Terri Irwin unleashes on Katter Party crocodile culling bill in savage, 14-page long response

Terri Irwin has ripped into a crocodile culling bill introduced to Queensland’s state parliament by Bob Katter’s party, warning it will make humans less safe.

Terri Irwin has penned a scathing response to the Katter’s Australian Party’s latest bill to cull crocodiles in North Queensland.

Describing the recently amended proposal as “lazy and sloppy”, the animal conservationist and director of Australia Zoo warned it was a “recipe for disaster” that would “turn the clock back to the dark and destructive days prior to the 1970s.”

The bill cites a massive increase in crocodile numbers - something Irwin disputes - as justification for removing and euthanising crocs found in “populated” waterways, and enabling hunting safaris on Aboriginal-controlled land.

“North Queenslanders are angry about losing more of our recreational waterways to the increasing crocodile population,” KAP MP Shane Knuth said when speaking about the bill state parliament last month.

“The constant threat of attacks, recent deaths and near-death experiences are dramatically affecting North Queensland’s outdoor lifestyle. We never had to worry about the threats of crocodiles in our recreational waterways and beaches until the last two decades.”

Terri Irwin photographed at the new Crocodile Hunter Luxury Lodge, Australia Zoo, Beerwah. Picture: Russell Shakespeare

Member for Kennedy Bob Katter at the Breakwater at Ross Creek near the Townsville Port. Picture: Evan Morgan

Irwin said the amended bill is a copy paste of the original and described one section - which imagines currently croc-infested waterways being used recreationally - as “reckless, ill-informed and dangerous on so many levels”.

The section in question reminisces about the 1970s, 80s and 90s when “there was always that little bit of risk [of encountering a crocodile], but we didn’t have to worry about seeing all these croc signs and we did not have to worry about swimming in that nice little saltwater creek.”

“That is all we are trying to achieve – that is, to bring it [the risk of swimming in these waterways] back so it is an acceptable risk,” the proposal continues, before going on to concede that even after crocodiles are “removed” from the aforementioned waterways, some swimmers will “still get taken by a croc”.

Member for Hill Shane Knuth has introduced many versions of the Katter’s Australian Party’s crocodile culling bill to state parliament. Picture: Evan Morgan

In her 14-page long submission, Irwin argued the proposals are likely to actually increase crocodile-related deaths by creating a false sense of security.

“The removal of crocodiles, either through trapping or culling, will instead increase the likelihood of crocodile attacks as people believe the lie that once a crocodile is removed from a waterway then there will be no crocodiles,” she wrote.

“Research has consistently shown that when a crocodile dies or is removed, then another crocodile immediately comes in to take over that territory. Because of this reality, the Bill will not eliminate or even greatly reduce the risk of crocodile attacks.”

She also shot down claims that crocodile numbers have dramatically increased, saying there is no Queensland data that confirms that and that the bill’s cited increase does not account for multiple sightings of the same croc.

Terri and her children Bindi and Robert, promote animal conservation and safety around crocodiles by promoting 'croc awareness' in local North Queensland communities. Picture: Instagram

“It is the Irwin family and Australia Zoo’s belief that individual culling and relocation are not effective ways to manage crocodile/human coexistence; rather, research and educating people are the key,” she said.

“The best course of action is for people in crocodile territory to be ‘Croc-wise’, reduce risk wherever possible and take sensible steps to minimise human-crocodile interaction.”

She also cited the work of her late husband Steve ‘Crocodile Hunter’ Irwin, saying “his capture and study techniques remain world’s best practice to this day.”

His legacy has meant that “Australia Zoo, in partnership with the University of Queensland … now manage the largest and most successful crocodile research project in the world,” and she claimed that neither of those institutions or their research were consulted in the preparation of the bill.

Steve and Terri Irwin sitting on a carved crocodile at Australia Zoo. Picture: Instagram

Another proposal within the bill recommends that Indigenous landholders be given the opportunity to offer safari-like hunting experiences to “high end clients” as a source of income.

Irwin also strongly rejected this idea and said, “even with the best of intentions, it is a recipe for disaster and will increase the number of attacks and deaths caused by crocodiles by increasing contact with crocodiles by safari shooters who have limited or no experience with crocodiles.”

Crocodiles are protected in Queensland and are listed as vulnerable under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.

Originally published as Terri Irwin unleashes on Katter Party crocodile culling bill in savage, 14-page long response