Pauline Hanson has hit back after Robert Irwin threatened to sue the One Nation leader over the latest ‘Please Explain’ cartoon, with an imminent cease and desist notice deadline.
Robert Irwin threatens to sue One Nation leader Pauline Hanson for defamation.
The conservationist claims he was mocked in the latest episode of Hanson’s ‘Please Explain’ cartoon series.
Mr Irwin’s lawyers have demanded the animation studio remove the video immediately.
In the episode titled ‘The State of Queensland’, the cartoon satirically depicts the son of Steve Irwin alongside a reproduction of the iconic cartoon dog Bluey.
The cartoon intends to use Irwin’s latest tourism campaign advertisement as a springboard to draw attention to political issues in the state of Queensland, including youth crime and a rental crisis.
Only a few hours after the cartoon was published online, FC Lawyers sent a letter on behalf of Irwin to StepMates Studios, the production team of Ms Hanson’s satirical cartoons.
On Saturday, Ms Hanson told Irwin to “lighten up”.
“Lighten up Robert, your father, Steve, he was a larrikin, he had a laugh, he could take the mickey out of himself and you’re complaining about this,” she said.
The Sunday Mail saw the legal letter in which Irwin’s lawyers claimed the cartoon constituted defamation and involved the “unauthorized and deceptive use of our client’s image”.
“We demand that you immediately cease and desist using this image. We demand that you remove this video from all and any other locations it is present,” the letter from Zoe Naylor of FC Lawyers read.
“You are potentially liable to our client in respect of defamation, deceptive use of a person’s image, passing off and misleading and deceptive conduct.
“We will commence legal action against you if you do not take down the video immediately.”
Ms Hanson told Irwin to “lighten up”. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman
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But Ms Hanson simply told Irwin to “get over it” and questioned how the cartoon “tarnished” Irwin’s reputation.
“How is he going to argue defamation? It’s not about him it’s about the issues in Queensland,” Ms Hanson told News Corp.
Ms Hanson implied Irwin should be appreciative she included him in her immensely popular web series as some parliamentarians clamour to be featured in an episode.
“I’ve got members of parliament asking me when they get to be in the cartoon, we have people pay to get in it, so I’ve given him a free kick,” Ms Hanson said.
“And [Irwin] wants to sue me over it.”
Only a few hours after the cartoon was published online, FC Lawyers sent a letter on behalf of Irwin to StepMates Studios. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Tertius Pickard
Ms Hanson simply told Irwin to “get over it” and questioned how the cartoon “tarnished” Irwin’s reputation. Picture: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Endometriosis Foundation of America
In the video, Irwin’s cartoon character galivants around Queensland in his quest to generate higher levels of tourism, but in his attempt to do so highlights some perceived issues the state faces.
The cartoon Irwin appeared to be much like his usual self, enthusiastic and optimistic, but unintentionally mistook a line for a dilapidated rental in Rockhampton for a Gold Coast theme park queue.
Later on in the cartoon, Irwin and Bluey’s characters are about to drive off in their Land Cruiser, but it is stolen by juveniles.
The dog is then injured after falling into a pothole and rushed to hospital where there is another queue identical to that at the rental home earlier in the episode.
The video ends with an appearance of Premier Steven Miles’ cartoon character, who simply smiles and chuckles to which Irwin, now observably downcast can’t believe “this is the state of Queensland”.
The video has been shared thousands of times and has more than 350,000 views on X and almost 100,000 on YouTube.