Lawyers for Pauline Hanson have slammed Robert Irwin’s “nonsensical” defamation claims against the controversial politician after she posted a cartoon to her social media depicting the young conservationist.
The wildlife warrior appeared in cartoon-form in a video on Hanson’s Please Explain YouTube channel, titled The State of Queensland.
In the video, Irwin, alongside beloved children’s character Bluey, are evicted from a beach due to native title, have their vehicle stolen by “juvenile delinquents” and wait six months for healthcare.
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Irwin’s lawyer Zoe Naylor alleged the cartoon was defamatory and involved the “unauthorised and deceptive use of our client’s image”.
“Your statements have not only tarnished our client’s reputation but also misled the public, causing significant harm to our client’s brand and image,” Naylor said.
She demanded it be removed from social media by 5pm on Monday, threatening legal action if not done.
Hanson’s lawyers have now responded, saying the video was a “satirical assessment of the various failings of the Queensland State Government” and was not defamatory to the 20-year-old in any way.
They said the video, which referenced a recent tourism campaign Irwin was involved in, was “a humorous critique of that advertisement published primarily for a political purpose”.
“Your clients’ claims of passing off and defamation are so plainly inconsistent as to be nonsensical,” Hanson’s lawyers said in a letter addressed to Irwin’s lawyers.
“It is difficult to comprehend how a viewer could understand that the video represents an affiliation with your client if he is also being defamed in the same publication.”
The lawyers said they had been instructed to represent Hanson should Irwin take further legal action.
On X, Hanson doubled down on her position regarding the video, saying she would not take it down.
“I will not be removing the latest episode of Pauline Hanson’s Please Explain,” she said.
“I look forward to the day when Robert and I can have a good laugh over this and turn our focus to making Queensland a better state.”
The video remains online as of 6.30pm on Monday.