Episodes

  • Israel Kidnapped Gaza Flotilla Activists, A Father Demands Answers | The West Report

    Israel Kidnapped Gaza Flotilla Activists, A Father Demands Answers | The West Report
    May 21 2026
    Gemma O’Toole was aboard the Freedom Flotilla when it was intercepted by Israeli forces. Her father, Patrick Kaiser, says the family went more than 64 hours without hearing from her, while the main footage they had seen showed detained activists zip tied, placed in stress positions and taunted by Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

    As Australia summons the Israeli ambassador and condemns Ben Gvir’s behaviour, Gemma’s family is calling for stronger action, sanctions, and a serious reckoning with Australia’s selective approach to international law and human rights.

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    ⸻

    Chapters
    00:00 Gemma O’Toole Kidnapped
    00:42 Ben Gvir’s taunting video
    01:28 No contact from Australian officials
    03:28 Australia’s response and calls for sanctions

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    6 mins
  • Murdoch’s Tax Whinge, Exxon’s Gas Heist and Labor’s Budget Panic | The West Report

    Murdoch’s Tax Whinge, Exxon’s Gas Heist and Labor’s Budget Panic | The West Report
    May 19 2026
    Check it out: https://taxdata.michaelwest.com.au/data_analytics

    Australia’s media has gone into full budget meltdown mode, with screaming front pages about death taxes, trust limbo and Labor betrayal.

    But while the Murdoch press and the Financial Review howl about modest tax changes, the low-hanging fruit is sitting somewhere else entirely, multinational gas giants making billions from Australian resources while paying a fraction back to the public.

    Michael West looks at the latest ExxonMobil Australia accounts, the numbers the gas lobby does not want discussed, and why the real budget scandal is not small business trust changes, it is the continuing failure to properly tax the companies exporting Australia’s gas. #auspol #budget

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    ⸻

    Chapters
    00:00 Budget hysteria hits the papers
    01:36 Murdoch’s zero tax record
    03:44 ExxonMobil’s $15.8 billion revenue
    09:39 The $1 billion dividend

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    12 mins
  • Budget Whingers, Gambling Ads and the Israel Lobby | Scam of the Week

    Budget Whingers, Gambling Ads and the Israel Lobby | Scam of the Week
    May 16 2026
    The Budget pearl-clutchers had a pearler this week.

    Michael West looks at the budget backlash over negative gearing and capital gains tax, the Liberal Party’s latest by-election disaster, Angus Taylor’s numbers problem, the government burying its response to gambling ads reform on Budget Day, and the biggest winner from Budget by far ... a foreign lobby group.
    #auspol #royalcommission #budget #economy

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    Articles mentioned

    The Bondi Royal Commission. Truth telling and uncontested falsehoods
    https://michaelwest.com.au/the-bondi-royal-commission-truth-telling-and-uncontested-falsehoods/

    Barnaby Joyce, Angus Taylor, Australia and the Caribbean
    https://michaelwest.com.au/barnaby-joyce-angus-taylor-australia-and-the-caribbean/

    Who benefits from negative gearing? Hint: probably not you.
    https://michaelwest.com.au/who-benefits-from-negative-gearing-cgt-pbo/

    Chalmers’ Budget in search of more productivity and less rent-seeking
    https://michaelwest.com.au/chalmers-budget-in-search-of-more-productivity-and-less-rent-seeking/

    BHP wanted us silenced NOW. The Federal Court said no
    https://michaelwest.com.au/bhp-wanted-us-silenced-now-the-federal-court-said-no/

    ⸻

    Chapters

    00:00 Budget whingers
    02:29 Negative gearing
    06:04 Farrer’s Liberal wipeout
    07:48 Angus Taylor’s reply
    09:08 Gambling report dumped
    11:04 Budget’s big winners
    13:59 Scam of the Week
    14:57 BHP lawsuit update

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    16 mins
  • BHP’s Bullying Backfires in Federal Court | The West Report

    BHP’s Bullying Backfires in Federal Court | The West Report
    May 15 2026
    BHP tried to rush Michael West Media and injured coal miner Simon Turner into the Federal Court, seeking urgent orders to take down reporting on a story we believe is firmly in the public interest.

    The court declined to hear BHP’s urgent application, leaving the matter on its ordinary timetable. At the centre of this fight is a coal miner who broke his back at a BHP mine site, a small independent newsroom, and one of the biggest companies in the world trying to muzzle coverage rather than answer basic questions.

    Story: https://michaelwest.com.au/bhp-wanted-us-silenced-now-the-federal-court-said-no/

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    ⸻

    Articles mentioned

    Pauline, Please Explain | The West Report
    https://michaelwest.com.au/pauline-please-explain-the-west-report/

    BHP wins orders to keep coal miner’s evidence out of Court
    https://michaelwest.com.au/bhp-wins-orders-to-keep-coal-miners-evidence-out-of-court/

    BHP is suing us. Here is the File Number.
    https://michaelwest.com.au/bhp-is-suing-us-here-is-the-file-number/

    Wild Accusations. BHP has even its own evidence muzzled by Court
    https://michaelwest.com.au/wild-accusations-bhp-has-even-its-own-evidence-muzzled-by-court/

    Case Muzzled. Court strikes out injured coal miner, backs BHP
    https://michaelwest.com.au/case-muzzled-court-strikes-out-injured-coal-miner-backs-bhp/

    BHP threatens coal miner for leaking in David v Goliath court stoush
    https://michaelwest.com.au/bhp-threatens-coal-miner-for-leaking-in-david-v-goliath-court-stoush/

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    Chapters

    00:00 BHP sues MWM
    01:24 Court says not so fast
    03:49 Simon Turner’s story

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    9 mins
  • Negative Gearing, AUKUS Billions and Gas Giants Laughing All The Way | The West Report

    Negative Gearing, AUKUS Billions and Gas Giants Laughing All The Way | The West Report
    May 13 2026
    Jim Chalmers’ 2026 Budget has landed and, despite the pearl clutching from the Rich Boomers Lobby and Murdoch press, the sky has not fallen in.

    Westy looks at the modest but meaningful move on negative gearing and capital gains tax, the failure to properly tax Australia’s gas exporters, the ever expanding AUKUS gravy train, Budget deficits, NDIS cuts, fossil fuel subsidies, private health insurance rorts and the latest on BHP’s lawsuit against Michael West Media.

    The Budget takes a small step toward rebalancing an economy tilted toward investors and asset owners, but the biggest rort in the country remains untouched, foreign gas giants making billions from Australian resources while paying crumbs back to the public.

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    ⸻

    Articles mentioned:

    Chalmers’ budget. From landlord paradise to clever country?
    https://michaelwest.com.au/chalmers-budget-from-landlord-paradise-to-clever-country/

    Scary alert! Like negative gearing? Buy shares!
    https://michaelwest.com.au/scaremongers-alert-like-negative-gearing-buy-shares/

    Tax relief for workers and pain for investors in budget
    https://michaelwest.com.au/tax-relief-for-workers-and-pain-for-investors-in-budget/

    Supercharged inequality: rich investors stifle budget
    https://michaelwest.com.au/supercharged-inequality-rich-investors-stifle-budget/

    Who benefits from negative gearing? Hint: probably not you.
    https://michaelwest.com.au/who-benefits-from-negative-gearing-cgt-pbo/

    Negative Gearing explained
    https://michaelwest.com.au/negative-gearing-explained/

    ‘Playing us for fools’: foreign gains fuel gas tax push
    https://michaelwest.com.au/playing-us-for-fools-foreign-gains-fuel-gas-tax-push/

    Small beer: revenue from gas export tax set to plummet
    https://michaelwest.com.au/small-beer-revenue-from-gas-export-tax-set-to-plummet/

    Time to make ’em pay! The big bludgers are the corporate tax dodgers
    https://michaelwest.com.au/taxdata-corporate-tax-dodgers-revealed/

    The Verdict: some progress on the looming multinational tax dodging reforms but “enormous” task ahead
    https://michaelwest.com.au/progress-on-looming-multinational-tax-dodging-reforms-but-enormous-task-ahead/

    Corporate tax avoidance. Who helps fund Australia, and who doesn’t?
    https://michaelwest.com.au/corporate-tax-avoidance-who-helps-fund-australia-and-who-doesnt/

    Budget 2026 coverage, Michael West Media
    https://michaelwest.com.au

    ⸻

    Chapters

    00:00 Budget 2026
    01:17 Negative gearing
    03:44 Gas tax failure
    05:16 AUKUS billions
    06:40 Trump and Netanyahu war
    07:41 NDIS cuts
    08:14 LNG royalties
    10:17 Royal Commission
    11:07 Updates

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    13 mins
  • We are Getting Sued by BHP | The West Report

    We are Getting Sued by BHP | The West Report
    May 11 2026
    Michael West Media is being sued by BHP, The Big Australian, for our reporting on the case of injured coal miner Simon Turner.

    At the centre of the fight are questions of public interest journalism, confidentiality orders, labour hire, coal mining, and whether a $300 billion corporate giant should be using the courts against a small independent media outlet.

    Michael West breaks down the claim, the role of BHP’s lawyers Minter Ellison, the long running story of Simon Turner, and why MWM is preparing to fight back, possibly with the inaugural BHP Ball and Minter Ellison Press Freedom Oration.

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    Articles mentioned

    Simon’s story

    Black Hole: CFMEU, governments, BHP, black coal giants in $2.5B worker wage swindle
    https://michaelwest.com.au/black-hole-cfmeu-governments-bhp-black-coal-giants-collude-in-2-5b-worker-wage-swindle/

    Same Job, Lame Pay: BHP and the black coal wage swindle
    https://michaelwest.com.au/same-job-lame-pay-bhp-and-the-black-coal-wage-swindle/

    BHP wage theft cover-up in the shadows of Christmas
    https://michaelwest.com.au/bhp-fwc-keep-wage-theft-secret/

    BHP’s big wage theft unveiled, the whistleblower and the coal miner
    https://michaelwest.com.au/bhp-buries-wage-theft-as-fair-work-commission-showdown-kicks-off/

    David v the Goliaths. Lone coal miner tackles BHP & co in Court over massive wage theft
    https://michaelwest.com.au/david-v-the-goliaths-lone-coal-miner-tackles-bhp-co-in-court-over-massive-wage-theft/

    Is BHP making wild accusations about “wild accusations”?
    https://michaelwest.com.au/is-bhp-making-wild-accusations-about-wild-accusations/

    Wild Accusations. BHP has even its own evidence muzzled by Court
    https://michaelwest.com.au/wild-accusations-bhp-has-even-its-own-evidence-muzzled-by-court/

    Judge takes pity on BHP in case against injured coal miner
    https://michaelwest.com.au/judge-takes-pity-on-bhp-in-case-against-injured-coal-miner/

    Hoodwinked. How BHP bulldozed a coal miner in court
    https://michaelwest.com.au/hoodwinked-how-bhp-bulldozed-a-coal-miner-in-court/

    David v Goliath. Court gets real evidence from miner v BHP by accident
    https://michaelwest.com.au/david-v-goliath-court-gets-real-evidence-from-miner-v-bhp-by-accident/

    Behind the coal miner v BHP, 20,000 miners and a bunch of giant mining corporations
    https://michaelwest.com.au/behind-the-lone-coal-miner-v-bhp-20000-miners-and-a-bunch-of-giant-mining-corporations/

    BHP threatens coal miner for leaking in David v Goliath court stoush
    https://michaelwest.com.au/bhp-threatens-coal-miner-for-leaking-in-david-v-goliath-court-stoush/

    BHP is suing us. Here is the File Number.
    https://michaelwest.com.au/bhp-is-suing-us-here-is-the-file-number/

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    Chapters

    00:00 BHP sues MWM
    01:13 The BHP Ball
    02:08 Simon Turner’s story
    06:02 Mike to Mike
    08:52 More legal threats
    09:51 Support independent media

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    11 mins
  • Albo’s First War, ISIS Brides and Budget Scare Campaigns | Scam of the Week

    Albo’s First War, ISIS Brides and Budget Scare Campaigns | Scam of the Week
    May 9 2026
    The Brides are back, the ISIS brides are back in the headlines, and what a convenient distraction it is.

    This week’s Scam of the Week takes aim at the media frenzy, the antisemitism Royal Commission, the looming budget revelations on negative gearing and CGT, and the week of inevitable scare campaigns from prominent vested interests. Meanwhile, Trump celebrates war won, again. That means Albo has won his first war as Australia has backed Operation Epstein Fury. Next!

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    ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻—

    Articles mentioned:

    Transparency wins as Tribunal rebukes government secrecy
    https://michaelwest.com.au/transparency-wins-as-tribunal-rebukes-government-secrecy/

    Aussie John’s $200m mansion sale pinpoints critical problem with real estate market
    https://michaelwest.com.au/soaring-real-estate-housing-crisis-family-home-rort/

    ‘Most responsible’: Labor pledge for high-stakes budget
    https://michaelwest.com.au/most-responsible-labor-pledge-for-high-stakes-budget/

    Budget handout claims fuel fears of further rate pain
    https://michaelwest.com.au/budget-handout-claims-fuel-fears-of-further-rate-pain/

    Labor plots budget housing boost to fend off One Nation
    https://michaelwest.com.au/labor-plots-budget-housing-boost-to-fend-off-one-nation/

    Israel lobby sells stolen Palestinian land to Australian investors
    https://michaelwest.com.au/israel-lobby-sells-stolen-palestinian-land-to-australian-investors/

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    Chapters:

    00:00 ISIS Bride Distraction
    02:09 Syria and ISIS
    03:22: Lobby Spin
    05:56 Royal Commission Theatre
    07:08 Education and Anti-Semitism
    09:40 Budget Panic
    10:13 Negative Gearing Scare
    13:26 Julie Bishop and ABC
    15:22 Hidden Budget Spending
    16:31 Operation Epic Fury

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    18 mins
  • A Shadow of Doubt - Episode 2: Trial & Evidence

    A Shadow of Doubt - Episode 2: Trial & Evidence
    May 9 2026
    Episode two examines the lives of John Newman and Phuong Ngo, revealing two ambitious men shaped by conflict and power. Ngo is portrayed as intelligent, driven, and politically skilled, yet operating within ambiguous circles that invite suspicion. Newman, meanwhile, is shown as aggressive, confrontational, and widely disliked despite his achievements. Their rivalry unfolds within a brutal political landscape where alliances are fragile and motives are rarely clear. By deepening both portraits, the episode challenges the idea of a straightforward motive and broadens the field of potential enemies, suggesting the case is far more complicated than it first appears.

    Coming soon: Episode 3 - The Human Cost

    Creator & Narrator:
    Paul Searles
    Producer:
    Will Halliday
    Voice actors:
    Adam Andrews
    Phan Win
    Original score:
    Paul Searles

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    27 mins