“WA Labor has proven itself badly out of touch by running a Woodside employee as their candidate in the Secret Harbour by-election,” said CCWA Executive Director Matt Roberts.

“Increasingly, Western Australians are waking up to the fact that big gas companies like Woodside are shirking tax, failing to deliver on their obligations to the domestic market, and risking precious WA places like Scott Reef for the sake of export profits.

“Georgia Tree began working at Woodside in ‘Government Relations’ before leaving to contest the seat of Secret Harbour in Saturday’s by-election.

“Prior to that, Ms Tree was a long-time employee of one of the gas industry’s biggest supporters, Resources Minister Madeleine King. Ms Tree left Ms King’s office to join Woodside at a time when the company’s Browse gas export proposal – a proposal that directly threatens Scott Reef – was before the WA Environmental Protection Authority for assessment.

“The revolving door between industry and politics is bad for our democracy. When former Labor politicians like Ben Wyatt join the Woodside board after leaving Cabinet, and Woodside employees like Georgia Tree are pre-selected by Labor, it's not surprising that voters smell a rat.

“Woodside has donated more than $19,000 to WA Labor this financial year. But do voters really want to support a party that takes gas industry money and runs gas industry candidates?

“When you cosy up to Woodside, you’ve picked a side. You can’t say you’re for climate and nature, then take gas industry money and pick a gas lobbyist as a by-election candidate – these things can’t exist at the same time.

“Secret Harbour is just one electorate. We’ve been knocking on doors to speak to voters from across Perth, where three in four of the people we survey say they don’t want Woodside drilling for gas at Scott Reef. These same people no doubt feel aggrieved at Labor’s attempt to bring a Woodside lobbyist into Parliament.

“Western Australians want a government that will walk the talk and follow through on its commitments. Roger Cook’s Labor government says it is serious about climate action but then turns around and supports fossil fuel companies while accepting their donations. Is it any wonder voters are disenchanted.

“If Labor wants to regain the trust of Western Australians, it should end the revolving door between the gas industry and politics and take a stand against corporations like Woodside that are pollute our environment and rip us off.”

ENDS 

Media contact: John Cooke – 0433 679 780