Fact-checks
All Fact-checks
Every fact-check applies a rigorous verdict scale — True, Mostly True, Misleading,
Unsupported, Disputed, or False. Each claim is assessed against authoritative sources
and the right of reply is offered before publication.
Michael West reports on a Federal Court decision in which Justice Needham rejected an urgent application by BHP and its solicitors MinterEllison to fast-track an injunction hearing against West and coal miner Simon Turner. The article details the background of Turner's case against BHP, BHP's attempt to silence coverage of the litigation, and the court's decision to keep the matter on its ordinary course with a case management hearing scheduled for May 29, 2026.
WiseTech Global, an ASX-listed logistics software company, has begun redundancies affecting approximately 2,000 employees (roughly 30% of its 7,000-strong workforce), which the company attributes to AI advancements. The article reports that WiseTech sent different versions of redundancy notification emails to Chinese employees, omitting references to "AI," which employees suggest may be related to a recent Chinese court ruling involving AI-related job displacement.
A media critique column covering multiple incidents in Australian journalism: the Australian Financial Review's failure to disclose that columnist Jennifer Hewett's travel to an energy conference was paid for by industry lobby groups; criticism of journalist Chris Uhlmann's coverage of renewable energy; federal minister Andrew Leigh's improper use of photographer's images without payment; the ABC chair's defense against claims of antisemitic bias; and the Australian Press Council's legal action against GetUp! over domain name registration.
Peter V'landys, Racing NSW CEO and chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission, has achieved a preliminary win in his defamation suit against The Thoroughbred Report and its managing director Vicky Leonard. The defendants agreed to revise their written defence and withdraw subpoenas at a NSW Supreme Court hearing on Friday, with V'landys awarded his legal costs.
An opinion piece arguing that data contradicts Liberal Party leader Angus Taylor's characterization of migrants as a "net drain" on Australia. The article cites Treasury analysis showing migrants pay more in taxes than they receive in services over their lifetimes, and quotes migration experts who argue the Coalition is creating solutions to non-existent problems.
The article discusses a lawsuit filed by Landbridge, a Chinese-owned company, against the Australian government over its policy to terminate a 99-year lease on Darwin Port, using Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) rules in the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. The author argues that ISDS provisions give excessive rights to foreign corporations and cites previous cases involving Philip Morris and Clive Palmer to demonstrate problems with the system.
Melina Green, a former senior WiseTech Global executive who was head of tax operations and governance, has filed a complaint with the Fair Work Commission alleging unfair dismissal. This occurs as WiseTech Global, an ASX-listed technology company, plans to reduce its workforce by nearly a third.
Michael West Media reports that BHP has filed a Federal Court application seeking to suppress journalism about a wage theft case involving former coal miner Simon Turner. The article outlines the specific legal orders BHP is seeking and argues this represents a press freedom issue, while contextualizing the case within broader industrial relations disputes.