Robert Irwin asks Pauline Hanson to please explain ‘defamatory’ cartoon

Robert Irwin has threatened to sue the producers of One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s cartoon comedy series over an episode satirising the Queensland government and his involvement in a state tourism campaign.

On Friday, FC Lawyers, representing Irwin, sent a cease and desist letter to Melbourne-based Stepmates Studios alleging an episode of Hanson’s Please Explain series, uploaded on the Queensland senator’s social media, was defamatory and deceptively used Irwin’s image.

In the two-minute video, titled The State of Queensland, cartoon depictions of Irwin, the son of wildlife icon Steve, and Bluey, the beloved dog of the eponymous children’s show, are used to sarcastically critique alleged issues in the state – such as youth crime, wait times for hospital care and poor roads.

Earlier this month, Irwin and Bluey were announced as the faces of a $9.2 million state government tourism campaign. The One Nation cartoon ridicules this partnership, with an animated parody of Irwin telling viewers in the video’s opening moments: “The Queensland government has given us a disgusting amount of money to show you the state of Queensland.”

At the end of the video, which includes one scene where “juvenile delinquents” steal Bluey and Irwin’s LandCruiser, the parodied Irwin appears alongside a cartoon of Premier Steven Miles, who laughs before the cartoon Irwin says: “Oh man, I can’t believe this is the state of Queensland.”

In a letter threatening legal action, seen by this masthead, Irwin’s lawyer Zoe Naylor addressed the production company’s directors Mark Nicholson and Sebastian Peart.

“We are writing to inform you that your actions constitute defamation and involve the unauthorised and deceptive use of our client’s image,” the letter says. “We will commence legal action against you if you do not take down the video immediately.”

James Ashby, Hanson’s chief of staff, who is listed as a producer in the cartoon’s credits, said the video would not be removed.

“Lighten up,” Ashby said, addressing Irwin. “Your dad would’ve seen the funny side of it.”

Irwin’s family founded Australia Zoo in Queensland and his late father Steve, a television presenter and conservationist, was known world-wide as The Crocodile Hunter.

Robert Irwin, the son of Crocodile Hunter Steve.Credit: Simon Schluter

The legal letter to the One Nation video producers claims their video “tarnished our client’s reputation but also misled the public, causing significant harm to our client’s brand and image”.

“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.”

Further, it claims One Nation’s use of Irwin’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”.

“The use of our client’s image and name on the video is capable of leading not an insignificant number of reasonable and/or ordinary people into erroneously believing that the Pauline Hanson is associated with Robert.”

Senator Pauline Hanson.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

The letter demands One Nation remove the video and doesn’t use Irwin’s name or image in future without consent. If the demands aren’t met by 5pm on Monday, Irwin’s lawyers warn legal proceedings may be immediately filed in the Federal Court of Australia.

This masthead attempted to contact FC Lawyers and Irwin for further comment.

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