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Michael West

Award winning business journalist for The Australian.

Biographical Notes from The Walkley Awards website for 2005

All Media: Business Journalism Winner

Michael West and The Australian Business Team , The Australian, "Allstate"

Michael West and the business team compiled a series of stories on the Macquarie Bank's controversial involvement with Tasmanian goldminer, Allstate Explorations.

The story focused on a deal agreed to by the mine's creditors for Macquarie Bank to pay $300,000 for $77.5million of the miner's intercompany debt - giving it first rights to Allstate's profits from its share of the Beaconsfield goldmine near Launceston. The investigation was critical of the extent of information said to have been made available to unsecured creditors, on the mines prospects and on the circumstances that lead to the choice of administrator. Macquarie denies any wrongdoing and it has brought a defamation suit against The Australian for one of the stories, "The Mine Shaft".

Michael West began his career in journalism as a cadet with The Australian Financial Review. He spent five years at The Sydney Morning Herald and two years in stockbroking before joining The Australian to begin the satirical "Margin Call" column. After six years writing the daily, West now pens "Margin Call" on a Saturday and does investigations, with a particular focus on themachinations at the Big End of Town and issues of shareholder and social equity.

Judges' comments

A standout news-breaking story - a piece of great impact and value. The product of tenacious journalism, it exposed the behaviour of one of Australia's most aggressive and successful companies. The judges noted The Australian's coverage is subject to ongoing litigation.