Robert Irwin has been slammed by his fans over his threat to sue Pauline Hanson, after he was depicted in an episode of the One Nation Leader’s satirical cartoon series, Please Explain.
Irwin’s likeness was featured alongside Bluey in a cartoon titled The State of Queensland, criticising the pair’s involvement in a state tourism campaign.
In the show, Irwin and Bluey are booted from a beach over native title, their car is stolen by “juvenile delinquents”, and they wait six months for healthcare.
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Irwin’s lawyer, Zoe Naylor, sent a cease and desist letter, demanding the video be taken down.
But in a shock twist, the wildlife warrior’s fans have been less supportive of his heavy-handed approach to Hanson.
“Mate, get over the cartoon. If South Park can chuck on whoever they want and take the p*** … you of all people should be able to take a joke at the expense of the government,” one fan wrote.
“Pauline is right, I don’t hear you defending our kangaroos and koalas Robert, they are suffering. The cartoon was spot on, no need for legal action,” another added.
“Crying because of a cartoon, grow up,” a third said.
“No Aussie humour anymore. Have a cup of concrete Irwin. Bloody hilarious,” another wrote.
Others appeared to be more supportive of Irwin — a number praising him for how much he looks like his dad.
At the weekend, news broke Irwin was threatening to sue the politician.
“Your actions constitute defamation and involve the unauthorised and deceptive use of our client’s image,” Irwin’s lawyer Zoe Naylor alleged in a cease-and-desist letter to the studio that produced the cartoon.
Naylor demanded the video be removed from social media, threatening legal action if this is not done by 5pm on Monday.
At the time of publishing, the video remains active on the YouTube channel.
The cartoon has been released as Irwin and Bluey feature in an international campaign from Tourism and Events Queensland.
“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.
“The unauthorised use of our client’s image in this context is particularly egregious, as it manipulates the truth and misrepresents our client’s personality, values, and beliefs.
“We are concerned that the unlawful use of our client’s image may be an attempt to pass off yourself or party as currently being affiliated or otherwise authorised by us, which you are not.”
Pauline Hanson responds
Lawyers for Pauline Hanson have slammed Robert Irwin’s “nonsensical” defamation claims, 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.