One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s Please Explain cartoon featuring Robert Irwin and Bluey has copped even more criticism, this time from Queensland’s Premier Steven Miles who said it highlighted “how irresponsible” Hanson is.
Over the weekend Pauline Hanson’s cartoon made headlines when the prince of Australia Zoo, Robert Irwin, threatened to sue for defamation over the unauthorised use of his image in an episode.
Irwin’s lawyers requested that Hanson take down the episode “The State Of Queensland” from all online platforms, or else further action would be taken. Hanson refused to meet this demand.
You might have heard that last week's episode of Pauline Hanson's Please Explain resulted in a cease and desist letter from Robert Irwin, demanding we take the episode down.
— Pauline Hanson 🇦🇺 (@PaulineHansonOz) June 17, 2024
I can confidently say we won't be taking the episode down and I'm hoping Robert decides to lighten up a… pic.twitter.com/ZaaCXKZrIK
“I think Robert just needs to lighten up. I really think he’s [kicked] an own goal here. His dad always had a good sense of humour and most Queenslanders, most Aussies, always saw that larrikin side of Steve,” said Hanson’s chief of staff, James Ashby.
Because why on earth would you ever talk about Robert Irwin without an obligatory mention of his dead dad? God, we’re a country of dipshits. Give the kid a break.
As well as Robert Irwin featuring in the ‘satirical’ cartoon — I used quotes because satire is self-aware and Pauline is as self-reflective as a rock covered in faeces — Queensland Premier Steven Miles also had a critical cameo.
Right at the end of the controversial video, the cartoon Irwin introduces Miles as the Sunshine State’s “awesome premier”, only to be disappointed by his lack of action.
Which is an extremely subtle criticism of how Hanson feels Miles does nothing. Subtle as a car crash, that is.
In a recent press conference, Miles was asked about his thoughts on the cartoon and his appearance in it.
“Oh look, this is what Pauline Hanson does right? She’s been doing it for decades now,” Miles told reporters.
“She comes up with a controversial thing, you all put it on the news, and she gets the results that she wants. So I’m not gonna give it any more oxygen.”
A powerful statement of abstaining from stooping down to her level. You would almost credit the guy, if he didn’t then spend more oxygen answering questions on the matter.
Steven Miles has responded to Pauline Hanson’s cartoon video featuring Robert Irwin and Bluey. pic.twitter.com/CL9djVYXnm
— Clown Down Under 🤡 (@clowndownunder) June 18, 2024
When asked if he found it offensive how Hanson invoked Steve Irwin’s name to defend herself, Miles said he found it “pretty offensive”.
“Look, I’m fair game. But Robert Irwin and Bluey are not,” Miles stated.
“I think it just underlines how irresponsible she is in pursuing media and headlines for her own gain. She’ll stoop to nothing.”
Miles then made his stance on Pauline Hanson’s character extremely clear, and didn’t stutter:
“If she was the kind of person who did the right thing she’d take it down, but she’s not the kind of person who does the right thing.”
How to make Pauline Hanson go away
Miles is correct to a degree.
Not about who is fair game, because Bluey and Irwin are arguably as ‘fair game’ for satire as any public figure. What’s important is that said ‘game’ is actually good, which is where Hanson falls short.
Steven Miles is right about the fact we feed Hanson with the attention she hungers for like an animal that doesn’t know when its next meal is.
Since her election to Parliament and maiden speech in 1996, Pauline has made headlines for her controversial views, and then made more headlines when she responds to those headlines. So on, so forth.
If we’re going to talk about actual bloody satire, back in 1997 ABC’s satirical series Frontline pointed out how if everyone just ignored Pauline she would go away, but we don’t. It’s on Stan, it’s great, watch it and not her trashy cartoon.
That episode aired 27 years ago. And though the world may have grown and changed in that time, Hanson’s strategy to feed her insatiable hunger for attention has not.
Of course, I know that in writing about her right now I am part of the problem.
My involvement in criticising her only adds to the eternal cycle. The person who picks at the scab is guilty of its return.
But that’s the difference between me and Pauline; I am capable of self-awareness.
[Image: Getty / YouTube]
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