Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, now known as X, left the company’s Australian outpost riddled with under-investment as it defends itself against the Labor government in a free speech row over the Wakeley church stabbing.

Twitter’s Australian operation reported just $3.4 million in revenue in the first half of 2023, plunging more than 80 per cent, new documents filed with the corporate regulator show, representing its final submission before being taken private.