‘Will Be Defended’: The Wiggles Respond as Lawsuit Reaches Federal Court

The Wiggles‘ former chief executive has launched a lawsuit that’s anything but child’s play.

Luke O’Neill, who in January 2024 was unveiled as the first ever CEO of the beloved kids entertainers, is behind a workplace dispute that has reached Australia’s Federal Court.

O’Neill is suing Wiggles Holdings Pty Ltd, group co-founder and “blue” wiggle Anthony Field, and general counsel Matthew Salgo, alleging breaches of the Fair Work Act, including claims of unpaid bonuses and unlawful dismissal.

The case is due to be heard by Justice Michael Lee, who previously oversaw the Bruce Lehrmann defamation case, with a first case management hearing scheduled for September 8th.

According to documents filed with the court, reported by The Guardian, which broke the story, O’Neill’s employment was terminated in late May 2025, a dismissal he alleges had no reasonable basis.

Following his departure, The Wiggles reportedly paid him a bonus in the gross sum of $86,266, O’Neill said in the paperwork, which he disputes is less than the full amount owed.

Luke O’Neill

“Our greatest privilege has always been helping children laugh, sing, and dance, and creating happy memories for families to share. The claim made by Luke O’Neill is currently before the Court and will be defended. It is not appropriate that we make any comment until the Defence has been filed.”

O’Neill joined The Wiggles as a consultant on April 1st, 2023, before being appointed CEO on January 8th, 2024, with a remit to lead the organisation’s digital transformation and global expansion.

Among his duties, O’Neill was expected to expand the Wiggles’ digital footprint, develop new products, grow the commercial operations of the business, and build greater distribution channels to reach larger audiences.

The big red car that is The Wiggles’ enterprise has been chugging along for 35 years, during which the group has won triple j’s Hottest 100 countdown for the first time (with a cover of Tame Impala’s “Elephant”); landed a No. 1 album on the ARIA Chart (also a first), became the first band in Australian history to perform two national arena tours in a single year; and scooped the Ted Albert Award for outstanding service to Australian music (a first for a kid’s entertainment act).

Since 1991, the Wiggles have sold over 30 million albums and DVDs and upwards of 8 million books globally.

A new studio album, The Tree of Wisdom, is due out October 3rd and will be supported with an arena tour.