Let's go BRONCO's!

Is it just me or does everyone think life’s a lot like football?

Well, me and Wayne Bennett. I think he wrote a book called something like that…

I haven’t always been a huge football fan, I’ve been dragged into it by my job and my son Gabe.

Anyone who knows Gabe, knows that for any sort of relationship to develop, you have to love either football or the Simpsons…get savvy on either of those subjects and you’ll be friends for life.

So I guess I chose football…

I don't love all football. I love the Broncos and big games….any code….I'm a sucker for a bit of fanfare. Actually on a tragic but poignant personal note, my dad died on grand final day 19 years ago. We're from WA, so it was AFL grand final day, and dad's team won…it was Carlton by the way...it's been a long time between drinks for those boys….

Anyway, I know some people just don’t get football. I know footy has its thugs and some of their behaviour is indefensible (some of them should probably be in jail...hello to all the Bulldogs fans..) but what about that Shane Webke???

A quiet, humble, intelligent, determined, tough, committed fine figure of a man. A man who has quietly led by example at the Brisbane Broncos for 10 years…

At the age of 32 he’s retiring from the game because his oldest child Erin needs to start school in the new year, and he wants her to go to a primary school in the country.

He says it’s an opportunity his parents gave him…and it’s something he’s determined to give to his kids too. I love that.

I wish I had that sort of courage too. I have often wished a small time life for my kids too…

I grew up in Margaret River (WA...like I said) back in the days when everyone knew everyone and I loved it. Growing up in a small town in the thing I value most about my childhood yet I didn’t have the guts or the will to do it for my kids. So it’s just another reason for me to love Shane Webke.

Obviously, I'm aware there is thuggery in football and they’re not all the sharpest tools in the shed but there are many fine men and good role models in football. Blokes who’ve come from nothing and built careers on hard work, determination and comraderie.

And on that note - Go the BRONCO's!

No more raising Terri's kids for her....

Is it just me or is everyone going to be glued to channel 9 at 8.30 tonight for the interview with Terri Irwin?

On the tapes Terri says she cannot shake the idea that Steve isn’t dead, that he’ll return home from one of his adventures. Anyone whose ever lost someone they love would know the feeling well…

In an interview with Ray Martin, Terri says "There never has been before and never will be again another Steve Irwin," she said. "Every day he was my prince charming."

She told Barbara Walters, “If I had to do it all over again, even knowing how it ended, I would in a minute."

Ray Martin has said in an interview that Terri is very fragile, needing physical support just to walk around the zoo.

I think Terri is very brave to do the interview at all (considering I blubber at tissue commercials) I can’t imagine how I’d get through it.

I guess she also knows how desperate the world is to hear from her, that somehow hearing how much she loved Steve and feeling some of her pain will make us feel all feel better.

The other big talking point is Bindi and what’s to become of that beautiful girl.

Bindi is on the front cover of New Idea this week, apparently she is the youngest person ever to grace the cover in 104 years of the mags operation…

In an interview today Steve’s manager John Stainton hints that Bindi will pick up her dad’s mantle. He says as all Steve ever wanted was to be Bindi’s co-star…

I know there are people who don’t like that idea (I read the letters to the editor) and as a parent I feel some disquiet too. Surely it would be better for Bindi if she could just be a kid for ten years and storm back on stage at 18???

I know that would be the only way it would work for my kids…but my kids aren’t Bindi Irwin and Bindi Irwin isn’t my kid. Therefore, not only is it NOT MY BUSINESS how Bindi is raised, but that also means I don’t actually know what’s best for her. I’ve met Bindi enough times to know she is an extraordinary little girl and I certainly know Terri enough to trust her parenting instincts.

There are tough times ahead for all the Irwin’s, so before you get out the lap top and fire off another salvo to the editor, remember this… No matter how Terri and the kids choose to go forward, they’re going to need our support to get on with it…

Class of 2010!

Is it just me or is everyone starting to feel really really old?

Every year, a US University releases a list of things which define the age of it’s new entrants.


Members of the class of 2010, entering college around about now in the US, were mostly born in 1988. For them: John Lennon, Elvis, Lucille Ball, and Andy Gibb have always been dead.

Also for them….

1. The Soviet Union has never existed and therefore is about as scary as the student union.

2. There has always been only one Germany.

3. They have never heard anyone actually "ring it up" on a cash register.

4. Thanks to headphones in the back seat, parents have always been able to speak freely in the front.

5. A coffee has always taken longer to make than a milkshake.

6. Smoking has never been permitted on airlines.

7. They grew up with and have outgrown faxing as a means of communication.

8. "Google" has always been a verb.

9. Professional athletes have always competed in the Olympics

10. They have never even seen a Carbon copier – let alone smelt the ink in the office of the school secretary

11. Reality shows have always been on television.

12 They have rarely mailed anything using a stamp.

13. Brides have always worn white for a first, second, or third wedding.

14. They have always been able to watch wars and revolutions live on television.

15. They are not aware that "flock of seagulls hair" has nothing to do with birds flying into it.

16 There have always been live organ donors.

17. They have always had access to their own credit cards.

18. Disneyland has always been in Europe and Asia.

19. Television stations have never concluded the broadcast day with the national anthem.

20. They’ve never been sent to bed by fat cat

21. Disposable contact lenses have always been available.

22. They grew up with virtual pets.

23. Ringo Starr has always been clean and sober.

Why I gired my secretary!

Thank you to Michael Griffiths of Maroochydore for this one....

LAST WEEK WAS MY BIRTHDAY AND I DIDN'T FEEL VERY WELL WAKING UP THAT MORNING. I WENT DOWNSTAIRS FOR BREAKFAST HOPING MY WIFE WOULD BE PLEASANT AND SAY,"HAPPY BIR THDAY!", AND POSSIBLY HAVE A PRESENT FOR ME.

AS IT TURNED OUT, SHE BARELY SAID GOOD MORNING, LET ALONE "HAPPY BIRTHDAY." I THOUGHT... WELL, THAT'S MARRIAGE FOR YOU, BUT THE KIDS WILL REMEMBER.

MY KIDS CAME INTO BREAKFAST AND DIDN'T SAY A WORD. SO WHEN I LEFT FOR THE OFFICE, I WAS FEELING PRETTY LOW AND SOMEWHAT DESPONDENT.

AS I WALKED INTO MY OFFICE, MY SECRETARY JANE SAID, "GOOD MORNING, BOSS, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" IT FELT A LITTLE BETTER THAT AT LEAST SOMEONE HAD REMEMBERED.I WORKED UNTIL ONE O'CLOCK AND THEN JANE KNOCKED ON MY DOOR AND SAID,"YOU KNOW, IT'S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY OUTSIDE, AND IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY, LET'S GO OUT TO LUNCH, JUST YOU AND ME."

I SAID, "THANKS JANE, THAT'S THE GREATEST THING I'VE HEARD ALL DAY. LET'S GO!"WE WENT TO LUNCH. BUT WE DIDN'T GO WHERE WE NORMALLY WOULD GO.WE DINED INSTEAD AT A LITTLE PLACE WITH A PRIVATE TABLE. WE HAD TWO MARTINIS EACH AND I ENJOYED THE MEAL TREMENDOUSLY ON THE WAY BACK TO THE OFFICE, JANE SAID, "YOU KNOW, IT'S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY... WE DON'T NEED TO GO BACK TO THE OFFICE, DO WE?"I RESPONDED, "I GUESS NOT. WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN MIND?"SHE SAID, "LET'S GO TO MY APARTMENT."

AFTER ARRIVING AT HER APARTMENT JANE TURNED TO ME AND SAID, "BOSS, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GOING TO STEP INTO THE BEDROOM FOR A MOMENT. I'LL BE RIGHT BACK."

"OK." I NERVOUSLY REPLIED.

SHE WENT INTO THE BEDROOM AND, AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES, SHE CAME OUT CARRYING A HUGE BIRTHDAY CAKE... FOLLOWED BY MY WIFE, KIDS, AND DOZENS OF MY FRIENDS AND CO-WORKERS, ALL SINGING "HAPPY BIRTHDAY".
AND I JUST SAT THERE...ON THE COUCH...NAKED.

One fare at a time!

Is it just me or does everyone just want world peace?

Is that too much to ask?

John and I were in Sydney yesterday – we caught a taxi from the airport to the city and were therefore trapped in a vehicle, captive audience of the taxi driver, for about 20 minutes…

He was a lovely bloke, Indonesian by birth and passionately Islamic.

And I mean passionately.

He wasn’t trying to make us become Muslim. He was just trying to make us understand his religion….

Some of his information was a little random, I must admit. Claims about how clean and hygienic Muslims are because the correct way to wash is laid down in the qur’an…

He also was at pains to point out how much muslims love Jesus, "A very important prophet…we love Jessus! Really! We really really do!" he said gleefully, "We love Jessus!" I there was some other claim thrown in that Jesus may in fact be a Muslim…but I was looking for the exit by this stage…so I didn’t ask for clarification!

Our driver did make one other good point though. He has four kids, two are at Uni and doing very well. He claimed they were so smart because they had been forced to study Arabic language and the qur’an since they were seven years old. He says good muslim kids are great students - he just shook his head about the bad muslim kids…

Just as we got out of the cab (I’ve never seen Johnny move so quick by the way - we were both pretty happy for the religion lesson to be over) he talked about John Laws and other members of the media who demonise Muslims and I was sad for him.

We must be careful not to believe everything we read or hear about Muslims. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, and most muslims can’t believe we think they’re violent or angry…

And I’ve gotta tell you, world peace would be great, at the very least it would avoid long monologues from Sydney taxi drivers hell bent on converting Sydney heathens, one fare at a time!

How old am I?

Is it just me or does everyone love a GREAT gag?

This was sent to me by Roslyn Langford of Coolum Beach...


A woman decides to have a facelift for her 50th birthday. She spends
$15,000 and feels pretty good about the results. On her way home, she
stops at a newsagents to buy a newspaper.

Before leaving, she says to the sales assistant, "I hope you don't mind my
asking, but how old do you think I am?"

"About 32?"

"Nope! I'm exactly 50," the woman says happily.

A little while later she goes into McDonald's and asks the counter
girl the very same question.

The girl replies, "I'd guess about 29."

The woman replies with a big smile, "Nope, I'm 50."

Now she's feeling really good about herself. She stops into a chemist on her
way down the street. She goes up to the counter to get some jelly beans
and asks the girl this burning question.

The girl responds, "Oh, I'd say about 30."

Again the woman proudly responds,
"I'm 50, but thank you!"

While waiting for the bus to go home, she asks an
old man waiting next to her the same question.

He replies, "I'm 78 and my eyesight is going. Although, when I was
young, there was a sure-fire way to tell how old a woman was. It sounds
very forward, but it requires you to let me put my hands under your bra.

Then, and only then can I tell you EXACTLY how old you are."

They wait in silence on the empty street until her curiosity gets
the best of her. She finally blurts out, "What the hell, go ahead."

He slips both of his hands under her blouse and begins to feel
around very slowly and carefully. He bounces and weighs each breast and he
gently pinches each nipple. He pushes her breasts together and rubs
them against each other.

After a couple of minutes of this, she says, "Okay,
okay...How old am I?"

He completes one last squeeze of her breasts, removes his
hands, and says, "Madam, you are 50!"

Stunned and amazed, the woman says, "That was incredible, how could you tell?"

The old man says, "Promise you won't get mad?"

"I promise I won't." she says.
"I was behind you in McDonald's."

If I knew....

Is it just me or does everyone think we’ve lost too many good boys lately?

There is a terribly sad story in the Sunshine Coast daily today…

You might have heard about the 16 year old boy, Jarred Marz, who died after an accident on his trail bike on Saturday night.

Jarred’s mother Dee has told the daily that she was up at the hospital with her mother late on Saturday night, waiting in a cubicle in emergency..

She says I just happened to look to the cubicle next door and I saw his boxer shorts…and I knew that it was him.

I can’t imagine anything harder. I’ve got a boy about the same age. A boy desperate for a trail bike, actually (Good luck with that tiger!).

But no matter how much you love your children or your husband or your dad…there are no guarantees are there?

I thought today I’d share with you a bit of something written straight after September 11 five years ago. It’s called If I Knew!

If I knew it would be the last time I’d see you fall asleep,
I’d tuck you in more tightly and pray and pray the Lord your soul to keep,

If I knew it would be the last time that I see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss, then call you back for one more.

But surely there’ll always be another day to say I love you,
And surely there’s another chance to say ‘Anything I can do?’

But in case I might be wrong and today is all I get,
I’d like to say how much I love you and hope you never forget.

So hold your loved ones close today and whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them, and that you’ll always hold them dear.
And if tomorrow never comes, you’ll have no regrets about today.

Smack smack naughty boy!

Is it just me or is everyone annoyed at the current chatter regarding smacking children?

I listened to the proponent of tougher laws on the radio last week, essentially he said any parent that left a mark on their child from a smack, deserved to be dealt with by the authorities. That any smacking at all is inappropriate, and there must be laws to prevent it.

It makes me so angry I could smack that guy!

No I couldn’t but it really does make me angry. The assumption that parents, en masse, need legislation to force them to treat their children humanely. Nick off buddy!

I have very mixed views on smacking. When we were talking about it at home last week, one of my kids said, you never smacked us (which I thought was funny, because I did!) I admit, sometimes I only smacked them to make myself feel better!

I obviously didn’t smack them much, just once on the bottom to bring home a point, usually to calm a situation down actually…to shock a screaming toddler out of a tantrum (you know the sort of thing I’m talking about your honour…) I don’t think John has ever hit our kids, he’s a lot calmer in a crisis than me!

I feel very strongly about smacking to hurt. That’s when the line is crossed. When Mum’s got the kettle cord out and she going hell for leather on a ten year olds bare legs, I think that’s when Mum needs to do a parenting course. Maybe Little Kevin is a bugger, but beating the daylights out of him is not useful…in fact I am sure it is abuse.

But in my view, there is a big difference between the two and the vast majority of Australians fall into the first category. We’ve got laws to deal with child abuse and we sure as hell don’t need parenting experts to legislate away our right to parent our children how we see fit.

OK...I lied...

I think I might have just said that I would give you no more Steve Irwin stuff...but I lied...

I got this email from Scotty in Beerwah....thought it was worth sharing!

Caroline,

I had a look on eBay on Tuesday afternoon and was appalled by the amount of crap people were selling to try and make a buck on the back of Steve's death.

A bloke in Canada had done up some "In Memoriam" fridge magnets and was selling them for $6.99 each!

People were selling their copies of local and state papers with a starting bid of $10 each!

There were "autographed" photos of Steve; "authentic" pieces of Steve memorabilia left, right and centre.

So I got a bit pissed off and made my own listing. I wanted people to spend their money on a donation to Wildlife Warriors rather than giving their money to some bastard flogging off things like a Croc Hunter plastic drinking cup just to make a quick buck.

I added the listing at 545pm on Tuesday and within about 4 hours I had 250 hits. With many of those people leaving me a note to say they're wanted to buy something to remember Steve by but decided that leaving a donation on the Wildlife Warriors would be much better. A lot of them also told their friends about the listing and the Wildlife Warriors site.

I didn't do this for publicity, I just wanted to throw up an option for people to do something good with their money instead of wasting it.

But eBay, in their wisdom, decided my listing breached selling policy. So it appears eBay are happy to let people flog off any old bit of Steve Irwin-related "memorabilia" they might have laying around the house, but someone who is trying to bring some reality to the situation gets canned!

I've tried to shame these bastards into taking their items off eBay, but it hasn't worked. I was wondering if you could help bring attention to this terrible practice of profiteering from someone's death by making it public that this is happening. People can still buy Steve Irwin dolls, but why don't they buy them from the Zoo rather than at highly inflated prices from opportunists.

I hope you can help.

Scott Stephenson,
Beerwah

The original listing was under the title "STEVE IRWIN - WILDLIFE WARRIORS" and said:

DO NOT BID ON THIS ITEM, JUST READ THE INFO! Don't line the pockets of the sick people attempting to profiteer on the unfortunate death of Steve Irwin. Instead of wasting your money on some "autographed" piece of memorabilia, show you really care buy making a donation to Wildlife Warriors. I'm not asking you to donate money to me. DO NOT bid on this item. I just want to bring the Wildlife Warriors donation option to the attention of the people looking to buy something to remember Steve Irwin by. Stop encouraging profiteers, by buying their stuff. Make Steve Proud by making a donation to something that really matters to Steve & Terri. Go to www.wildlifewarriors.org.au and follow the links to make a donation. I don't work for Wildlife Warriors or Australia Zoo and I'm no relation to anyone who does. I am just an average person who wants to see the money go to the right place!


Well done Scotty!

THE CROCODILES ARE CRYING....

OK - THIS IS THE LAST WORD...MAYBE...

For those who don't know, Rupert McCall is a fantastic Queensland poet.

He wrote this tribute to Steve Irwin...



Endless visions fill my head – this man – as large as life
And instantly my heart mourns for his angels and his wife
Because the way I see Steve Irwin – just put everything aside
It comes back to his family – it comes back to his pride

His animals inclusive – Crikey – light the place with love!
Shine his star with everything he fought to rise above
The crazy-man of Khaki from the day he left the pouch
Living out his dream and in that classic ‘Stevo’ crouch

Exploding forth with character and redefining cheek
It’s one thing to be honoured as a champion unique
It’s one thing to have microphones and spotlight cameras shoved
It’s another to be taken in and genuinely loved

But that was where he had it right – I guess he always knew
From his fathers’ modest reptile park and then Australia Zoo
We cringed at times and shook our heads – but true to natures call
There was something very Irwin in the make up of us all

Yes the more I care to think of it – the more he had it right
If you’re going to make a difference – make it big and make it bright!
Yes - he was a lunatic! Yes - he went head first!
But he made the world feel happy with his energetic burst

A world so large and loyal that it’s hard to comprehend
I doubt we truly count the warmth until life meets an end
To count it now I say a prayer with words of inspiration
May the spotlight shine forever on his dream for conservation

…My daughter broke the news to me – my six year old in tears
It was like she’d just turned old enough to show her honest fears
I tried to make some sense of it but whilst her Dad was trying
His little girl explained it best…she said “The crocodiles are crying”

Their best mate’s up in heaven now – the crocs up there are smiling!
And as sure as flowers, poems and cards and memories are piling
As sure as we’ll continue with the trademarks of his spiel
Of all the tributes worthy – he was rough…but he was real

As sure as ‘Crikey!’ fills the sky
I think we’ll miss ya Steve…goodbye

RUPERT McCALL 2006

Rugby League...again!

Is it just me or does everyone feel sick to the stomach about the latest Rugby League scandal?

Last week’s "Mad Monday" celebrations officially started on Sunday for West Tigers players after their last game of the season, but ended 16 hours later with a woman complaining to police of sexual assault.

A 26-year-old woman has told police she woke up at a party that she had attended with a group of players and others, to find her underwear rearranged and her clothing dishevelled.

The woman, went straight to Paramatta Police Station and claimed she was the victim of a date rape drug.

From that, like every reasonable person, I could conclude innocent until proven guilty…that was until I read this quote in the newspaper.

A Wests Tigers player said the woman came "quite willingly" to the party and (in his words) he thought it was "all systems go".

That truly makes me sick to the stomach. Since when was an unconcious girl signalling ‘all systems go’? Since when did just agreeing to go to a party mean you were thumbs up for any depraved, arrogant, disrespectful jerk in a football jumper.

Mr ‘all systems go’ has also told the media his teammates are shattered at the complaint and it had ended the year on a sour note. Unbelievable.

The chief executive of the National Rugby League, David Gallop, said the allegations were "clearly a major concern" but they were a matter for the police.

But what about the coach…Mr Noyce is quoted as saying "We are not aware at this stage of any specific allegation against a Wests Tigers player, and the club is very keen to work with the police to establish what may or may not have taken place."

Do you know what that says to me? 'If the girl can’t specifically name the players…we won’t be asking them to come forward.’

Another cover up for dangerous thugs who apparently believe that they can take and have whatever they want because they play rugby league.

I don’t want to keep having these conversations with my kids. I don’t want to be left with the image of some poor girl crawling out of a bedroom and pulling herself together just enough to get to the police station…while the party continued by the way…the boys were still raging when the police arrived.

I just want someone to tell these idiots ‘enough’.

More Steve Irwin...please...

Is it just me or is everyone desperate for more information about Steven Robert Irwin?

I have been glued to the internet for the past couple of days, trying to find out a little more about the man.

I want to know what people are saying about him. I want to hear him praised and appreciated. I want someone to go round to Germaine Greer’s house and yell nasty words through the front fence…cranky old bat…

I found something beautiful though…it was written by Dr John Wamsley…he’s a leading conservationist and founder of the Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary in South Australia.

He says Steve Irwin is a hero. In response to people like Germaine Greer who ignorantly claim Steve exploited wildlife he says this…

“Steve understood the numbers well. He knew that the only hope his beloved wildlife had was to save the very wilderness they needed for their survival.

He also understood that the only way to save that wilderness over the long term was to buy it.

That was Steve's plan. He would profit from his unique understanding of wildlife. He would use that profit to benefit wildlife. He would buy wilderness.

As we became bored with each wildlife celebrity, the next one had to be more exciting.
Steve Irwin was the latest. He was also the best.

Perhaps he did not understand the oceans as well as he had the land. Perhaps his reflexes had slowed. Or perhaps it was just a matter of responding to the increased demands of a television audience. He has paid the ultimate price. Yet if he had his life over again I'm sure he would have been the same.”

Here here!

There is also a lot of discussion this morning about whether or not the last footage of Steve should make it to air.

I don’t think I want to see it. The description John Stainton gave of how Steve died didn’t leave that much to the imagination…

But then again, Steve always said to keep the cameras rolling…

Ultimately, though it’s up to Terri, as much as we loved that man, as much as the world is a little duller today without him, he’s Terri’s husband. To that end, I think hers is the only opinion that matters.

Tribute to Steve...

I was sent this email by Donna from Beerwah...I think you'll like it...

Dear Caroline,

We've held family annual passes to Steve's zoo over the last few years & visited more times than I can remember! We've watched Steve & his zoo grow from The Crocodile Park in the 1990's to what it is today. Lots of things changed, but Steve remained the same....a passionate aussie larrakin. I was at the zoo with my children in July to watch Bindi perform at the crocoseum....I've written a poem about that day, to help sort my own feelings on this very sad day.


Bindi at the Crocoseum

A beam of sunshine lit his place in the stand,
The smile on his face nothing short of grand,
The man in khaki applauded his child,
Singing along with the crowd going wild.

He twisted and shook,
And bounced big and wide,
With young Bob in his arms,
And his wife by his side,

This family a picture of perfection it seemed,
Of the happiness and love that young Bindi beamed.
Living their dream is what they were doing,
Together and passionate for all living beings,
Warriors for nature and the magic it holds,
Sharing their world....now my story unfolds.

A month or so later I'm at the school gate,
The radio told me of Steve's tragic fate,
It seemed so surreal, it couldn't be true,
What do we say when the kids finish school?
How do we tell them "Our hero is dead"?
"The town's living legend now lives in your head"


It puts a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye,
To think of Terri having to say goodbye,
His children, his mates, rest of the family too,
The millions worldwide....all feeling blue,

For Steve touched our hearts in more ways than one,
His secret to life was to make your work fun.
My memory of Steve and his family that day,
Won't quickly fade or go away,

It reminds me of mine and what I do have,
Myself and my children and gratefully their Dad.

As Bindi and her Crocmen strutted their stuff,
No one could have guessed things were gonna get tough,
He twisted and shook and bounced big and wide,
With Bob in his arms and his wife by his side,
The smile on his face just said it all,
"I'm proud of that girl, she's havin' a ball"

Donna. Beerwah, Australia.

The Crocodile Hunter xx

Is it just me or is everyone just stunned this morning?

I was lucky enough to meet Steve Irwin, but I didn’t feel like I knew him any more than you probably did.

He was a Sunshine Coast boy. He could have been your big brother, he could have been your own son.

Everyone who knew him well will tell you that Steve never changed.

Despite the world wide fame, he was the same erratic, passionate, put your money where your mouth is bloke he always was.

For those who don’t know, I’m a radio announcer on the Sunshine Coast.

Sometimes we would broadcast from the zoo, and I loved being there in the really early morning, when it was still pretty dark. Just as we’d be setting up and getting ready to go to air, there would be Steve, zooming around on a motor bike. Building stuff, moving animals, organising feeds, only ever stopping long enough to say G’day and grab a sausage like any other zoo worker.

You couldn’t always guarantee you could drag him away from what he was doing to speak on the air, but when he did, it was golden. Some of my favourite radio memories involve Steve Irwin.

Like every cynic from the southern states…I wasn’t sure about Steve Irwin when I first got a look at him on tv. I was proud of him, he was already huge in the US by the time I saw my first episode of the crocodile hunter….but like I said, he was probably a little too much like my brother for me to not cringe a little bit…

Then I moved to the Sunshine Coast and I was an immediate convert. Steve and Terri put there money where their mouth is.

The zoo speaks for itself, obviously. A 40 million dollar gift it is to the Sunshine Coast. More than 300 employees and all the tourism promotion that money and fame can buy…

The million dollar wildlife hospital which makes a difference every day. The huge parcels of land Steve has bought in central Queensland to repatriate wildlife.

I even heard once that Steve and Terri were single-handedly funding the campaign to save the Galapagos turtle. Sure, he was making millions, but the money was only good for one thing…protecting animals.

The Queensland RSPCA today called Steve Irwin a modern day Noah.

But even more than that, he was a husband and a father. Terri, Bindi and Robert will never be in any doubt about how strong Steve’s love is for them. They’re lucky like that, a million photos, quotes and pieces of film showing how much he adores them. But it’s not enough. It’s not the real deal is it? You’re not supposed to leave your kids behind…not like this anyway…

Father-less?

Is it just me or is everyone lacking something significant on Fathers' Day? Namely a father.

My dad died a long time ago, when I was about 18.

Every day I think of a question I’d like to ask him, or something funny I’d like to tell him.

There are things my dad just wouldn’t believe. He died in 1987, well before eight year olds had their own mobile phones and sensible people paid three bucks for
bottled tap water. My dad would find that hilarious.

I was lucky I think. My dad was a storyteller, so I know a lot about his life.
The biggest tragedy, of course, is that my kids don’t know my dad…

A friend of mine, Brendan, told me last year that he has started a conversation with his dad, via email.

They write to each other a couple of times a week. Sometimes its personal, sometimes it’s history, sometimes it’s just to tell each other stuff about their day.

I wish they had the internet in heaven. I’d love the chance to have a conversation with my Dad.

So if you’ve still got a Dad, and the last conversation you had with him was slightly awkward and you always struggle to think of something to say to him, then emails a great thing…

Write him a letter…give him a call…make him give you a hug. Because trust me, one day he’ll be gone, and you’ll wish like hell you took the chance when it was still there…