Latest news with #SteveIrwin
1News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- 1News
Crocodile Hunter's dad fires up over culling proposal
The father of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin has hit out at calls for the large reptiles to be culled in popular waterways, describing it as pointless. Bob Irwin took aim at proposed Queensland laws that would result in crocodiles found in populated sites being killed or relocated. Katter's Australian Party put forward the bill under a long-running campaign to enhance crocodile control laws, claiming numbers had "exploded" in the state's north. Queensland's Liberal National government said it would consider the findings of a parliamentary hearing into the bill and decide whether it was "fit for purpose". Bob Irwin says killing or removing crocodiles is not the answer. ADVERTISEMENT "Culling crocodiles is a pointless exercise, absolutely pointless," he told the hearing today. Terri Irwin and Bob Irwin accept a posthumous honorary professorship from the University of Queensland on behalf of the late Steve Irwin in 2007. (Source: Getty) The Katter party renewed calls for crocodile control after a failed bid under the former Labor government. The bill would allow crocodile culls and safari-style hunting trips, amid claims more than 1200 crocodiles had been spotted in 2023 compared to 126 in 2010. Bob Irwin said if a large crocodile that protected a territory was removed or killed, a "juvenile delinquent" moved in and took over. "You're never going to be able to say to the general public you can swim in that river now, because you won't ever know that there are crocodiles still there," he told the hearing. Bob Irwin helped found Australia Zoo where his son grew up and developed a passion for wildlife, later becoming the world famous Crocodile Hunter before the livewire conservationist's tragic 2006 death. ADVERTISEMENT His daughter-in-law Terri Irwin had earlier echoed his concerns in a submission to the committee, saying the proposed laws would increase the likelihood of croc attacks due to a false sense of security in culled areas. A freshwater Crocodile pictured in Queensland, Australia. (Source: Getty) The Queensland environment department's deputy director general said education was paramount in preventing crocodile attacks, not culling. "No amount of crocodile removal can guarantee the absence of crocodiles in a waterway, nor can it assure that an area is completely safe to swim," Ben Klaassen told the committee today. Some community members threw their support behind the bill, with one group suggesting Aboriginal people should assist crocodile culls. Murrandoo Yanner won a landmark 1999 High Court case that ruled Aboriginal people could hunt crocodiles. He said Aboriginal people in Queensland's Gulf Country were hunting crocodiles and maintaining the population, so there was "no greater group" to aid a pilot culling programme. ADVERTISEMENT "We hunt and eat them, but we're not in that camp that we just want to totally cull them," the Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation stakeholder officer told the committee. "But we also know they're of great cultural significance, and they're in good numbers here, so we manage them very well." Recent estimates reveal there are around 20,000 to 30,000 crocodiles across northern Queensland. Yanner hoped to work with the state government, advising how to cull crocodiles without eradicating the species. Two councils in the state's north, Mareeba and Whitsundays, also want the bill become a reality, saying there was a risk to residents and tourists. Mareeba Shire Council deputy mayor Lenore Wyatt said dozens of saltwater crocs in eastern waterways were not native after some escaped from a nearby farm in the 1990s. The area is already zoned to allow the removal of crocodiles, but the council wanted a faster process, saying a farmer had a reptile in his dam for more than six months. ADVERTISEMENT The committee report is due in August.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Bizarre things Aussies leave in Ubers
An Esky full of seafood, a Steve Irwin action figure and $1200 worth of meat raffle winnings are just some of the unique items left behind in Ubers this year. The rideshare company have just released its annual Lost & Found Index, and some distinctive lost property gives a glimpse into the habits of Australian travellers. On the list of the 'most unique' lost items were $500 worth of live exotic fish, a vibrator, a cooked chicken, a puppy, half a pair of dentures, and what Uber deemed a 'suspicious' amount of belts. Other highlights on the list were a sword, Lamborghini keys, and an electric doughnut maker. The most commonly forgotten items, however, were everyday possessions, including clothing, luggage, phones, jewellery, headphones, wallets and keys. Uber Australia and New Zealand's director of consumer operations Mathieu Maire said the index showed 'a quintessentially Aussie' insight into how we travel. 'People misplace things for all sorts of reasons – maybe they're in a rush, juggling too much or just a bit distracted,' Mr Maire said. 'Behind every lost item, there's often a little story. 'Whether it's your love letter or your lightsaber, we know how important it is to be reunited with your belongings.' Australian forgetfulness habits change depending on the day of the week, according to the index. On Mondays, hats are commonly forgotten, jackets are lost on Tuesday and Fridays, iPads on Wednesdays and AirPods on Thursdays. Phones are most likely to go missing on the weekend. The time of day also seems to make an impact; Australians are most forgetful during the morning rush hour and when coming home from a night out at 2am. Sydney topped the list as Australia's most 'forgetful' city, followed closely by Melbourne at No.2. Next on the list were Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, the Gold Coast and Canberra. Uber has encouraged anyone who lost something in a rideshare to reach out by contacting their driver directly. 'Our built-in tools make it easy to reconnect with your driver and retrieve your belongings with as little hassle as possible,' Mr Maire said. 30 most unique lost items: Mini Steve Irwin toy $500 worth of live exotic fish Vibrator A cooked chicken Esky with crabs and fish Puppy Portable CPAP machine Bottom denture $1200 meat raffle prize Cat scratching post Massage table Sword Breathalyser Electric doughnut maker Kung fu belt Rugby ball shaped cufflinks Love letter Lightsaber Breast pump executor Hair extensions Jar of bee pollen Police documents Crochet peas Clown nose Green gremlin toy $400 worth of concert merch Bass guitar Christmas lights box with $1,500 cash inside Teeth grills Suspicious amount of belts 10 most commonly forgotten items: Clothing Backpacks/luggage Phones Jewellery Headphones Wallets/purses Keys Laptops Vapes Glasses 15 most 'forgetful' cities: Sydney, NSW Melbourne, VIC Perth, WA Brisbane, QLD Adelaide, SA Gold Coast, QLD Canberra, ACT Newcastle, NSW Hobart, TAS Cairns, QLD Darwin, NT Sunshine Coast, QLD Geelong, VIC Wollongong, NSW Ballarat, VIC
Perth Now
11-06-2025
- Perth Now
Uber's annual Lost & Found Index reveals items most commonly forgotten by Australians
An Esky full of seafood, a Steve Irwin action figure and $1200 worth of meat raffle winnings are just some of the unique items left behind in Ubers this year. The rideshare company have just released its annual Lost & Found Index, and some distinctive lost property gives a glimpse into the habits of Australian travellers. On the list of the 'most unique' lost items were $500 worth of live exotic fish, a vibrator, a cooked chicken, a puppy, half a pair of dentures, and what Uber deemed a 'suspicious' amount of belts. Other highlights on the list were a sword, Lamborghini keys, and an electric doughnut maker. Camera Icon One passenger left an Esky full of crabs in an Uber. NewsWire / David Geraghty Credit: News Corp Australia The most commonly forgotten items, however, were everyday possessions, including clothing, luggage, phones, jewellery, headphones, wallets and keys. Uber Australia and New Zealand's director of consumer operations Mathieu Maire said the index showed 'a quintessentially Aussie' insight into how we travel. 'People misplace things for all sorts of reasons – maybe they're in a rush, juggling too much or just a bit distracted,' Mr Maire said. 'Behind every lost item, there's often a little story. 'Whether it's your love letter or your lightsaber, we know how important it is to be reunited with your belongings.' Camera Icon Sydney is Australia's most forgetful city. NCA NewsWire / Jenny Evans Credit: News Corp Australia Australian forgetfulness habits change depending on the day of the week, according to the index. On Mondays, hats are commonly forgotten, jackets are lost on Tuesday and Fridays, iPads on Wednesdays and AirPods on Thursdays. Phones are most likely to go missing on the weekend. The time of day also seems to make an impact; Australians are most forgetful during the morning rush hour and when coming home from a night out at 2am. Sydney topped the list as Australia's most 'forgetful' city, followed closely by Melbourne at No.2. Next on the list were Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, the Gold Coast and Canberra. Uber has encouraged anyone who lost something in a rideshare to reach out by contacting their driver directly. 'Our built-in tools make it easy to reconnect with your driver and retrieve your belongings with as little hassle as possible,' Mr Maire said. Camera Icon Forgetful Aussies can get their items back by contacting their driver. NewsWire / David Geraghty Credit: News Corp Australia 30 most unique lost items: Mini Steve Irwin toy $500 worth of live exotic fish Vibrator A cooked chicken Esky with crabs and fish Puppy Portable CPAP machine Bottom denture $1200 meat raffle prize Cat scratching post Massage table Sword Breathalyser Electric doughnut maker Kung fu belt Rugby ball shaped cufflinks Love letter Lightsaber Breast pump executor Hair extensions Jar of bee pollen Police documents Crochet peas Clown nose Green gremlin toy $400 worth of concert merch Bass guitar Christmas lights box with $1,500 cash inside Teeth grills Suspicious amount of belts 10 most commonly forgotten items: Clothing Backpacks/luggage Phones Jewellery Headphones Wallets/purses Keys Laptops Vapes Glasses 15 most 'forgetful' cities:
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Steve Irwin's father delivers brutal message to Bob Katter as feud over crocodile cull boils over: 'He's not listening'
The father of Steve Irwin has joined his estranged family to slam Bob Katter and his calls to cull crocodiles. Bob Irwin Senior came out swinging on Wednesday to label the outspoken MP a 'd***head'. Katter's Australian Party (KAP) introduced the Crocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025 in February to the Queensland Government. The aim of the proposed law is to 'eliminate crocodiles which pose a threat to human life' while protecting them from going extinct. The move has prompted outrage from the Irwin family with Bob the latest member to publicly share his opposition to it. 'He's not listening to the people that know. He has no idea of how the environment works and that's his problem,' the Australia Zoo founder told The Courier Mail. Bob had spoken at state parliament earlier in the day against the legislation. 'Steve and I have learnt from the word go that if you want to be successful with anything you want to do with crocodiles, you've got to get inside their head figuratively,' he said. 'So we spent a lot of time doing nothing else but observing what crocodiles do.' Bob added there have been previous situations where someone calls for the culling of crocodiles, but said people did not listen to researchers and scientists. Katter's son and KAP leader Robbie defended the bill while taking aim at the Irwin family. He claimed they were 'entertainers' with little understanding of regional communities' fears. He also told state parliament his father's knowledge came from speaking to his constituents in north Queensland. Although estranged from his son's wife and children, Bob's statements echoed that of Terri, who submitted a letter to the government criticising the proposed law. His daughter-in-law described the bill as 'more dangerous than previous efforts' to argue in favour of culling crocodile populations. 'It is such a lazy and sloppy attempt to recycle old draft legislation,' Terri said. In issuing her comments, Terri came under fire from Katter on Friday. 'How would you know all about crocodiles if you live in Brisbane?' he said in a video published to Facebook. 'Oh that's right, she's got them all locked up in a cage in Brisbane.' KAP MP for Hill Shane Knuth, who submitted the bill, joined the pile-on. 'The Irwin's built a multimillion dollar business off the back of crocodiles,' he wrote on social media. 'And now they're lecturing North Queenslanders on how to enjoy our recreational waterways while they're infested with crocs - and getting worse. 'Spare us the patronising 'Crocwise' slogans. We don't need a zoo telling us how to survive in our own backyard.' The Irwin family feud began 13 years ago when Bob quit Australia Zoo because he was concerned the wildlife park he'd founded in 1970 was becoming a 'circus'. Various reports from the time of Bob's exit claim he was worried the Sunshine Coast tourist attraction was becoming 'too commercial - and even feared a then nine-year-old Bindi was being pushed into child stardom. When Bob left the zoo for good in 2008 - two years after the death of his famous son - Terri was said to be planning a five-year expansion 'to make it Australia's peak tourist destination with a Disneyland feel'.
Daily Mail
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Bindi Irwin shares sweet family photo with husband Chandler Powell and daughter Grace - following her shock health emergency: 'Very grateful'
Bindi Irwin shared a heartwarming family picture on Monday as she visited Disney World in the US with her husband Chandler Powell and their daughter Grace. The Wildlife Warrior, 26, could be seen posing with her brood in front of the Florida theme park's iconic Cinderella castle in a sweet photo shared to Instagram. Chandler, 28, carried little Grace, four, who was dressed for the occasion in a sparkling frock and a Mickey Mouse hat, as Bindi held her husband's hand and smiled. 'May was an incredible month,' Chandler captioned the family photo. The former wake-board champion then listed some moments the family shared, including Bindi's shock medical emergency which emerged as a blessing in disguise. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'Visiting my family in Florida, Bindi getting life changing surgery, Oregon adventures, and Disney all together,' he wrote. 'Very grateful,' Chandler finished off the post, which has garnered over 33,000 likes. Last month, Bindi was rushed to hospital just hours after touching down in Las Vegas for a gala honouring her late father Steve Irwin. She suffered a ruptured appendix and was raced into surgery, missing the prestigious event she was due to attend alongside brother Robert Irwin and mother Terri Irwin. Robert told People magazine at the time Bindi was recovering and her mother was at her bedside. 'She's going to be okay, but surgery - out of all the things we were ready for, that was not one of them,' Robert explained. Terri also missed the event while accompanying her daughter to hospital and staying by her side through surgery. Robert explained Bindi had been suffering some pain in the lead-up to the gala but had tried to soldier on. She suffered a ruptured appendix and was raced into surgery, missing the prestigious event she was due to attend alongside brother Robert Irwin and mother Terri Irwin 'She came to Las Vegas and was ready to put on a brave face. She said, "I'm just going to tough it out." 'But the surgeon told her, "Your appendix is going. It's got to come out."' In an Instagram post, Bindi revealed while her appendix was removed, doctors discovered another 14 lesions from her endometriosis. These were also successfully removed. She also had a large hernia repaired which had developed after giving birth to daughter Grace in 2021.
