that bucket?
Bucket?
POLICE: Police! Don't move!
Do not move!
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
This is Murujuga,
1,500 kilometres north of Perth. This is Murujuga,
1,500 kilometres north of Perth.
It's beautiful here.
And in the rocks around me
there are over one million Aboriginal rock-art images,
some of them created 45,000 years ago.
It's also the epicentre of a raging battle
between climate activists and Woodside.
Murujuga, or the Burrup,
is critical to Woodside's viability.
Two vast gas plants, Karratha and Pluto,
turn tens of millions of tonnes of gas into liquid
every year,
and huge profits.
They're fed by offshore gas fields, and huge profits.
They're fed by offshore gas fields,
which are running out.
Woodside's solution,
supported by the WA Government,
is a massive expansion.
(CLINTON WALKER SPEAKS IN LANGUAGE)
(CONTINUES SPEAKING IN LANGUAGE)
Ngarluma man Clinton Walker is proud of his country.
Ngarluma man Clinton Walker So, the dingoes came...
It's home to one of the most So, the dingoes came...
It's home to one of the most significant collections of rock art
It's home to one of the most in the world.
But that spotted kangaroo there with the short, thick tail
is one of the megafauna kangaroos
that grew, you know, up to three, three and a half metres tall.
that grew, you know, up to So, it was a big, BIG kangaroo.
Wow.
Clinton takes me to another site overlooking industry.
Clinton takes me to another site And you can see how close
all this rock art is to that plant over there.
And who owns it?
Yeah, so, over here we've got the Karratha Gas Plant.
Yeah, so, over here It's operated by Woodside
and it's owned by Woodside, BP, Shell, Chevron
and a Japanese company called MIMI.
And they're producing LNG - liquefied natural gas.
Many in Clinton's community have mixed feelings about Woodside.
Now, our concern as a people is the emissions,
whether that's going to have an impact over the coming years
and could eventually erode all of the rock art away.
And if that happens...
Another Traditional Owner recently won a court challenge
that has forced Woodside to delay part of its expansion.
Woodside employs many in the community.
Clinton worked there too.
I was earning a really high wage working as an operator.
You know, you're on 250 grand a year.
You know, Wow.
But, for an Aboriginal person, it's also difficult
because when we're working in those companies
we've got to weigh up our connection to our country,
our responsibility as Traditional Owners to look after country.
our responsibility as Traditional And it's a honey trap
because, like a bee,
you go get the honey,
but you get too much honey, you get stuck on there, you know,
but you get too much honey, and you can't move.
If the expansion of the Burrup Hub goes ahead,
If the expansion of the Burrup Hub some estimates predict
it will produce around six billion tonnes of emissions
it will produce around over its lifetime.
That would be the equivalent over its lifetime.
That would be the equivalent of 24 coal-fired power stations
That would be the equivalent operating for 50 years.
ALEX HILLMAN: When I say I can't think
of a bigger climate-change decision an Australian will ever make...
..like, that's a sincere opinion.
It's massive.
Woodside believes the project is crucial
Woodside believes for our transition to net zero.
MEG O'NEILL: When used to generate electricity,
natural gas emits around half the life cycle emissions of coal.
As the Prime Minister has said, natural gas emits around half the life cycle emissions of coal.
As the Prime Minister has said,
it smooths the transition As the Prime Minister has said,
it smooths the transition to renewables.
Others believe the future of our planet is at stake.
The UN says relying on gas or fossil fuels
The UN says will lead to a climate catastrophe.
Very good morning.
It is still possible
to avoid the very worst of climate change, It is still possible
to avoid the very worst of climate change,
but only with dramatic, immediate climate action.
The solution is clear.
End licensing or funding The solution is clear.
End licensing or funding of new oil and gas,
stopping the expansion of existing oil and gas reserves...
..and supporting the just transition
of the impacted ..and supporting the just transition
of the impacted developing countries.
of the impacted (INDISTINCT YELLING)
In response to this,
Disrupt Burrup Hub has escalated their campaign,
from invading a football pitch
and graffitiing artwork
to letting off a stink bomb.
Disrupt Burrup Hub!
(SIREN WAILS) We protest
against what is being done!
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
This is the unexpected centre (INDISTINCT CHATTER)
This is the unexpected centre of civil disobedience
This is the unexpected centre in Western Australia.
Gathered here are protesters
with a local branch of the climate activist group Extinction Rebellion.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Their protests are sometimes illegal. (INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Their protests are sometimes illegal.
I'm not your typical criminal, though.
Your typical criminal doesn't sit around waiting to get arrested
and your typical criminal doesn't tip off the media
and your typical criminal just before they start an action.
And your typical criminal just before they start an action.
And your typical criminal might even have some remorse.
And your typical criminal For us, climate is such a...
..strong issue.
It's existential crisis,
all these things that it's...
..that if we DON'T do something,
THEN we are criminals.
(INDISTINCT CHANTING)
Extinction Rebellion started in the UK
and changed the face of the climate movement.
They're famously known for shutting down London for four days.
(CHEERING)
(INDISTINCT CHANTING)
Anyone that does not wish to be arrested...
Extinction Rebellion was imported to Australia in 2019
and quickly spread, with branches all over the country.
and quickly spread, (INDISTINCT YELLING)
We're in a climate emergency!
Thank you. Come in.
Nice.
Yeah. Nice.
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, this is a space for us to meet, a space for us to socialise,
Yeah, this is a space for us to a space for us to keep our things.
Carmen Stobus
is one of Extinction Rebellion's Carmen Stobus
is one of Extinction Rebellion's staunch frontline protesters.
And which... Are you here in this picture?
Yeah, I'm the third protester back in the picture.
So, this one just here. Yeah, that's me.
OK. Did you get arrested for that one?
OK. Uh... No.
Nope. We got a move-on notice. Yep.
But we'd finished the action by then,
so, we cleaned up after ourselves and we went home.
And that's kind of the experiences we'd been having with the police.
It had been a respectful sort of relationship.
Carmen was one of the first climate protesters
to be targeted by WA's State Security Investigations Group,
informally known as the state's counter-terrorism squad. to be targeted by WA's State Security Investigations Group,
informally known as the state's counter-terrorism squad.
They're usually deployed to deal with violent extremists
and threats to state and national security.
But now they're targeting protesters in the climate movement.
Two years ago
Carmen and her group used chalk paint Two years ago
Carmen and her group used chalk paint to spray anti-Woodside logos
on a foot bridge next to the company's headquarters.
on a foot bridge Oh, graffiti artists! Beauty!
We sprayed until there was no footpath left to spray
and went to a coffee shop and had a coffee together.
Two weeks later Carmen got a knock on the door.
OFFICER: Right, it's on now. You right?
OK.
Is this...
Um... Sorry... This is legit or...
Um... Sorry... Yep. Yep. Just listen for a sec.
Everything's being recorded, OK?
Just to protect you and protect us. Everything's being recorded, OK?
Just to protect you and protect us. Alright?
And we're here for the purpose of executing a CI search warrant.
Can you please just introduce yourself, Carmen?
Can you please My name is Carmen Stobus.
Four armed State Security My name is Carmen Stobus.
Four armed State Security Investigations officers
Four armed State Security in bullet-proof vests
raided Carmen's house in front of her teenage daughters.
raided Carmen's house What I would like to do right now
is just to advise you that What I would like to do right now
is just to advise you that you are being placed under arrest.
is just to advise you that OK?
On suspicion only. On suspicion only of criminal damage. OK?
On suspicion only. On suspicion only It's gonna upset my kids.
On the risk assessment for the raid
police classify Extinction Rebellion as a gang
police classify Extinction Rebellion or organised criminal entity.
But you're treating me like a terrorist.
No, we just want to give you your rights. OK?
No, we just want to give you So, carry on, please.
Officers from this unit,
who are used to taking down violent extremists,
are looking for paint used in two recent graffiti protests.
are looking for paint Just up here is...
..is more paint, is it?
Mm-hm.
Fabric and poster paint.
Yeah.
And there's lots of different, Yeah.
And there's lots of different, I guess, poster paint.
And there's lots of different, Mm.
Large amounts of it.
How is that large amounts?
Yeah, oh...
There's one poster paint
and, like, one blue poster paint and one blue fabric paint.
Is that large amounts?
Oh, OK, I mean, there's a lot of bottles.
Oh, OK, I mean, Yeah, they're all different colours.
You need different colours. Yeah, they're all different colours.
You need different colours. Oh. OK. Yep. Yep.
The officers then approached Carmen's daughters.
The officers Hello. Sorry. Sorry to wake you up.
Um... Could I...
Could I just get you to introduce Um... Could I...
Could I just get you to introduce yourself on camera, please?
Could I just get you to introduce Um... I'm Melissa Butley.
Sorry, would you mind introducing yourself on camera?
Do you remember what Kaitlyn said?
Uh...
When the police officer asked her for her name?
No. I can't remember what Kaitlyn said.
No. I can't remember She said, "I'm terrified."
(CHOKES)
Some of the charges against Carmen Stobus were dropped.
She was found not guilty for the rest.
We asked WA Police to explain the raid,
but Assistant Commissioner Jo McCabe couldn't answer our questions.
And I can only assume, again, not knowing the detail,
that there was justification for the search warrant.
OK. But you can't tell me what that justification was?
No. I don't know the case in particular.
No. I don't know the case (BIRDS TWITTER, TRAFFIC HUMS)
(WHISPERS) Hey.
(CHUCKLES)
(WHISPERS) Hey.
Mother-of-two Tahlia Stolarski
is a member of the Disrupt Burrup Hub group
that recently split from Extinction Rebellion.
I've got to wake you up this morning.
Normally you guys are up before me, aren't you?
Normally you guys are up before me, She's facing the full force
of the new police response to climate protesters in WA.
of the new police response It's going to be super cold.
She's getting ready to go to court.
Alright. Shoes. Bag.
Um... Water bottles are on the table.
Um... Water bottles What else?
I want to eat with you.
With me?
I don't know if there'll be time for me to eat too, but we'll try.
I got you that doggie, Lily.
Yeah. Oh, you're going to bring that as Toto?
She's charged with aggravated burglary
for attempting to set off a stink bomb at Woodside's AGM in April.
It's the most serious offence
any climate activist has ever been charged with in WA.
any climate activist Pop it in the bowl. Good girl.
Milk.
Please. Please.
She's looking at up to 20 years in prison.
She's looking I'll put it over here.
Good morning! Hi.
Good morning! Hi. Hey, guys.
Hey. How are you doing?
Good. How are you? Yeah, good.
You ready? Yeah, sure.
You ready? Gerard Mazza is also facing charges.
How much time do we have? Gerard Mazza is also facing charges.
How much time do we have? 10 minutes.
I did clean the car. Great.
He's Disrupt Burrup Hub's main strategist.
Sweet.
Yeah.
I think my suspicion
is that they're going to just start opposing bail for us
as a matter of... you know, as the normal thing.
G'day. Hey.
They're meeting the group's media advisor, Jesse Noakes.
They're meeting the group's He's also going to court today.
Against the backdrop of increased protest activity,
our investigations found
climate activists across the country
are being charged with serious offences
are being charged in unprecedented numbers.
We tried to...
Records kept by major activist groups
show that since 2021 almost 100 of their members
have faced the threat of a significant jail term.
Prior to that there were almost none.
The prospect of going to jail for 20 years is...frightening.
The prospect of going to jail Obviously. I've got two young kids.
So, yeah, the idea of going to jail at all is quite scary for me.
The guy who served me...
Looks like you're going to court...
In court the police argue
that the three should be prevented from contacting each other.
Their lawyer, Zarah Burgess,
convinces the magistrate that that's unnecessary.
These kinds of conditions are what we would normally see
in relation to outlaw motorcycle gangs,
in relation not peaceful climate activists.
And certainly it appears to be
that police are continuing with their crackdown
on the lawful activities of climate activists.
on the lawful activities Thank you.
No sooner have the activists left court for one protest
they go straight to a planning meeting for another.
Sure, we've got materials, media training,
Sure, we've got materials, rehearsal and security rundown.
Does that sound about right? Yeah?
Despite the increased legal threat,
this next protest will be Disrupt Burrup Hub's boldest yet.
Should we do a rehearsal before media training?
Definitely. Yeah.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
They've invited us to their rehearsal.
We don't know their exact target.
You put this end in to the paint.
TILDA LANE-ROSE: Yeah. And you pull it up.
Then it'll suck the paint in. Oh! Sick.
Put the lid on. Yeah.
Put the lid on. And then squeeze it out.
OK.
I just cannot find the instructions, hey. It's actually...
Can you just give that a go? Yeah.
Can you just give that a go? Oh. No.
It's coming out at that end. (LAUGHS)
It doesn't want to seem to want to fill these up,
so, I'm going to try and put these on...
so, I'm going to try Oh!
..the other... That.
..the other... That bit there. Yeah.
There you go. And then maybe...
Can the cap go on that other bit?
Possibly.
Great. I can't believe Possibly.
Great. I can't believe it's on clearance for $9,
but it's, like, a water gun AND a balloon filler.
Like, you can fill up 100 balloons in, like, 30 seconds!
Like, you can fill up 100 balloons Yeah.
Tilda Lane-Rose Yeah.
Tilda Lane-Rose will be taking the lead role.
Her protest is scheduled to take place before dawn tomorrow.
JESSE NOAKES: Do you want once from the top through?
Yeah. I reckon let's go from the top through.
You reckon you've got it, Tilda?
Uh...
6:00... So, we start 6:00.
6:00AM is playtime. Yeah. Yep. 6:00 - playtime.
6:01 - spray.
6:02 - tip.
6:03 - lob.
6:04 - lock.
6:05 - piece to camera.
And then...
That's... Yep.
That's perfect. The only thing you missed was 'deploy lights'...
Oh, shit. Yeah. But I would deploy the lights.
Oh, shit. Yeah. Yeah. Spot on. Alright.
We're there. Lights on 6 o'clock.
I send a text message.
Take care. I'm going to go first.
That went high.
Get the lock.
Oh, that's all over my hands.
Yeah, and all over the lock.
Alright, let's get me this way.
It's obviously not going to be on such an angle.
Put it on the thing first, right? Yeah.
You want me to hold it straight? That would be great, actually.
And you'll have plenty of time.
Nice one. OK.
And then I will be standing about where Nick is.
Yep. And we'll do...
Piece to camera. Piece to camera. Yep.
Piece to camera. Saying something profound,
moving, brave, bold, intellectual.
Great.
I reckon maybe let's do a round of how did it feel?
TAHLIA STOLARSKI: Yeah. Yeah, it was good.
So, it's good to actually get stuff on a wall.
Yeah, I felt good. I felt a little bit flustered.
Yeah, I felt good. So, a bit of time pressure,
but that's OK, we've actually got a bit of time.
That second lob you did was spot on.
Tilda is expecting to go into custody.
Tilda is expecting I ask her for her final reflections.
The thing that I'm targeting,
I think it's something that really matters to me,
I think it's something especially as, like, a young person
who often feels, like, especially as, like, a young person
who often feels, like, quite disempowered
within the political system.
And I think, like, just sort of...
..I'm, like, sticking it to the man And I think, like, just sort of...
..I'm, like, sticking it to the man and saying, "Listen to me."
..I'm, like, sticking it to the man Just, yeah, exciting. (LAUGHS)
I have no idea what you're going to do tomorrow,
but I'm assuming it's got an element of breaking the law.
but I'm assuming it's got an element Yeah, it does. So, yeah.
And you're confident you want to do that?
And you're confident Yeah, I'm really confident.
I think that I just don't...
I feel like I've exhausted every other avenue, really.
So this is, yeah, I think the logical next step
in my sort of fight to pursue what matters to me.
On the other side
the fight is just as fierce.
We really wanted to show you Woodside's perspective,
but they declined multiple times.
So, we've relied on industry analysts to bring you a different view.
We can't just, you know, look at our gas industry, for example,
We can't just, you know, look at our and say it needs to shut tomorrow
because it is integral to Australia's economy and say it needs to shut tomorrow
because it is integral to Australia's economy
because it is integral and global civilisation.
Energy analyst Saul Kavonic
thinks we should be proud of our gas sector.
Projects like the Burrup Hub
have a couple of key elements to them.
It's actually a big provider of domestic gas to Australia.
This is very good for high-paying jobs domestically.
Keep in mind, you know, over the last couple of years
and including the last budget surplus,
and including a very large chunk of that surplus
would not have been there if not for a very large chunk of that surplus
would not have been there if not for taxes from Australia's LNG sector.
Australia is the world's biggest exporter of liquid natural gas.
A quarter of it is processed in the Burrup Peninsula.
Saul says preventing Woodside's expansion is reckless.
Saul says preventing Woodside's If we look globally,
particularly in the wake of the tragic Ukraine war last year,
our allies and trading partners in Europe and Asia
are very worried about energy security.
And, for them, energy security is not just a cost-of-living issue,
it's a national-security issue for them.
And, so, they look to Australia to provide their energy needs.
Mr Chairman, I'd like to introduce Ms Jessica Panegyres. She's a... And, so, they look to Australia to provide their energy needs.
Mr Chairman, I'd like to introduce Ms Jessica Panegyres. She's a...
During a shareholders' meeting last year...
As a very proud Western Australian, I'd love to see WA...
..environmental activists holding proxy votes
put questions to Woodside CEO, Meg O'Neill.
My question is how is Woodside addressing the risk
that pushing more gas into our key Asian export markets
that pushing more gas may be displacing renewable energy?
The...
Ms O'Neill reiterated how important our gas is to our Asian allies.
We work very closely with our Japanese customers Ms O'Neill reiterated how important our gas is to our Asian allies.
We work very closely with our Japanese customers
who are utility providers,
and they're very clear that they cannot meet their customers' needs
and they're very clear that they through solar and wind alone.
Chairman, I'd like to introduce Mr David Ritter, who is...
At the same meeting,
Woodside's chair, Richard Goyder,
disputed claims by Greenpeace CEO, David Ritter,
that Woodside's business practices go against UN policy.
I think the United Nations would say
that, actually, energy security
and providing people who are moving
to have a sort of standard of living
that you enjoy today,
supported by fossil fuels today,
that they're entitled to that
and that businesses like Woodside that they're entitled to that
and that businesses like Woodside
that are part and that businesses like Woodside
that are part of the energy transition,
that are part of moving the world to net zero by 2050
that are part of moving the world are an important part of it.
A gas company seeking to gaslight the United Nations
is quite something. That's not...
is quite something. This is not a statement that...
Can we close down microphone five, please?
(SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) And we'll move to microphone three.
Thank you. (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) And we'll move to microphone three.
Thank you.
They want to delay the transition as much as they can.
They want to delay the transition Yeah, because it's what they know.
It's what the executives'
bonuses are based on.
They just want to keep on going as they are.
Alex Hillman was a lobbyist and climate-change advisor for Woodside.
He worked for the company for almost a decade.
Now working with the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility,
he says that, even if part of the Burrup Hub expansion is approved,
it will be a huge source of emissions.
North West Shelf extension
is currently North West Shelf extension
is currently undergoing environmental approvals.
That approval would allow it to emit...well, process and emit
about four billion tonnes of emissions.
The scale of this thing is hard to understand.
Alex says the industry relies on a tight relationship
Alex says the industry relies with the top echelons of government.
So, Woodside donates more money to both major political parties
than any other Australian fossil-fuel company.
than any other It employs politicians as directors
to influence state policy and ministerial decisions.
Both times Woodside has faced a carbon price
it's lobbied against them and it's been repealed.
it's lobbied against them (CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICK)
One of the starkest examples of this
is when former premier, Mark McGowan, personally intervened
to advance the interests of industry.
TOM HATTON: I took a phone call from the Premier and we had a discussion.
TOM HATTON: I took a phone call from It was very clear that
he did not want to see... It was very clear that
he did not want to see...
..um...
..the resource industry hamstrung
by conditions on greenhouse-gas emissions
by conditions that...that...
..that they felt were untenable.
It was rather extraordinary.
This is the former head of the independent agency
the Environmental Protection Authority of WA
the Environmental Protection speaking to ABC News a few weeks ago.
In 2019
Tom Hatton published new guidelines for industry
to offset emissions from all new large polluting projects to net zero.
to offset emissions from all new It was a kind of a carbon tax.
Woodside and the gas industry pushed back.
It's an issue that will affect oil and gas investment, Woodside and the gas industry pushed back.
It's an issue that will affect oil and gas investment,
mining investments, other developments,
even things like fertiliser plants.
So, there's thousands of jobs at even things like fertiliser plants.
So, there's thousands of jobs at stake. It's not just our business.
After a meeting with industry representatives,
After a meeting including Meg O'Neill,
the then premier, Mark McGowan, rang the head of the EPA.
It wasn't a very long phone call.
It was a very direct, very straightforward request
It was a very direct, that he did not...
..want us to continue with those guidelines
and wanted us to withdraw them.
I tried to have a conversation to say,
I tried to have a conversation "Well, you know,
"we're happy to do further consultation
"if that's what's required."
And he said, "No, I want you to withdraw the guidelines."
Tom Hatton previously told the ABC he felt he had no choice.
Tom Hatton previously told the ABC It was highly unorthodox
and, in my view,
inappropriate.
I felt I had the whole reputation inappropriate.
I felt I had the whole reputation of 50 years of EPA on my shoulders
but also the environmental future of the state on my shoulders.
And thank you to all you, thanks to the media.
Mark McGowan resigned from government four months ago.
Four Corners has confirmed
he's joining resources giant BHP and mining company Mineral Resources
he's joining resources giant BHP as a consultant.
McGowan's then treasurer, Ben Wyatt,
is now a director with Woodside.
Neither MacGowan nor Wyatt responded to requests for an interview.
It's not big news
that companies come It's not big news
that companies come and try to influence government.
Former long-term Labor minister Alannah MacTiernan
was part of the cabinet that approved some of the Burrup expansion.
was part of the cabinet that approved She rejects any suggestion
the government She rejects any suggestion
the government has been captured by industry.
The role of government is to really look at the arguments,
understand the community's aspirations
and work out what is achievable.
She says the state needs and work out what is achievable.
She says the state needs the Burrup expansion
because it's not ready to shut down gas completely.
But she is critical of sections of the industry
over the pace of the transition to renewable energy.
We've got to drive those companies harder.
And I've said this to them many times. We've got to drive those companies harder.
And I've said this to them many times.
Like, you can't just dabble around the edges,
making it appear
that you are interested in funding the technology for the transition.
You've got to get in there
and you've really You've got to get in there
and you've really got to be part of that solution.
Which companies have been most resistant to change?
Um...
Well, I'll pass on that.
What about Woodside?
Um...
I've certainly always encouraged Woodside to be more ambitious.
It's August 1.
Protest day.
GERARD MAZZA: Do you know where you're going, Jesse?
JESSE NOAKES: Yep. Cool.
Alright, I should tell everyone
we're going to touch down in about, what, five minutes.
(LAUGHS) Five minutes.
Oh, probably right on sunrise, I reckon.
Anyone have any final words?
Final words.
"Bye, Tilda. Nice knowing you."
I'm just very, very, very, very proud.
This is the moment Tilda's been preparing for.
Are you ready? What am I doing?
But, as the Disrupt Burrup Hub activists pull up,
But, as the Disrupt Burrup Hub police are waiting.
POLICE: Police! Don't move!
Do not move!
You're under arrest on suspicion of trespass.
You're under arrest You're under arrest for trespass.
Get back.
Just come over this way, please.
You're under arrest on suspicion of trespass.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
So, we've been following (INDISTINCT CHATTER)
So, we've been following the protesters to this address.
It looks like this is the house of Woodside Energy CEO Meg O'Neill.
It looks like this is the house And the protest that they've planned
was probably going to be at the gate of Ms O'Neill's house.
As soon as the protesters arrived
police were waiting for them here,
stopped them immediately
and put them under arrest.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Over the next half hour
more and more police show up.
The seriousness of the police operation quickly becomes apparent.
WA's State Security Investigation squad is in charge.
Soon they turn their attention to the ABC.
Soon they turn their attention Yes, I'm with ABC.
Yeah, with the Four Corners program. Sure.
My name is Hagar Cohen.
And you?
I'm Roger Haynes from the State And you?
I'm Roger Haynes from the State Security Investigation Group.
OK. This man here...
Roger Haynes asks to search our ABC van.
Do you have a search warrant? I don't need one.
I will invoke...
He thinks we have the activists' phones inside,
He thinks we have but then he changes his mind.
All good.
Ah, all good? All good.
Ah, all good? All good, yeah.
Oh, he's all good. He doesn't need it anymore.
Oh, he's all good. Thank you.
(INDISTINCT POLICE-RADIO CHATTER)
Understood.
After about an hour,
the activists are bundled into a police car and taken into custody.
Gerard Mazza is charged with trespass.
He, Jesse Noakes and Tilda Lane-Rose
are charged with conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
Hi, Jo. How are you?
Good.
How are you guys going?
Uh... Just a bit thrown, I think.
Later that morning
I caught up with Tahlia at Joana Partyka's apartment.
The story about the protest was all over the papers.
The story about the protest I wanted to know
why Disrupt Burrup Hub I wanted to know
why Disrupt Burrup Hub thought their actions were justified.
Did you see, though,
Meg O'Neill released a statement to the papers today?
No.
She said she was terrified.
What's it say?
(READS) "Climate activists target What's it say?
(READS) "Climate activists target home of Woodside Energy boss..."
(READS) "Climate activists target That line - "Such acts by extremists
"should be condemned by anyone who respects the law
"and believes people should be safe to go about their business
"at home and at work" -
like, that's the point. What about my kids?
That's the point of why we're doing this. Like...
What about my kids feeling safe when they're adults, you know?
Yeah. Me feeling like...
Yeah. ..they're going to have...
Yeah. ..be able to have a safe home.
But you don't feel that this kind of action would be terrifying?
You know, she would know this campaign is a non-violent campaign.
I don't see any reason... It also pales in comparison
to the terror that we all feel
A - every day as people living in a climate crisis fuelled by Woodside
and B - as individuals being targeted by the state...
Yeah. ..for trying to fight.
Yeah. The action today
probably does represent somewhat an escalation in the campaign.
Do you think that police... the police are feeling like,
"OK, this is the radicalisation of this group"?
I don't see today's action being an escalation.
I don't see today's action Our strategy is to escalate or...
..and-or use innovative tactics.
(PHONE RINGS)
Oh, it's the police. Oh.
Yeah, you should take that. Yes.
Hello? Tahlia speaking.
Yeah. Hi. Good, thanks.
A State Security Investigations officer
tells Tahlia that there are six of them outside her house
tells Tahlia that there are with a search warrant.
Tahlia's told if she doesn't go home, with a search warrant.
Tahlia's told if she doesn't go home, they'll break in.
I am leaving now. I can be there in 20 minutes.
Sure. Yeah.
No, I don't know, so... Doors closing. Elevator going down.
No, I don't know, so... This year alone
Disrupt Burrup Hub activists
have been charged Disrupt Burrup Hub activists
have been charged with indictable offences 23 times.
Alright, so, I can see a couple of police officers
Alright, so, I can see just at the front of Tahlia's house.
We think it's from just at the front of Tahlia's house.
We think it's from the counter-terrorism squad.
We think it's from We're going to go and check it out.
Hello, Tahlia. Hi.
I'm Detective (INDISTINCT) from the WA Police.
Just to let you know at the moment you're currently under arrest
on suspicion of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
on suspicion of conspiracy Why?
I'll explain your rights first and then I'll go into all of that.
Right now you're currently under arrest.
Right now Tahlia Stolarski's house
is being searched for the third time in four months.
Anything you say or do will be recorded.
Can I have the warrant? Yes.
There's a copy of it here. We'll give you a copy when we go inside.
I'll do that on video. Can I get a copy now?
Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.
There you are. Thanks.
Would you like to come inside? No, I just want to read the warrant.
You ARE under arrest. You're currently under arrest...
You have to come inside. But I'm pretty sure...
You can read it. You can read it. ..I can read the warrant...
You can read it. You can read it. We'll close it.
The officers take nearly two hours to go through Tahlia's belongings.
They're hoping to uncover
evidence of the planning They're hoping to uncover
evidence of the planning for the Meg O'Neill protest.
You're welcome to come in.
Oh! You're staying? I'm not under arrest.
You're not under arrest anymore? I'm not under arrest.
OK. And not being charged with anything?
OK. No, not at this point in time.
Goodbye. Thanks. Maybe see you again soon.
That was a bit of a relief.
We asked Assistant Police Commissioner Jo McCabe
to explain their response.
I guess, how do you justify devoting this amount of resources
towards this group and this particular protest?
Well, that depends on the intelligence
and in putting a response accordingly to that.
But we don't know what else that was being planned.
We don't know what else we disrupted.
Do you think that the fact that this was the personal residence
Do you think that the fact of the CEO of Woodside,
a big company here in this state,
would have made a difference to the police response?
Absolutely not. Absolutely not.
It's of no relevance to us
if that person is the CEO of Woodside, you know,
or Mrs Jones, you know, a member of our community.
What is the security risk
that climate activists pose these days?
From time to time we have intelligence
that may suggest that people are going to breach the law.
But, in general,
we don't think most of the protest behaviour that we see, you know,
we don't think most of the protest is radicalising people.
So, on what grounds was the State Security Investigations unit
deployed to police climate activists?
Uh... Look, I can't talk about individual investigations.
Uh... Look, I can't talk about Is it because they're motivated
by a particular ideology or political ideas?
No, not at all.
We're here to evacuate this building for Disrupt Burrup Hub!
We must...
Jo McCabe says that police partly justify
Jo McCabe says the involvement of State Security
because the activists set off a stink bomb
at Woodside's headquarters back in June.
You know, we had people going to hospital
You know, as a result of that incident.
So, if our State Security Investigations Group
are keeping an eye on the team in Disrupt Burrup,
it's because of their previous behaviour.
A police spokesperson later retracted this statement,
saying that some people felt sick but there were no hospitalisations.
In the days following the protest
outside Meg O'Neill's house,
a media storm erupted.
The ABC's presence at the protest
was criticised.
Has the Minister asked the ABC
if the person who took the decision
to send along a camera crew in these circumstances
to send along a camera crew will be sacked?
This smells, this reeks,
that there's something dodgy going on here.
No, they... (SCOFFS) ..they really need to have a good hard look.
What happened Tuesday has left me shaken, fearful and distressed.
After our repeated attempts
to get an interview with Woodside CEO, Meg O'Neill,
we were told that the company will not take part in our program
because of our presence at the protest outside the CEO's house.
Two gas industry associations also refused to be interviewed,
as did the WA premier, Roger Cook,
Environment Minister and Energy Minister.
Woodside's chairman, Richard Goyder, and director, Ben Wyatt,
Woodside's chairman, Richard Goyder, didn't respond to our approaches.
Another director, former federal resources minister, Ian Macfarlane, didn't respond to our approaches.
Another director, former federal resources minister, Ian Macfarlane,
sent a text saying resources minister, Ian Macfarlane,
sent a text saying
our team should be ashamed of our atrocious behaviour.
So, this is your room?
Yes. Yeah, this is my bedroom.
Right.
And just down the other red Nike TMs
that I was wearing And just down the other red Nike TMs
that I was wearing the morning of the action.
that I was wearing At the centre of this controversy,
19-year-old Tilda Lane-Rose is resolute.
19-year-old Tilda Lane-Rose And ultimately everyone was like,
"Tilda, this is your decision."
I wanted to know how Tilda felt
about Meg O'Neill's reaction to her protest.
Was that your intent - to cause her fear?
No, not at all.
I think it obviously sparked some personal reflection.
Like, obviously it...
You'd have to be very cold and callous to say,
"I don't care about her."
You know, like, it wasn't...
This action wasn't designed to strike terror into Meg.
It was designed to hold someone, like,
someone who's accountable for what's happening on the Burrup accountable.
Did you cross any kind of... Yeah...
Did you cross any kind of... ..ethical lines?
Yeah. ..ethical lines?
Yeah. Because it was targeting
Yeah. personal residents?
I think that...
I think, no matter what we do,
it's going to cross a line I think, no matter what we do,
it's going to cross a line to some people.
For now Tilda feels that non-violent direct action
For now Tilda feels is the only way forward.
The question is how far is the climate protest movement
willing to go to achieve their goals?
And do you see the act of breaking the law or civil disobedience
as a last resort?
I hope it's the last resort
because the only other thing after this is violence.
Extinction Rebellion are not supporters of violence.
They are firmly non-violent.
But I think other protest groups will emerge
that will use violence out of desperation.
Is it something you'd be willing to do?
Who can say? I don't think so. I hope not.
Who can say? I don't think so. But I'm only human.
Captions by Red Bee Media
Copyright Australian Broadcasting Corporation