Labor frontbencher Josh Wilson has been photographed with the logo of gas company Woodside Energy covered on his Fremantle Dockers AFL jumper ahead of the club’s grand final match this weekend. Wilson, the Albanese government’s assistant minister for climate change and energy, was seen with red tape obscuring Woodside’s logo in a family photo shared on social media.
Wilson expressed his support for the Fremantle team but declined to comment on the logo alteration beyond noting that the photo came from a family member’s account. “I’ll be in Fremantle for the grand final and I’m looking forward to sharing the nerves and cheers in a sea of purple,” Wilson said. “This week is all about the opportunity to see the Dockers compete on the last Saturday in September, but it’s great that Australia is a place where people have the freedom to express their views and values through a range of creative and peaceful campaigns.”
The incident occurs amid a broader campaign, called Get Off My Chest, opposing Woodside’s sponsorship of the Fremantle Dockers. The campaign has gained support from notable figures, including musician Kevin Parker, frontman of Tame Impala, who similarly covered the company’s logo on a Fremantle t-shirt before a recent performance in Colorado. Get Off My Chest campaigner Clare Lagan also used spray paint to obscure Woodside’s logo on a mural of Dockers players Michael Walters and Nat Fyfe in Fremantle earlier this month.
Lagan stated the campaign had distributed hundreds of patches since its launch in May, gathering backing from other prominent Australians such as novelist Tim Winton and independent senator David Pocock. She criticized Woodside as “one of Australia’s most controversial companies and one of sport’s most controversial sponsors,” urging the Fremantle Football Club to end its partnership with the gas giant. Lagan further highlighted widespread public support for a gas export tax, which she said reflected “the broad consensus that companies like Woodside are not paying their fair share for resources owned by the Australian people.”
The Conservation Council of Western Australia also welcomed Parker’s actions. Spokesperson Gerard Mazza linked the protests to concerns over Woodside’s Browse to North West Shelf gas export project off the WA coast, which Woodside describes as “Australia’s biggest undeveloped offshore gas resource.” Mazza emphasized that Western Australia is already a significant global gas producer, arguing there is no need for new gas projects like Browse amid the energy transition.
Woodside defended its sponsorship on Tuesday, stating it was proud of its relationship with Fremantle, which has lasted more than 15 years and is contracted to run through at least 2027. The company expressed enthusiasm for the football club’s success this season and indicated a willingness to continue the partnership.
Fremantle is set to face the Brisbane Lions in Saturday’s AFL grand final, chasing its first premiership since the club’s inaugural season in 1995. This marks only Fremantle’s second appearance in a grand final.