The Wiggles are handling a different type of hot potato — a workplace dispute that has reached Australia’s Federal Court.
The legendary kids entertainers are being taken to court by Luke O’Neill, who in January 2024 was unveiled as their first ever CEO, but was sacked just 16 months later.
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.
According to documents filed with the court, reported by The Guardian, O’Neill’s employment was terminated in late May 2025, a dismissal he alleges had no reasonable basis.
O‘Neill claims several issues surfaced, which are documented in the paperwork. A year after slotting into the the role, he alleges he challenged additional hires not approved by himself or the company, and claims that on Feb. 18, Field “questioned his competence” during a staff meeting attended by approximately 13 employees, and “undermined him.” He also details being “excluded” from an important toy sale meeting, before his ouster.
Following his departure, The Wiggles reportedly paid him a bonus in the gross sum of A$86,266 ($56,000), O’Neill said in the paperwork, which he disputes is less than the full amount owed.
A spokesperson for The Wiggles has responded to the court case. “For 35 years, The Wiggles have been dedicated to bringing joy, learning, and high-quality children’s entertainment to families around the world,” reads a statement, seen by The Music Network.
“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 1, 2023, before being appointed CEO on Jan. 8, 2024, with a remit to lead the organization’s digital transformation and global expansion.
As previously reported, 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 case is slated to be heard by Justice Michael Lee, with a first case management hearing scheduled for Sept. 8.
The Wiggles are a powerhouse, racking-up more than 30 million sales of albums and DVDs, and upwards of 8 million book sales. Along the way, the group has won triple j’s Hottest 100 countdown (with a cover of Tame Impala’s “Elephant”); bagged a No. 1 album on the ARIA Chart; became the first band in Australian history to perform two national arena tours in a single year; nabbed the Ted Albert Award for outstanding service to Australian music (a first for a kid’s entertainment act), and filled arenas around the world.
Earlier this year, another first with the release of Wiggle Up, Giddy Up!, featuring music and collaborations with such country artists as Dasha, Dolly Parton, Lainey Wilson, Jackson Dean, Orville Peck, MacKenzie Porter and Lucky Oceans.
A new studio album, The Tree of Wisdom, is due out Oct. 3 and will be supported with live dates.
