John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I seek the indulgence of the House to say a few words about the tragic and untimely death of Steve Irwin. Steve Irwin’s death yesterday in bizarre, tragic, and in some respects quintessentially Australian circumstances has not only shocked and horrified the people of Australia; it has brought forth around the world an outpouring of grief and emotional expressions of regard for this remarkable man. As the Cinderella Man, Russell Crowe, put it so well, ‘The crocodile man Steve Irwin was the Australian many of us aspire to be.’ He was, to use that old expression, a larger than life character. What you saw was what you got. He was a talented showman. He used his massive talents to support causes and to achieve goals that he greatly believed in.

It is easy when looking at the colour and showmanship of Steve Irwin’s life to overlook his extraordinary grasp and understanding of environmental and nature conservation issues. I had the opportunity of listening to the British environmentalist Professor David Bellamy on radio this morning. He paid a very high tribute indeed to Steve Irwin’s depth of detailed understanding of the creatures that inhabit this earth and of the environmental challenges that we all face.

Steve Irwin was an indefatigable campaigner for things that were important, and are important, to Australia. His services to the tourism industry have been quite remarkable. He epitomised to so many people around the world what they saw to be uniquely Australian characteristics. For that we should be simultaneously proud and grateful. He also believed passionately in a strong, protected Australian environment. His willingness to front the high-profile ‘Quarantine Matters’ campaign was a great contribution to the quarantine cause and the clean green protected image that this country wants to continue and represent to the rest of the world. That successful campaign, which started in 2002, grew to be one of the nation’s most successful public awareness campaigns. His commitment to the cause of that campaign and the love he evinced for Australia in that campaign was evident.

A few months ago he participated in the ‘G’day LA’ exhibition in Los Angeles to mark Australia Day, and it has become one of the showcases of our country to the United States and to the world. In February of this year he was the recipient of an award for services to the tourism industry. But the greatest reward that his memory can have has been the remarkable outpouring of affection for, and grief for the loss of, this remarkable individual. The joy he brought to millions of Australians and people around the world of all ages and the understanding he brought to young children of the importance of the creatures of this earth to our wellbeing and to what makes our lives amount to something has been amazing, and is deserving of immense tribute.

He was a great Australian icon. I found him essentially a person of what you saw his what you got. There was nothing contrived about him. He was a genuine, one-off, remarkable Australian individual. I am distressed at his death, and I think I speak for millions of people around Australia in conveying the sense of distress and sadness that such a rich, active, energetic Australian life should have been so abruptly ended in such circumstances.

To his wonderful wife, Terri, and to their children, Bindi and Bob, who must confront and deal with this awful tragedy, I extend on behalf of myself and my wife and the members of my government—and, I am sure, everyone in this place—our deep sorrow and sadness at his death. Steve Irwin was a wonderful Australian. We mourn his loss, we are devastated by the tragic circumstances in which he has been taken from us, and we send our love and prayers to his grieving family.

Honourable Members:

Hear, hear!

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On indulgence, I echo the remarks made by the Prime Minister. I know they are heartfelt. We are all aware of the strong relationship that the Prime Minister had with Steve and his family. The Prime Minister in particular would have been hurt by the events of yesterday as he contemplated the words to say in this chamber today. The nation went to bed in shock last night at the death of Steve Irwin, and this morning it arose in sorrow, but we can only imagine the sorrow and despair felt by his family. I do know that the thoughts and prayers of millions of Australians are with them today.

Steve’s pride in his family was on show as much as he was. They were his life, and he shared everything with them. He and his wife, Terri, spent their honeymoon trapping crocodiles. They went on to make almost 50 documentaries together. At the time of his death, Steve was working on a documentary with his eight-year-old daughter, Bindi. Steve was the quintessential Aussie larrikin. His infectious larger-than-life persona, his willingness to embrace any number of fierce and venomous creatures and his signature catchcry, ‘Crikey’, endeared him to the world. As somebody who loves language, I am sincerely grateful to him for reintroducing that marvellous word into common usage. It disappeared 30 or 40 years ago. Today we owe the popularity of that great Aussie expression ‘Crikey’ in no small measure—a small but nevertheless identifiable contribution—to Steve.

Through the Crocodile Hunter documentaries Steve became a great ambassador for this country—that should not be underestimated—and for Aussie values, some of them somewhat larrikin values. Through those documentaries he showed his talent as an educator, a campaigner and a conservationist. He taught many Australians to love our own flora and fauna, tough though that flora and fauna may often be. He took that show to the world. His shows screened in more than 130 countries. It is estimated that he was known to an audience of 500 million people, which is an extraordinary spreading of his talent and contribution across the globe.

He was particularly loved in the United States. I think it is probably fair to say that he had recognition in the United States before he had recognition here to the same extent. In the American mind, he came to stand for what Australians are. I must say we could have done a lot worse than him as the person who stood as an example of our nation in the minds of the average American citizen. He was obviously delighted with the recognition that he got in the United States. I loved the statement he made when he got back from one trip to the United States that he was ‘bigger than 10 bears’. He was comparing is success with American fauna, not Australian fauna. He did not say he was bigger than 10 crocodiles. It probably does not bear the same sort of comparison.

According to the media I have seen, the talk shows in the United States have been full of reprises of chats that he has had with all the major talk show hosts in the United States over the years. There is a profound sense of regret and sorrow in the United States at his passing. As is my wont, every night at 11 o’clock I listen on News Radio to the BBC news. We do not often make it onto the BBC news at 11 o’clock at night, but we made it last night for the saddest of all possible reasons—the passing of this quintessential Australian icon. As Australians we have had an enormous love and affection for Steve but, now he has gone, we must remember the extraordinary contribution he made. He was not only a great Aussie bloke; he was determined to instil his passion for the environment and its inhabitants in everybody he met. And, it has to be said, in this he largely succeeded. From the small boy who was given his own scrub python on his sixth birthday to the man whose exploits captivated millions of people around the world, he was unique. He will be sorely missed. On behalf of the Australian Labor Party I join with the Prime Minister and members of the government in offering my deepest condolences to his wife, Terri, and their children, Bindi and Bob.