The Federal Court defamation case against Michael West Media has been dropped, but unfortunately so has the regulator’s investigation into the lawyers’ conduct.
This ordeal has taken five months, $40,000, and countless hours, all for a case that should never have proceeded. But we stood our ground, not just for ourselves, but for every independent publisher, citizen journalist, and social media poster who’s ever faced legal bullying
To those who donated via Chuffed, backed us on Patreon, or simply watched, shared, and stood with us, thank you. We are humbled and immensely grateful. Your support meant we could call their bluff, get to court faster, and bring this to light
This isn’t just our fight. Australia’s defamation laws remain a weapon of choice for those in power, and the legal regulators, it seems, are asleep at the wheel
While legacy media is propped up with government cash and indemnified lawyers, independent media like ours is left to fend for itself. Yet it’s also because of this community, you, that we’re still here
You helped keep the lights on, the servers running, and the journalism flowing
The full recap is available on our website.
Michael West established Michael West Media in 2016 to focus on journalism of high public interest, particularly the rising power of corporations over democracy. West was formerly a journalist and editor with Fairfax newspapers, a columnist for News Corp and even, once, a stockbroker.
