Arabic version: وودسايد تخسر طلبها للحصول على وثائق تخطيط الاحتجاج

According to ABC News, Woodside Energy has failed in a Supreme Court bid to compel climate activists to provide documents about the planning of a 2023 stink-bomb protest at its Perth headquarters.

The protest took place on June 1, 2023, when a stink bomb was released in the lobby of Woodside’s 29-storey CBD building, prompting an evacuation. Three activists sentenced over the incident last year were named in Woodside’s civil suit. The company sought documents that could identify people involved in the protest’s planning, preparation or execution, as well as court examinations of the activists.

Supreme Court Justice Matthew Howard dismissed the application, finding Woodside had not established that an order was necessary to identify others involved. He wrote that the company’s evidence and submissions “do not rise above mere conjecture or speculation”. The judge also noted that WA Police had conducted a significant investigation and that the identities of two activists who were not charged were already known.

Woodside had told the court it intended to pursue financial damages from all people involved, citing damage and lost productivity. Justice Howard rejected arguments connected to an online Disrupt Burrup Hub guide and to a separate protest at the home of then-chief executive Meg O’Neill. He noted the online guide was published after the headquarters protest.

The judge said granting the orders would involve a “very serious invasion of privacy and confidentiality” and should occur only where required by the interests of justice. He also cautioned that parts of Woodside’s case could create a perception that it was seeking to discourage wider protests against its projects. A Woodside spokesperson said the company noted the judgement and was reviewing it. Protester Joana Partyka said the ruling came as a relief.