Activists cop a spray after defacing mural at Resources Minister Madeleine King’s WA office

Federal Police have been asked to investigate after activists defaced artwork on the wall of Federal Minister Madeleine King’s electoral office in Rockingham.

The beach-side mural of a swimming seal and fish was graffitied with the tag “Madeline dont (sic) let Woodside make earth into Uranus”.

It’s believed the incident happened on Tuesday night.

Ms King — whose portfolios include Resources and Northern Australia — has been an advocate for the role of gas in the energy transition.

That has put her in the firing line for opponents of Woodside’s big gas export projects in the Pilbara, the Scarborough offshore development and a new processing train at Pluto on the Burrup Peninsula.

The $19 billion investment is underway and will supply about five million tonnes of liquefied natural gas a year to key trading partners.

It is understood the graffiti can’t be cleaned off, so the popular art celebrating Rockingham’s environment may need to be taken down.

“People have a right to protest, but they have no right to intimidate or harass,” Ms King told The West Australian.

“It’s ironic that the actions of these protesters might mean the destruction of a mural that was meant to celebrate and promote Rockingham’s unique natural environment.

“The mural is a much loved and iconic community landmark that had been there for many years, well before I moved in.

“They could not even spell my name correctly and the sign is right in front of them.”

The graffiti on the building housing Ms King’s Electorate of Brand comes just days after Disrupt Burrup Hub and Extinction Rebellion protesters staged a sit-in at the office opposing a further Woodside gas project, Browse.

Photos posted to Disrupt Burrup Hub’s Facebook page show police were forced to issue move-on notices to the protesters.