The Wiggles - Anthony Field, Murray Cook, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Greg Page, Jeff Fatt
The former chief executive of The Wiggles, Luke O’Neill, has initiated legal action against the children’s entertainment group, claiming he faced undue workplace pressure from Anthony Field, known as the Blue Wiggle. O’Neill’s lawsuit, filed in the Federal Court, alleges that he was sidelined and ultimately dismissed without just cause after raising concerns about nepotism within the organization.
In court documents, O’Neill asserts that Field undermined his authority by questioning his competence during a meeting attended by over a dozen staff members in February. This incident reportedly followed O’Neill’s complaints regarding the hiring of Field’s relatives, including a nephew, for various roles within the company. O’Neill had specifically objected to a nephew’s involvement in the production of the upcoming album, The Tree of Wisdom.
The lawsuit alleges that Field implemented a bonus scheme for a friend and the boyfriend of his daughter without proper approval, which O’Neill claims deviated from established policies. Following these complaints, O’Neill states that Field took steps to diminish his responsibilities, including excluding him from important meetings with Kmart regarding the sale of branded toys.
O’Neill raised multiple concerns to Simon Pryce, the Red Wiggle and group director, about the financial implications of these staffing decisions. He argued that such actions were contributing to budget overruns that jeopardized his bonus. Despite a positive forecast for the group’s earnings, which is expected to rise from $2 million in the 2023 financial year to between $6.5 million and $7 million by 2025, O’Neill was dismissed in May.
He contends that his termination was unlawful and retaliatory, occurring without warning or prior performance management feedback. Additionally, O’Neill claims he received a bonus payment of over $86,000 in July, which he argues was less than what he was entitled to based on his performance.
The defendants, including Field and the group’s general counsel, Matthew Salgo, have not yet responded publicly to the lawsuit. The case is scheduled for its first hearing on September 8.
O’Neill joined The Wiggles in a consultancy role in April 2023 and became chief executive in January 2024, with a mandate to enhance the group’s revenue, manage budgets, and oversee staffing decisions. The Wiggles, established in 1991, is one of Australia’s most successful and beloved entertainment entities, having won multiple ARIA awards and earned a place in the Hall of Fame in 2011. Field remains the last original member of the group in its current lineup, which has evolved significantly over the years.
