Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the House:

(1)

notes:

(a)

the immense contribution to Australia, particularly through wildlife conservation, made by the late Steve Irwin;

(b)

its appreciation to the late Steve Irwin for his dedication, energy and inspiration in helping to educate and inspire millions of Australians about our native wildlife and that of other nations through almost 50 documentaries and countless TV appearances;

(c)

its appreciation to the late Steve Irwin for his positive impact on raising the appreciation levels among Australians for our native wildlife and for wildlife conservation;

(d)

its appreciation to the late Steve Irwin for his public dedication to his family and the promotion of family values; and

(e)

its appreciation for the late Steve Irwin’s positive impact on international tourism in Australia and subsequent economic benefits; and

(2)

expresses sincere condolences to Steve’s widow Terri Irwin and their children, Bindi and Bob, and Steve’s father, on the sudden and shocking loss of her husband, their father and his son.

I rise in the House today to move a motion regarding the loss of Steve Irwin, who was undoubtedly one of the greatest contemporary Australians ever. I knew Steve Irwin very well. I think it is important, given his sad passing on 4 September, to record in the Australian parliament our gratitude for the role that he has played. I draw the attention of honourable members to items (1)(a) to (e) and (2) of the motion moved by me.

Regardless of whether or not people knew Steve Irwin, no-one could deny that Australia is very much poorer for his passing. In many cases, Steve Irwin had become the face of Australia throughout the world. It is now a little over four weeks since we lost one of our most loved and determined conservationists—a man who wore his passion for wildlife well and truly on his sleeve. We all knew the public face of Steve Irwin—ironically, I suspect, the American public did before the Australian public did. The man was seen in his many documentaries and TV performances as energetic, excited and enthusiastic, and maybe some would have said, in the nicest way, perhaps a little crazy.

His death has been felt around the world. One of my former staff members, Dan Adams, who is now living and working in Japan, noticed that the news dominated the front pages of the newspapers in that country, relegating other significant items to the inside pages. Steve Irwin’s unique antics were the foundation of a very successful method of spreading his conservation message. For that, earlier this year I had the privilege of announcing the Fisher community Australia Day accolades for Steve and Terri: the Environment Award and Outstanding Services to Tourism. The announcement was accompanied by the following:

The zoo has experienced incredible growth in recent years, both in the physical size of the zoo and the number of animals and attractions, but also in the numbers of tourists through the gates. As a result, the zoo has been a magnet for tourists from around the globe, which has helped to further highlight the Sunshine Coast region as an international visitor destination. The Irwins have used their success to establish animal hospital and rescue services as well as wildlife research and conservation initiatives.

Steve’s achievement in touching the hearts of all Australians and others around the world has been demonstrated by the massive public outpouring of grief by the thousands of visitors who have made the effort to visit Australia Zoo to pay their respects. I heard the story of one admirer who actually drove for four hours to simply stand at the front gate of the zoo and show his respect.

Steve Irwin, through his unique persona, has taught all of us the value of wildlife conservation. He has left a lasting legacy in his field. I knew Steve and Terri well; I have known them for many years. I knew them when their business was small, I have watched the business grow and I have watched the contribution that Steve and Terri made to Australia’s international reputation.

We were all saddened on 4 September, but it was in the days after his death that stories began to trickle out about a private side of Steve Irwin, and that trickle became a flood—stories that made some people realise that he was an even finer man than they had appreciated. Steve and his wife Terri funnelled much of their earnings into conservation causes. The documentaries, movies and TV appearances generated millions of dollars, but what went mostly untold was that Steve and Terri used significant portions of that money to buy massive tracts of land around the world—land in Tasmania, Vanuatu, Fiji and the United States—purchased with the express purpose of preventing development and giving the local wildlife a safe place to live. They had also purchased almost 34,000 hectares near St George in Western Queensland and 200 hectares around their zoo at Beerwah on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. I was hosted at the zoo just a few months ago and was surprised to hear that only some 50 acres of the very substantial area they have has so far been developed.

Steve Irwin’s death is obviously an enormous loss to his family—and our condolences reach out to his wife, his children and his father—but, in addition to their personal sense of loss, there is a sense of grieving as a community. The Sunshine Coast has lost one of its favourite sons and Australia has lost one of its most famous ambassadors—a person who was prepared, quite selflessly, to put his name forward with a view to improving outcomes for our nation. I salute Steve Irwin and his family and express my condolences for his passing.

Michael Hatton (Blaxland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the motion seconded?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, I am happy to second the motion. Steve Irwin’s death is an unfortunate loss. I am certainly proud as shadow minister for environment and heritage and on behalf of the Australian Labor Party to express sincere condolences to Steve’s widow, Terri, their children, Bindi and Bob, and Steve’s father on the sudden and shocking loss of her husband, their father and his son.

Steve Irwin was indeed a passionate conservationist. He promoted an awareness that recognised the economic value in protecting wildlife and of nature conservation. He was a great advocate for ecotourism—a growing and vital industry for the promotion and preservation of our natural heritage. However, Steve’s greatest contribution was clearly in his role as an educator. The fact that, due to his personality, he could appeal to people who would not necessarily see themselves as conservationists in the first instance meant that he made a very real difference in broadening the appeal of conservation and in widening the number of people who understood that our place on this earth is for a short time and that we need to relate in harmony to all other species on this earth.

Steve continuously demonstrated the need to protect all animals, especially our most dangerous animals. He educated us about animal behaviour. He educated us about the need to protect their habitat and he educated us about the way they live and interact in those habitats. His legacy is the understanding that he fostered, particularly in young people, of valuing and respecting wildlife. Steve passionately believed in educating children from a very young age about wildlife behaviour. In his interview with Andrew Denton, he likened it to how Laurie Lawrence teaches kids to swim from when they are one day old; he said, ‘They’re sponges.’

Steve and Terri Irwin established Wildlife Warriors Worldwide in 2002. Some of the charity’s objectives include educating the public and raising awareness of wildlife issues, and researching and recommending action in the protection of threatened or endangered species. Through Wildlife Warriors, the Irwin family bought land in Australia, Fiji, Vanuatu and the United States in an attempt to preserve habitat for endangered animals. The Irwin family literally put their money where their mouth was when it came to conservation, and dug into their own pocket.

Steve Irwin will of course also be remembered for his incredible enthusiasm and energy. It was that drive and passion for conservation that convinced many other high-profile Australians to join him as wildlife warriors—people such as Jimmy Barnes and John Williamson. The Wildlife Warrior fund also assisted in establishing the Australian Wildlife Hospital and Rescue Unit near Australia Zoo, which receives over 70 wildlife emergency phone calls every day, often dealing with over 30 different species. Other conservation projects undertaken by Wildlife Warriors in Australia include urban wildlife management projects. The team has most recently been working closely with the RSPCA and Brisbane City Council to relocate koalas from areas likely to be impacted by land clearing, and recommending strategies on overpopulations of species in congested areas.

In Asia, Wildlife Warriors is part of tiger conservation programs in Satpura National Park in Madhya Pradesh, India; Kerinci Seblat National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia; and Manas National Park in Bhutan. Following the devastating Asian tsunami, Wildlife Warriors Worldwide visited areas of Aceh. The team delivered urgently required veterinary supplies for elephants working to recover bodies from the disaster area and provided humanitarian aid to forest guards affected by the disaster. In South Africa, with only 600 to 800 cheetahs remaining in the wild, Wildlife Warriors is working in partnership with De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre to track and relocate problem cheetahs away from local villages.

We can all recall pictures of Steve wrestling with crocodiles. His legacy lives on at Australia Zoo. The zoo first served to house problem crocodiles that were for relocation through International Crocodile Rescue and has played a significant role in the thriving of the saltwater crocodile population, which was finally protected in 1974, after coming close to extinction.

My condolences to the Irwin family. There is no doubt that Steve’s legacy will live on. (Time expired)

Alan Cadman (Mitchell, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to compliment the member for Grayndler and thank the member for Fisher, my friend Mr Slipper, for instigating this private member’s motion. I only met Steve Irwin once, but I did have the opportunity of observing the impact that he had on the community and on my own family. I want to pay tribute to an exceptional and unusual individual—a man who was very physical, very open, very Australian in everything he did. His vast enthusiasm took us right into the heart of his world and the animals he loved.

It was only as we got to know him through interviews with Andrew Denton and other instances that we appreciated the character of the man—so open and generous and so committed to the things that most Australians value. I recall the words of Terri, his wife, when she said at the time of their marriage: ‘I thought there was no-one like this anywhere in the world. He sounded like an environmental Tarzan, a larger than life superhero guy.’ That was the regard that his wife had for him and that is still obvious today.

There is no doubt that Steve was enthusiastic about animals and conservation, but it was also obvious that he was enthusiastic about his family. He once described his daughter, Bindi, as the reason he was put on the earth. Terri said of him, ‘The only thing that could ever keep him away from the animals he loves are the people he loves even more.’ That was obvious when you observed him relating on film and in real life to his family and those near to him. The tribute paid to him by his father shortly after his death was a typical Irwin tribute, from a family very much committed to each other and very fond of each other’s company.

There was criticism of him after the incident with baby Bob. But, having lived with animals most of my life—with horses and livestock—I had no doubt that Steve was completely in charge of that situation and the criticisms from the do-gooders or panic merchants seemed completely unjustified to me. I could never understand why there was such a great row about him taking his child into the crocodile pen with him; it was an old crocodile and Steve knew perfectly well what he was doing, even though it may not have appeared that way to the uninitiated.

One thing that really came through following that incident, and subsequently, is the strong connection that children had with him. There were numerous tributes that talked about the emotional impact his death has had on the children of Australia. They really loved Steve. They loved his enthusiasm. They liked it that he really cared about animals. They liked that he looked after animals and tried not to hurt them. It also appealed to them that he was brave and could confront dangerous animals and show no fear. Children adored him.

Steve Irwin is responsible, I believe, for lifting the level of conservation appreciation in Australia—and for that matter throughout the world. The character of the man is illustrated by his love of Australian rules football and of course rugby league—being a Queenslander—and later, rugby union. I think that Steve’s character is one that we admire, and we will miss him greatly. He strode the world stage, talking about Australia. He was one of Australia’s greatest advocates and promoters of tourism that we could find. He also had the common-sense approach that you could never gain enough resources for environmental issues unless there was popular support, and he encouraged that support. He also encouraged a commercial commitment, and the two must go hand in hand, and he did that very well indeed. I want to join with my colleagues in the parliament in paying tribute to a fine Australian whom we will miss. His future could have been a great future but he has left an inheritance that we will not forget and a commitment to the right way in which we can enhance this land and enhance its conservation and preservation. (Time expired)

Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I rise to speak on this motion commemorating the life of Steve Irwin I want to note my thanks to the member for Fisher, Peter Slipper, for moving this motion. I give my full support and I know that all the members of parliament here do as well. Steve Irwin’s passing was a true tragedy. He was indeed a great Australian—I do not think that there is any doubt of that.

I did not actually know Steve Irwin; a lot of people in this place did. People who have spoken about his life knew the man personally. I did not. But my children knew him and he had an immense impact on them. I have three young children, seven, eight and 11, and on that day when Steve passed away I got a call from my middle daughter, Emily, who is eight years old, and she told me about Steve Irwin’s passing. She said it was like losing a friend. She had met him only once but he obviously had such a huge impact on a whole range of people and children right across the world that people who met him at once felt that he was a close friend. The public outpouring of grief and the worldwide media coverage of his death is a testimony to the enormous contribution he made to Australia, and a mark of who the man was and the amazing impact that he had on the wildlife and conservation movement globally. I remember that day when there were rumours going around that he may have been killed; websites and news sites jammed and collapsed under the weight of inquiries from people trying to find out what had gone on.

Above all else, we can speak of the man just simply as a family man. He was a father and he was a son and we learnt afterwards really just how important those roles were to him and to his family. His passing obviously will be most felt by his family, particularly his wife, Terri, his two children, Bindi and Bob, and his father as well. It is more than obvious that they were a very close-knit family.

Today I publicly offer my condolences to the Irwin family and to the people closest to Steve, those people who will miss him the most. There is no question that Steve Irwin lived an action-packed, eventful life. He was a man who was full of life. It is the greatest irony, I suppose, that while he died doing something that he loved it was probably the safest of all the crazy things that he had done previously, and for him to go in that manner was a shock to all of us. There was always an expectation that if Steve Irwin were ever to be killed it would be by a shark or a crocodile or some vicious animal, but in the end it was not a vicious animal but an animal acknowledged worldwide as a passive animal.

He followed his passions and he encouraged all of us to do the same. He encouraged the whole world to enjoy wildlife and nature and to conserve wildlife. He believed in it so much that he devoted his whole life to it, and not just his life and his time but every resource that he had. It is my understanding that all the money that he earned and everything he had when he had very little he poured into saving animals and conserving tracts of land and wildlife. As others have said, he tried to put his money where his mouth was.

He did this not only in Australia but all around the world. It is probably a sad indictment of Australia and Australians that while we all love Steve Irwin and speak so highly of him today, in the early days before many of us had even heard of him it was really in the United States and in other countries where he was a legend, a folk hero, to so many people. It was not until much later that we saw some of that and appreciated it. I do not think that we really, truly appreciated or understood the depth of the work that he did until he passed away.

His contribution to Australian life was immense and he should be remembered for that and for what he did for the nation and for tourism and for a whole range of other things. There is no question that one of the greatest attributes this man had was a special rapport with kids. He could communicate with them on a level that not many people could. He dedicated much of his life to trying to educate young people and children—he really was an educator—and lobbying and working hard, talking to anybody. There was no obstacle when it came to Steve Irwin trying to achieve his goals. He was bigger than life. He was bigger than his own life. He was not just talk; he was a man who took action. Nothing would stop him in terms of trying to save animals and conserve—(Time expired)

Phillip Barresi (Deakin, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At a time when we are engaged in a public debate about what it means to be Australian and what we value as Australians, we are fortunate to be presented with an example of those values in action. In recent weeks we have seen reflection on the life of Steve Irwin and, to my mind, the very values we are struggling to label are embodied there. There is an undoubted pride in rewards for hard work, an absolute commitment to the importance of family—whatever form that may take—an unbreakable connection to the land, a desire to protect the environment and a fervent desire not to take oneself too seriously. These are all attributes that one would certainly identify with Steve Irwin. I thank the member for Fisher, Mr Slipper, for bringing this motion to the House and, while I note that there has been considerable comment made in this chamber and elsewhere about the life of Steve Irwin, it is appropriate to also be debating this motion. This motion asks us to note the immense contribution to environmental protection made by Steve Irwin.

In January this year, I had the opportunity to visit Australia Zoo with my young family, Paul, Carla and David. Like so many other visitors, I was absolutely amazed by what has been created in that area—I had been there a number of times as a kid. The transformation of the environment left me with a great sense of pride knowing that this was our country and that it was being overseen by a man, his family, his extended family and workers who have an absolute passion for all things to do with Australian animals and the environment. Like many visitors, we saw the depth of concern and unmistakeable connection that Steve had with conservation and the environment. I believe that part of his legacy will be the way in which he infected all who saw him work with his enthusiasm for environmental protection.

Steve Irwin’s personal success, the success of Australia Zoo and the concept of Wildlife Warriors did not happen by accident; they were the result of the hard work of so many that were associated with him. That dedication to the cause but, more importantly, to each other has seen his family through some particularly tough times already. I have no doubt that the strength of the Irwin family will remain evident in these their darkest hours.

Steve’s activities raised the profile of environmental issues around the world, but I believe the success of his crusade lies in making the awareness hit home at a local level. Steve’s message, unlike Steve, was quite subtle. It was a variation on the ‘think global, act local’ message of so many environmental campaigners. By travelling around the world and actively engaging his audience in his passion, Steve Irwin became a master salesman—a salesman not for commercial gain but for the protection and preservation of our natural flora and fauna. He became a master salesman for his country too, a country he loved and of which he was justifiably proud. He communicated the message that, although they do not take themselves too seriously, Australians are more than prepared to engage in serious debate about those issues where there is strong feeling.

I have no doubt that as he gained success in the United States there would be some among us who would have felt a pang of that old cultural cringe when confronted by Steve’s enthusiasm and exuberance. It would, I am sure, have been the smallest of minorities as the strength of his message and his infectious belief in the cause would have won most people over in a matter of moments.

In visiting his zoo in January, we were treated to an experience which my children and I will never forget. To interact with wildlife is not something you have the chance to do, I would have thought, in too many other places around the world, let alone Australia. The ability to walk through a paddock with a leopard or a tiger, to handfeed elephants and, dare I say, to hold—and quite frighteningly at one stage—an alligator in my arms are experiences I will never forget. It was all made possible by the expertise, skills and passion that was also evident in the people that worked there.

I would like to take this opportunity, along with everyone else and particularly my family, to offer our sincerest condolences to Terri and her children, Bindi and Robert, all his family and staff.

Kirsten Livermore (Capricornia, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I also join the House in expressing my sorrow and that of my constituents at the tragic passing of an Australian icon, Mr Steve Irwin. I would like to pass on my sincere sympathies to Steve’s widow, Terri, and their two young children, Bindi and Bob. These children will now have to grow up without their loving father.

Steve Irwin was certainly a larger than life character and one who Australians loved dearly. His enthusiasm and passion for nature and his tireless efforts towards conservation made him a champion to millions. His enthusiasm was infectious to many Australians and his catchcry ‘Crikey!’ resonated across the world. Steve’s documentaries captured the imagination of the world and made him a household name, not only in his home country but even more so in the United States, where he was idolised by an adoring population.

As someone who never met Steve, I cannot pretend to have in-depth knowledge of what he was like, but he gave so much of himself through his television appearances that one could easily see that he was passionate about what he did and absolutely devoted to his family. The outpouring of grief amongst Australians who, like me, had never met Steve was astonishing. This is yet another example of how much impact he had on our lives and on the Australian psyche.

Steve touched people in every corner of the globe and infected us with a desire to protect rather than destroy. His considerable efforts towards nature conservation will remain his legacy and, through these remarkable gifts, his memory will remain with us forever. As many would already be aware, a great proportion of the funds that Steve earned from his media efforts were diverted into purchasing parcels of land for the purpose of preservation. It is reported that Steve and Terri’s group, Wildlife Warriors Worldwide, currently owns 90,000 hectares of land. These areas are now wildlife safe havens, mainly in Queensland.

Steve Irwin was not without his detractors nor was he free from scandal. I think he was too busy pursuing his passions to worry much about what others thought of him. However, it is the total of a man that counts, not individual acts and, in this sense, Steve deserves more credit than some gave him. He is directly responsible for promoting Australia and attracting large numbers of tourists to visit these shores. His efforts have contributed significantly, directly and indirectly, to the Australian economy.

Unfortunately, I have not had the pleasure of visiting Australia Zoo but, from the recollections of family and friends who have made the journey, it is a place truly worth going to. Everyone I have spoken to has said that it is a world-class facility that truly enthrals first-timers and repeat visitors alike.

Steve Irwin’s innumerable contributions to Australia’s culture and environmental education are immeasurable by any standard. I think it is fair to say that his legacy will last much longer than many of us within this chamber. His efforts to ensure that Australians and the rest of the world are wildlife warriors have ensured the survival of many species of Australian fauna and a deeper understanding amongst us all of environmental issues. Who knows how many young people Steve has inspired into becoming the wildlife warriors of the future?

It is for these reasons that I fully support the motion before us today from the member for Fisher. It is only fitting that in this place such a motion is moved to acknowledge the contribution of an Australian who achieved so much in a life cut so tragically short. Steve Irwin embodied the Aussie larrikin spirit. His fame could have led him to station himself overseas, but Steve was Australian through and through. In numerous media articles he expressed his absolute determination to remain in Australia and he was very proud to declare his Australian heritage across the globe.

Steve Irwin will be missed by many, not least his young family. All our thoughts are now with his family, and we hope and pray that they are able to continue Steve’s work to ensure that the environment is on everyone’s mind. He is an Australian who will not be forgotten.

Michael Hatton (Blaxland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The time allotted for this debate has expired. The debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.