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Sections in this issue outline (in order):
1. What they said. 2 The issue at a glance. 3 Background. 4 Internet information links. 5 and 6 Arguments for / against. 7 Further implications on this issue. 8 Newspaper items used in the compilation of the outline.
2004/05: Is Steve Irwin a suitable nominee for Australian of the Year?
What they said ...
'He has been one of the best ambassadors for Queensland in the modern era. He is known internationally'
Queensland Premier, Mr Peter Beattie, commenting on Steve Irwin as a potential Australian of the Year
'Personally, I found it a very strange thing to do. Not even considering him as the Australian nominee, just as a person . . . I find that quite worrying'
Director of the National Australia Day Council, Ms Marjorie Turbayne, commenting on Steve Irwin's recent behaviour
The issue at a glance
On November 20, 2004, it was announced that Steve Irwin, animal promoter and conservationist, was Queensland's nominee for Australian of the Year 2004. Mr Irwin is famous throughout Australia and internationally for his television series 'Crocodile Hunter' and 'Croc Files'. He also runs Australia Zoo on the Queensland Gold Coast.
Mr Irwin's services to Australian tourism were stressed when his name was put forward. He also has an extensive record of community and philanthropic work.
Steve Irwin was popularly ranked second, behind the New South Wales nominee, former Australian test cricket captain, Steve Waugh. However his prospects were significantly damaged when it was reported that on January 2, 2004, he had taken his baby son into a feeding compound with a four metre crocodile.
This behaviour provoked a furore both within Australia and overseas. A director of the National Australia Day Council, Ms Marjorie Turbayne, made immediate contact with the members of the judging panel to see if Mr Irwin should remain a nominee. Despite the criticism, Mr Irwin has retained the support of the Queensland Premier, Mr Peter Beattie.
Australian of the Year awards for 2004 will be announced on Australia Day.
Background
(This information is taken from the Australian of the Year Internet site. The site can be found at http://www.australianoftheyear.gov.au/news.asp)
The Australian of the Year Awards recognise and reward those Australians who have a consistent record of excellence, who have made outstanding achievements in their field, and contributed in a significant way to our nation.
The selection criteria are:
* Demonstrated excellence in their field
* Significant contribution to the Australian community and nation
* An inspirational role model for the Australian community
Selection panels will also give consideration to the following in assessing and comparing nominations against the above criteria.
* Personal, academic and professional achievements - past, current and future
* Contribution in the relevant field (how has the nominee 'put back' into their field to benefit others)
* Demonstrated leadership, innovation and creativity
* Personal interests and community involvement
* Contribution to the Australian community and nation
* Contribution to development of regional community and/or economy
* Future goals and likely impact
* Degree of difficulty of the achievement and sacrifices made
* Previous awards and recognition
* Voluntary involvement
* Nature and length of involvement
* Demonstrated commitment to personal/vocational/career development
* Availability and commitment to promote national pride and active citizenship though the year of the recipient's appointment.
Nominations will be sought for Australians of excellence from all backgrounds and all fields of endeavour including community service, humanitarian, business, science and technology, arts and entertainment, sport, education and environment.
Steve Irwin is the Queensland finalist for the 2004 Australian of the Year Award. He was described in the following manner when his name was put forward.
Steve Irwin - Australian of the Year for Queensland
An environmentalist, conservationist, naturalist, and animal lover, Steve Irwin is a unique Aussie character. Director of the Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland, Steve rose to prominence hosting the television series 'The Crocodile Hunter'. He is now an Australian icon and tourism ambassador for Australia. Steve also offers his services to many community and charity services including the Make a Wish Foundation, Leukaemia Foundation, and the Royal Children's Hospital Foundation Queensland. Although famed for wrestling crocodiles and saying "crikey", there is no denying Steve's passion and generosity.
Internet information
The Australian of the Year Internet site can be found at http://www.australianoftheyear.gov.au/news.asp
It gives information about the history of the award, previous winners and the selection criteria in the different categories. It also includes biographical information on all the nominees for 2004 from each state and territory.
The section of the AnimalPlanet.com Internet site dealing with Steve Irwin and promoting his television show 'Crocodile Hunter' can be found at http://animal.discovery.com/fansites/crochunter/crochunter.html
The site currently includes a report detailing Steve Irwin's defence of his recent actions and an opportunity for United States readers and viewers to give their opinion.
Biographical information about Steve Irwin and his wife Terri can also be found at the AnimalPlanet.com site. It can be found at http://animal.discovery.com/fansites/crochunter/steve.html
It is somewhat out of date as, though it refers to the couple's daughter Bindi, it does not mention their young son Ben.
The Irwin's own Internet site CrocodileHunter.com can be found at http://www.crocodilehunter.com/
It includes information on Australia Zoo, a reptile and fauna park the Irwins run in Queensland, and on the two television series 'Crocodile Hunter' and 'Croc Files' that the Irwins have made. It also gives biographical information of Steve and Terri Irwin.
The Crocodile Hunter at Jeffmajor.com is a one-time fansite for Steve Irwin's Crocodile Hunter program that has developed to include criticisms of the Irwins, their response and comments about and information on some of their more prominent critics.
The site's home page is http://www.jeffmajor.com/croc/index.html
The section of the site dealing with criticisms of or reservations about the Irwins is titled "The Dark Side' and can be found at http://www.jeffmajor.com/croc/darkside.html
In November 1997 the United States outdoors magazine 'Outside' published an article on Steve Irwin titled, 'Croco%#@! Dundee" The article is highly critical of Irwin and cites numerous Australian authorities who claim that Irwin frequently stages his encounters with Australian wildlife to maximise their entertainment value.
The full text of the article can be found at http://outside.away.com/magazine/1197/9711out.html
Steve Irwin's defence against the accusations made about him in the above 'Outside' article can be found at http://www.jeffmajor.com/croc/irwin.html
The Crocodile Hunter at Jeffmajor.com also includes a comment from site visitor Lee Villar who suggests that some of Steve Irwin's more vocal critics oppose him because Irwin has been critical of their support for commercial crocodile farming.
This comment can be found at http://www.jeffmajor.com/croc/darkside/dark-villar.html
The June 18, 2000, issue of USAWeekend.com included an essentially favourable report on Steve Irwin and his television programs. The article is titled 'Wild Thing' and can be found at http://www.usaweekend.com/00_issues/000618/000618croc_hunter.html
On March 26, 2001, Scientific American published an interview with Steve Irwin titled, 'Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin - Everyone's favourite crocodile wrestler goes to the mat for animals'
The interview acknowledges the popularity within the United States of Irwin's television program and seeks his views on a range of conservation issues.
The Scientific American article can be found at http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=0000462F-9484-1C75-9B81809EC588EF21
Arguments in favour of Steve Irwin being a nominee for Australian of the Year
1. Steve Irwin has successfully promoted Australia overseas and fostered the Australian tourist industry
Steve Irwin has filmed 50 episodes of 'Crocodile Hunter' and 52 episodes of 'Croc Files'. He is next planning to produce an animated series. Steve Irwin's television programs are reputed to have a viewing audience of some 500 million in 130 countries. Irwin has had enormous success in the United States. 'Crocodile Hunter' is watched in more than 60 million American homes on the cable channel Animal Planet.
Steve Irwin has featured in a Federal Express commercial and has a character based on him in the cartoon series South Park. In 2001 Irwin featured in 'Dr Dolittle 2' and in 2002 he produced his own film, 'Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course'.
It has been claimed that Irwin's high international profile, the popularity of his Australia-based programs around the world, and the fact that he is known to manage an animal park in Australia mean that he has done much to promote Australia and tourism to Australia.
In the material supporting Irwin's nomination for Australian of the Year he was described as 'an Australian icon and tourism ambassador for Australia'. Queensland Premier, Mr Peter Beattie, has said of Steve Irwin, 'He has been one of the best ambassadors for Queensland in the modern era. He is known internationally.' Queensland Acting Premier, Terry Mackenroth, similarly remarked that Irwin was a 'fantastic ambassador for the sunshine state'.
2. Steve Irwin is a committed conservationist
An editorial published in The Age on January 6, 2004, outlined the nature and extent of Steve Irwin's conservation work. The editorial stated, 'It seems that most of [Irwin's] reputed $16 million annual earnings goes into his Sunshine Coast wildlife park and similar projects, including a 16,180-hectare conservation reserve in western Queensland, while he lives in a simple house built 30 years ago by his parents.
He and his wife Terri are also ardent campaigners against whale hunting and their Australia Zoo sponsors a host of research, breeding and rehabilitation programs for endangered Australian animals.'
Some of the research, breeding and rehabilitation programs Steve Irwin sponsors include ongoing contributions towards Tasmanian Devil proof fences around farms in Tasmania to protect the native population of Devils; weekly contributions to the Wildlife Protection Association; funding of research programs with the Crested Fijian Iguana; funding of Womas Python research and breeding program; funding of Rusty Monitor captive breeding and release program; funding of captive breeding program for the Perentie monitor; funding of Green Python research/breeding program and providing rescue vehicles for removing and relocating problem and injured wildlife in the local area.
Steve Irwin, as a conservationist, has stressed the importance of habitat conservation. In an interview with Scientific American given in March 2001, Irwin stated, 'I believe our biggest issue is the same biggest issue that the whole world is facing, and that's habitat destruction ... Here in Queensland, about five hours west of us, we have the greatest habitat destruction in Australia occurring there right now.'
Irwin has promoted a mixed land use strategy for creating koala habitats - native tree planting, harvesting and cattle grazing. In the same Scientific American interview he supported, 'a grazier-can-have-koalas-in-his-paddock strategy'. He stated, 'I sincerely believe that there's room for [habitat and species conservation as well as] cutting down trees for forestry and grazing, so as we all get to eat ... we've got a koala conservation area: 2,000 acres. I've got cows in a certain area, and we're promoting blue gums and tallows and a couple of other [tree] species. Koalas and cows in the same paddy ... it can be done.'
3. Steve Irwin supports a range of community causes
An editorial published in the age on January 6, 2003, noted that Steve Irwin contributed 'towards the medical costs of about 50 cystic fibrosis sufferers on Queensland's Sunshine Coast'.
Steve Irwin's animal park, Australia Zoo, provides free admission to children suffering with cancer through the zoo's association with the Make A Wish Foundation, the Starlight Foundation, the Children's Leukaemia and Cancer Society and Children's Wish Foundation International. Ill children from the Mater Children's Hospital are also given a free annual excursion to Australia Zoo. Staff from Australia Zoo, together with the Zoo's mascot, make monthly visits to the Royal Brisbane's Children's Hospital to entertain children who are too ill to visit the animal park.
Every year Australia Zoo joins the Leukaemia Foundation on St Patrick's Day, and hosts 'Shave for a Cure'. Patrons and staff are invited to either colour their hair or shave their lovely locks off for this wonderful cause. All money raised on the day at Australia Zoo is donated to the Leukaemia Foundation.
4. Steve Irwin is a man of significant personal bravery
The following is a report of a rescue Steve Irwin helped to affect off Mexico in November, 2003. The information is taken from an article published in The Sunday Mail on November 30, 2003.
On November 8 Steve Irwin and a television crew from his Crocodile Hunter show were filming sea lions and hammerhead sharks in the Sea of Cortez off northern Mexico's Baja Peninsula. Irwin and his crew got word from other boats in the area that two American divers had been missing for more than two hours. Irwin stopped filming and offered his boat's services in the search, as well as the use of his satellite phone, which he used to call in a search plane.
Irwin organised a search party and spent most of November 8 looking for the couple before rising again on the morning of November 9 to resume the search. When he received word of a sighting of the couple Irwin and two other men took a dinghy to attempt to rescue them. Irwin swam the last few hundred metres to get to the one surviving man.
The man whom Irwin rescued said of him, 'I didn't know who Steve was, but all I know is that he is a really great guy who was so comforting and caring when he found me. He never gave up on us.'
5. Steve Irwin did not endanger his baby son
Steven Irwin has repeatedly maintained that his behaviour did not endanger his baby son, Bob. He has claimed, '... it's all about perceived danger ... I was in complete control of the crocodile. Robert was tucked right in my arm. It is far more dangerous to pack your kid up and go out on the road.'
Mr Irwin has claimed there was no possibility of his slipping or dropping his child. '... for that to take place a meteorite would have had to come out of the sky and hit Australia at 6.6 on the Richter scale like in Iran' he has claimed.
Mr Irwin explained his action by saying 'This kid [Irwin's son Bob] has to grow up to be croc savvy. I guess what I am doing is teaching him to be completely familiar with crocodiles . . . There's no way known I would ever endanger my child.'
Terri Irwin has supported her husband's actions. 'When I put Bob back in the pram he had big eyes and he was smiling and it was a wonderful sensory experience for him,' she has said.
6. Steve Irwin has different values and experiences to many of his critics
Mr Irwin has suggested that many of his critics do not understand his actions because they do not have the same values and have not had the same life experience he has.
Mr Irwin has claimed, 'I would be a bad parent if I didn't teach my kid what was in the backyard . . . and share my surroundings with my children ... The big mistake I made was I thought people would understand that where I live is very different to other places - it's just not normal.'
Referring to his own childhood, Mr Irwin has said, 'My parents raised me among crocs and snakes and some of the most dangerous creatures in the world, right here at Australia Zoo. They exposed me to them from a very early age, not because they were irresponsible, but because they loved me. I caught my first brown snake when I was four years old, my first croc at eight. Now my kids are just like me, growing up at the zoo.'
An early childhood researcher from the Queensland University of Technology said she understood why Irwin was confused by the public's reaction. 'He obviously can't distinguish the same risk factor we see because he's grown up in a high risk situation,' she said.
Arguments against Steve Irwin being a nominee for Australian of the Year
1. Steve Irwin's recent behaviour potentially placed his young son in danger
Numerous childcare authorities have been highly critical of Steve Irwin for endangering his infant son by having him while feeding a four metre crocodile.
The head of the Childhood Foundation, Joe Tucci, has described Irwin's actions as 'outrageous'. 'It's neglect, it's reckless, it's a form of endangerment," Mr Tucci said. 'I don't think we should use children as props, and definitely not in situations that are going to put them in such danger.'
Mr Tucci has further claimed that Irwin could face criminal charges if he continued to put his baby in harm's way. 'He wasn't thinking about the risks to his child. Children need adults to protect them. They should not be involved in any kind of entertainment that puts them at risk,' Mr Tucci claimed.
Mr Tucci also noted, 'Kids under five are unpredictable. It's only one small slip away from a bad accident. [Steve Irwin] can make his own choices, but his child can't.'
A spokesperson for the Australian Family Association, Bill Muehlenberg, has claimed that Steve Irwin's conduct was 'tantamount to child abuse'. Mr Muehlenberg has suggested that Steve Irwin had no right to put his baby in peril. 'Most parents would cringe at the sight of such things. One slip, one fall and he is the crocodile's lunch,' Mr Muehlenberg observed.
The director of the National Australia Day Council has described Steve Irwin's behaviour as 'strange' and 'quite disturbing'. She has consulted with other board members about Irwin's fitness to be considered for the 2004 Australian of the Year.
2. Steve Irwin's recent behaviour could provoke risk-taking among his fans and admirers.
It has been suggested that Steve Irwin's recent conduct in exposing his baby son to a four metre crocodile could lead young children to behave recklessly around dangerous animals in imitation of Irwin.
An editorial published in The Age on January 6, 2004, noted that Irwin's behaviour was not 'the type of example expected from someone looked up to as a hero by millions of children around the globe'.
It has also been suggested that it sets a dangerous parenting example for his fans.
Federal Opposition's family spokesperson, Wayne Swan, has criticised Steve Irwin's recent performance with his one-month-old baby son.
Mr Swan described the incident as a 'terrible parenting example'. 'This was a very irresponsible action from someone who is an international role model for this country. It's a very irresponsible thing for Steve Irwin to do and the right course of action for him now is simply to apologise, admit he made a mistake, and put it behind him,' Mr Swan observed.
3. Steve Irwin has not been prepared to acknowledge that he acted foolishly
Irwin has been criticised not only for his behaviour with his son, but further for refusing to acknowledge the foolishness of his performance.
Steve Irwin told Channel Nine's A Current Affair that he would take his son Bob back into the crocodile pen, but would not do so publicly. 'What I would do differently is I would make sure there were no cameras around ...' Mr Irwin said.
An editorial published in The Age on January 6, 2004, stated, 'Irwin openly admits to having made mistakes with animals and should just as readily have admitted that the stunt with his new son was also a mistake. Instead he showed uncharacteristic churlishness in attempting to publicly defend his actions.'
An editorial published in The Australian on January 5, 2004, was even more critical of Steve Irwin's refusal to admit he had been in error. The editorial stated, 'The croc tamer's bravado at his Queensland zoo last week for the entertainment of visitors is looking all the more pathetic after his lame defence of his one-month-old son Robert's participation in the act. Talking of animals that can lunge in a split second and that have reportedly chased people up trees, Irwin said he had "a safe working distance with that crocodile" and "it's all about perceived danger". He also left himself open to a charge of over-confidence by declaring it would have taken a meteorite to upset his balance. Then, referring to his recently born baby, he said he wanted his children to be "croc savvy".' The editorial clearly considered none of Steve Irwin's justifications adequate and that his refusal to admit his mistake only increased the impact of the original misjudgement.
4. Steve Irwin promotes an inaccurate view of Australia
In a piece published in The Australian on January 3, 2004, Susan Mitchell, argued that the image of Australia currently being promoted to potential international tourists was inaccurate and misleading.
Referring to the 1980s advertising campaign featuring Paul Hogan, Mitchell observed, 'Remember when we started with Paul Hogan? That brand worked for a while, mostly because of its appeal to people who thought we were all cowboys from some bizarre outback country who spent our days saying "gidday mate" and throwing wild creatures on the barby.
Of course, when the hordes of tourists arrived and discovered that Australia was, after all, just a coastline collection of small cities much like Los Angeles but with fewer freeways and no Hollywood, the brand did not stick.'
Mitchell argues that we are currently trying to promote a similar image to the world and that this essentially male-focused, inaccurate view of Australia will ultimately disappoint tourists.
Mitchell concludes, 'You cannot turn one of the most suburban and urbanised people into outback heroes except in a Hollywood studio.' She further argues that such marketing ignores the female end of the tourist market and that this is unwise as 'the latest tourism research shows that it is women who determine where families or couples holiday'.
Though Mitchell does not refer specifically to Steve Irwin, the view of Australia he promotes is very much the 'wildman of the bush' image that she is criticising.
5. Steve Irwin's recent behaviour has provoked widespread international criticism
There has been worldwide condemnation of Steve Irwin for endangering his son in what is popularly regarded as a stunt. Criticism has been greatest in the United States, where, up to this point, Irwin has been a favourite with television audiences.
Images of Irwin holding his baby son while feeding a four metre crocodile made the front pages of weekend newspapers and led television news reports across the United States, Canada and Europe.
The New York Daily News had a front page report headed, 'Steve Irwin - Australian for stupid'. The New York Post called the 'stunt' a 'Crocodile Shock' and asked whether Irwin was off his 'croc-er'. The front page of Toronto's Sun, compared Irwin with pop star Michael Jackson, who a year ago dangled his own baby son over a hotel balcony. London's The Times reported that Irwin had gone from Crocodile Dundee to 'crocodile dunce'.
Irwin's behaviour was a major discussion topic on a website owned by the Animal Planet network that airs his Crocodile Hunter series in the United States. One fan wrote, 'I, for one, will never watch Steve Irwin again.' The website received numerous messages attacking Irwin and his wife. Many called for the couple's children to be removed from their care. One mother called for Irwin's popular cable show to be scrapped from the Animal Planet network. "I can't allow my children to watch this man any more. The whole world is horrified," she wrote.
It has been suggested that the negative reaction Irwin has provoked internationally means he has ceased to be a positive ambassador for Australia.
6. Steve Irwin exploits Australian wildlife
It has been argued that Steve Irwin's conservationism is undermined by his tendency to exploit Australian wildlife. According to this view he converts Australian fauna into what are essentially circus exhibits and that this view of the natural world is at odds with that of a true conservationist or environmentalist.
In a letter published in The Age on January 8, 2004, C.W. Fieggen writes, 'Overlooked in the furore over Steve Irwin's antics with a crocodile while holding his baby son [is the question] why do we need crocodile exploiters making these animals jump for their supper merely to amuse crowds of sensation-seekers?
What is it about Australians that renders them incapable of observing wild animals in their natural habitat?'
In a letter also published in The Age on January 8, 2004, Justin Larkin suggested, 'Steve Irwin [is] ... like generations of lion tamers and snake charmers ... He's just exploiting his animals and a gullible public.'
In 1997, Dr Graeme Webb, director of Wildlife International, owners of Crocodylus Park in Darwin, told a United States outdoors magazine, 'Outside', 'Steve Irwin is not a naturalist. He is a showman. He operates a small reptile zoo for profit. He is at least an occasional fabricator who has taken the ethics of television documentaries to a new low in idiocy. The Irwins not only demean Australia's wildlife, they are actually spreading misinformation that is dangerous to anyone who accepts their show as fact.'
Further implications
Steve Irwin has always attracted a degree of controversy. He was apparently a diesel mechanic before he took over the management of his parents' wildlife park, now Australia Zoo, in 1991. He studied part time at the Darling Downs Institute of Animal Education and is a herpetologist (a reptile expert). His critics tend to minimise his academic qualifications.
Steve Irwin has a life-long history of association with animals. When he was eight years old his family moved to Queensland to start a reptile park. He and his father started catching lizards, snakes, and crocodiles. Steve is reported to have caught his first crocodile when he was nine years old.
Shortly after taking over the management of Australia Zoo and meeting his wife Terri, Steve Irwin filmed the first of the 'Crocodile Hunter' series, which met with somewhat unexpected popularity in many countries, including the United States. Irwin's critics have continued to complain about his staged footage; his lowbrow, popular appeal and interventionist approach to the observation of wildlife.
Irwin is unashamedly an entertainer, however, he argues that his 'documentaries' are entertainment with a purpose. Irwin claims of himself and his wife 'Our love, passion, and devotion is to educate and share with the world our magnificent ... wildlife. Our job is ... to bring misunderstood and feared animals (as well as the cute and cuddlies) right into your house, so that we can share and learn about the world's wildlife.' His critics would argue that there is a heavy emphasis on entertainment and not much on information. Be that as it may, Irwin is a generous contributor to a wide range of conservation programs.
In promoting Steve Irwin as Queensland's nominee for Australian of Year, the Queensland Government appear to have been primarily aware of his contribution to Queensland tourism. Thus, when Irwin was accused of exploiting not just wildlife but his infant son for show business purposes, the Government defended him in terms of his promotion of Australia and his international profile.
Irwin himself chose to defend his actions with the rather unlikely justification that he was preparing his son for a life in the wild. Given Irwin's background he may just mean it. However, given that the session with his son was heavily promoted as 'Bob's croc feeding debut' it seems likely that Irwin was also aware of the possible entertainment value of having his son 'learning' publicly in the crocodile-feeding compound. The tension between entertainment and education (whether for his son or the general public) remains.
Where this leaves Irwin's chances as Australian of the Year for 2004 will be known on January 26. However, the odds must have got a lot longer. It's not that we object to having our icons be entertainers, we just have a low tolerance of controversy. And that was probably always going to tell against Irwin.
Sources
The Age
6/1/04 page 3, news item by Jamie Berry, 'I'll do it again but without cameras, says defiant Irwin'
6/1/04 page 3, news item by Jamie Berry, 'No place for babies, one who should know'
6/1/04 page 8, editorial, 'A feeding frenzy of his own making'
6/1/04 page 8, letter from Beth Maxwell, 'Baby Irwin was not in danger'
8/1/04 page 10, letter from C.W. Fieggen, 'Exploited crocs'
8/1/04 page 8, letter from Justin Larkin, 'Either or ...'
8/1/04 page 8, letter from D. Fraser, 'Admit stupidity'
The Australian
3/1/04 page 14, comment by Susan Mitchell, 'Throw another chauvinism on the barby, m-a-a-ate'
5/1/04 page 5, news item by Jamie Walker and Ashleigh Wilson, 'Stunt embroils Irwin in political row'
5/1/04 page 6, editorial, 'Irwin's fatherly lapse snapped in the act'
Herald Sun
3/1/04 page 1, news item by Christine Caulfield, 'Crikey! Steve Irwin's baby in a croc shock'
4/1/04 page 4, news item by Chris Tinkler and Frances Whiting, 'Croc Hunter snaps back'
5/1/04 page 18, editorial, 'Croc shock'
6/1/04 page 2, news item by Nikki Protyniak, 'Gaffe may wreck top Aussie chance'