Dr Chris Webster, the Victorian GP who played a pivotal role in solving the Erin Patterson mushroom murder case, has revealed that his outspokenness has left him unemployed and penniless. The doctor, who testified as a key prosecution witness in the triple-murder trial, now faces severe financial hardship after sanctions were imposed on his medical registration.
Sanctions and Financial Ruin
After the trial, Dr Webster spoke publicly about Patterson, calling her a “sociopath” and a “crazy b***”. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) imposed conditions on his registration within 48 hours of his comments. Four months later, he was forced to shut his regional GP clinic in Leongatha, Victoria.
In a TikTok series launched on July 7, exactly one year after Patterson was found guilty, Dr Webster detailed the impact. “In these twelve months since the verdict, I had vicious trolling and my registration had conditions imposed on it within 48 hours,” he said. He added that the conditions caused “severe financial hardship” for himself and the clinic.
Bank Accounts Nearly Empty
Bank statements provided to the Daily Mail show Dr Webster has just one dollar in each of his four accounts. A fifth account, labelled as a trust for the now-closed clinic, is overdrawn by $18. He also admitted that the National Australia Bank is pursuing him for unpaid loan repayments totaling “tens of thousands of dollars”.
“Do you think AHPRA contacted the NAB before taking away my livelihood?” he asked in a video. His most viral TikTok clip has garnered 70,000 views in less than two days.
Public Support and Backlash
Dr Webster defended his actions, saying, “If you think I deserve to lose my livelihood, have my company bankrupt, have my reputation sh**-canned in the media — all for the heinous crime of calling a mass murderer a sociopath — then you’re wrong.” Many Australians have voiced support online. One commenter wrote, “It’s such a rare, unexpected, unhinged and evil situation you found yourself in — be proud you recognised it and didn’t drop the ball.” Another said, “Far worse things have gone unpunished by regulators.” A local lamented, “Country towns in Australia need good doctors, this is a travesty.”
Supporters in Leongatha have started a GoFundMe to help the GP through his sanctions. “The bloke would make a million dollars,” one local told the Daily Mail.
Role in the Patterson Case
Dr Webster’s testimony in the 2025 trial revealed that Erin Patterson had presented herself at Leongatha Hospital two days after the fatal lunch that killed Don Patterson, Gail Patterson, and Heather Wilkinson. Ian Wilkinson also fell critically ill but survived. Dr Webster noted that Patterson checked herself out against medical advice, prompting him to contact triple-0 with welfare concerns for her and her children. He served as the key medical expert throughout the three-month trial.
