A trio of eminent Perth public figures have thrown their support behind the Disrupt Burrup Hub protestors facing charges over plans to detonate a stink bomb at Woodside's AGM in 2023.
In a court hearing in Perth today for Jesse Noakes, Gerard Mazza and Tahlia Stolarski – all of whom were arrested after conspiring to make a stink at the gas giant's investor forum - a trio of luminaries were revealed as supporters of Noakes.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
In what was intended as a sentencing hearing, as lawyers for the trio made statements of mitigation and the lawyer for the prosecution urged their case, it was revealed that Noakes' legal team had submitted character references from Professor Fiona Stanley AC, Kate Hulett – who narrowly missed out on ousting assistant climate change minister Josh Wilson from his Fremantle seat - and Greens WA senator Sophie McNeill.
Noakes and his fellow defendants were arrested following their attempts to disrupt the Woodside AGM in April 2025. The court heard how Noakes had conducted a reconnaissance mission at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre ahead of the AGM, while Mazza and Stolarski attended on the day to set off stench and smoke bombs.
In attempting to negotiate the most lenient sentence possible, Noakes' barrister Nick Terry described his client and his co-accused as "exemplary people" who had "overstepped the mark", to which the presiding judge said: "They are misguided in the way they go about their goals."
In referring to "a number of impressive character references," Stanley's, Hullet's, and McNeill's support of Noakes came to light, illustrating the intricate network of well-heeled, environmental sympathisers in the activism sector.
At the start of the hearing the charge the trio had pleaded guilty to was amended to "attempting to create a false belief or suspicion of such a nature as would reasonably call for action by the Police Force or by Emergency Services, namely a belief or suspicion that human safety was or may have been endangered."
Prior to entering the Perth courtroom, Mazza addressed a small but noisy crowd of Disrupt Burrup Hub supporters who had assembled at the court to protest the recent decision of environment minister Murray Watt to approve Woodside's application to extend the life of their North West Shelf project.
The case was adjourned for a final sentencing hearing to take place on 6 June.
