ABC issued ‘incorrect’ statement over Woodside protest: Anderson
ABC boss David Anderson has admitted the broadcaster was wrong when it said a Four Corners crew had no knowledge of what climate protesters were planning to do outside Woodside Energy chief executive Meg O’Neill’s Perth home earlier this month.
About 6.45am on Tuesday, August 1, a group of activists from the Disrupt Burrup Hub group arrived at Ms O’Neill’s home in the affluent suburb of City Beach. Three members of the ABC were on the scene, as were tactical police officers.
Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill said the protest was designed to threaten her family.
The incident – targeting a CEO’s home – prompted heavy criticism from both state and federal politicians. Woodside submitted a formal complaint.
The day after the protest, the ABC said a Four Corners crew received a tip to go to an address, but “they had no knowledge of what action was going to occur there”.
The ABC said the team stayed on public land, though a photo published by Sky News appeared to show the team standing on a driveway.
In a lengthy statement released late on Friday afternoon, Mr Anderson said the ABC had reviewed the incident and was confident its team did not enter private property – but did know what was going to happen there.
“The review does indicate the team did have some awareness of what was planned,” Mr Anderson said.
“To that extent, the element of the previous statement issued by the ABC concerning knowledge of what specific actions might occur prior to the event did not reflect all relevant information subsequently available and was incorrect.
“We will be investigating how this inaccuracy arose further to ensure this does not happen again.”
Four Corners, which is investigating climate protests and anti-protest laws around the country, still
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