2 days ago
Wild quarrel over Queensland croc culling bill emerges as Bob Irwin Snr unleashes on maverick politician Bob Katter
A fierce debate over a controversial Queensland crocodile culling bill is heating up, with Bob Irwin Snr not holding back about his feelings towards federal politician Bob Katter.
The Crocodile Control and Conservation Bill 2025 introduced to Queensland's parliament by Katter's Australian Party (KAP) in February would legalise the culling of crocodiles in the state.
Debate over the proposed legislation has now boiled over, with Mr Katter and KAP now publicly trading jabs with the Irwin family following a lengthy submission on the bill by Australia Zoo.
The father of Australian conservationist icon Steve Irwin has told The Courier Mail he thinks Mr Katter is 'a d***head', telling the masthead to 'put it on record'.
'....and you can actually tell him who said it as well,' Mr Irwin said on Wednesday.
'He's not listening to the people that know, he has no idea of how the environment works, and that's his problem.'
The heated comments from the 86-year-old came after he appeared at Queensland's parliament for a hearing regarding crocodile management, according to the masthead.
The Australia Zoo founder's daughter-in-law Terri Irwin has spoken out about the culling proposal, calling the bill "lazy and sloppy" in a submission on the bill.
She claimed the legislation would increase the likelihood of crocodile attacks on people, and slammed the proposal as being an attempt to 'recycle old draft legislation'.
Mr Katter last week hit back at Ms Irwin for her criticism of his party's bill, calling out Australia Zoo for keeping the reptiles in captivity.
'She knows all about it, well I'm a bit fascinated by that. How would you know about crocodiles if you live in Brisbane?,' the federal member for Kennedy said in a video posted on social media.
'Oh that's right, she's got them all locked up in a cage in Brisbane, I'd forgotten about that.'
The maverick politician's son and KAP leader Robbie Katter took to social media on Wednesday to address Ms Irwin over the remarks detailed in the submission.
'You make money out of crocodiles by keeping them in cages. I don't know what qualifies you to give advice on the way we live up north,' the party leader said in a Facebook post.
Earlier on Wednesday, a cartoon was posted on the KAP Facebook page that appeared to show Ms Irwin, the ghost of Steve Irwin, and a crocodile angrily staring at a KAP member holding a gun with 'Cull Plan' written on it.
