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Irwin family offered state funeral (Australia Honours the Crocodile Hunter)
The Australian ^ | 9/5/2006 | n/a

Posted on 09/04/2006 7:19:21 PM PDT by Pyro7480

Irwin family offered state funeral

STEVE Irwin will get a state funeral if that's what his family wants, Queensland Premier Peter Beattie says.

The 44-year-old media personality and environmentalist died yesterday when a stingray barb punctured his heart while he was filming a nature documentary off the coast of Port Douglas in north Queensland....

Asked if his government would honour Irwin with a state funeral, Mr Beattie replied: "We will honour Steve Irwin in whatever way his family wants."

But first it was important to let his wife Terry and two young children, who recently returned to Queensland from Tasmania, deal with the tragedy, he said.

"Our first thoughts have to be with Terry and the children and I don't want to say or do anything that will make their grief worse because they are a wonderful family," Mr Beattie said....

(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...


TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: australia; crikey; croc; crocodile; dang; hunter; irwin; statefuneral; steveirwin
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To: Pyro7480

Animal Planet is doing a kind of retrospective of him right now. 9:30 cst. So sad that he is gone.


21 posted on 09/04/2006 7:42:00 PM PDT by ritewingwarrior (Where does free speech end, and sedition begin?)
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To: cripplecreek
I'm just hoping against hope that the media has the decency to leave her alone till she's ready to talk.

I'm hoping the terrorists leave this event alone.

22 posted on 09/04/2006 7:43:50 PM PDT by Loud Mime (An undefeated enemy is still an enemy.......war has a purpose.)
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To: Pyro7480
This sounds like it would be a provincial affair. But it very well could become a national one.

International.

23 posted on 09/04/2006 7:45:34 PM PDT by TheDon (The Democratic Party is the party of TREASON!)
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To: RichardW

One big difference, Steve brought a lot more to humanity than Dale did.

And from what I just saw on Hannity and Colmes, getting killed by a stingray is quite rare, especially how Steve died. Though no one said it, Steve might have been highly careless with the animal to have been stung where he was.


24 posted on 09/04/2006 7:48:02 PM PDT by MAD-AS-HELL (Put a mirror to the face of the republican party and all you'll see is a Donkey.)
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To: NonValueAdded

Frankly, I think Australia hands out state funerals much too readily, nowadays. Irwin is probably more deserving than most who get one, but that isn't saying much.


25 posted on 09/04/2006 7:54:04 PM PDT by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: MAD-AS-HELL
And from what I just saw on Hannity and Colmes, getting killed by a stingray is quite rare, especially how Steve died. Though no one said it, Steve might have been highly careless with the animal to have been stung where he was.

From what I have read today, it sounds like it was as much bad luck as anything. If the stingray had hit him anywhere but it the heart, he would have most likely lived.

There aren't enough people in the world blessed with Steve Irwin's contagious enthusiasm. He will be missed. My prayers are with his family.
26 posted on 09/04/2006 8:00:57 PM PDT by goldfinch
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To: MAD-AS-HELL

" ... Irwin's fellow documentary maker Ben Cropp revealed that footage shows Irwin swimming alongside a large smooth stingray, also known as a bull ray, in less than two metres of water, while a cameraman from his production company swims in front to film him for a new TV wildlife series.

Without warning, the ray, usually regarded as a placid creature towards humans, stops, turns and lashes out, spearing Irwin in the chest with one of the knife-like barbs at the end of its tail - an action like a paring knife creating "a terrific tearing of flesh", said Bryan Fry, of the University of Melbourne's Australian venom research unit.

It was not known last night whether Irwin, 44, died of a heart attack, blood loss from the wound, venom from the ray or a combination of all three. It was only the third known death by stingray in Australia. ..."

>>>It was possible, some have said, that the ray felt boxed in, with the cameraman in front of him and Steve behind him, so he struck.

He was hit from below the rib cage, with an upward thrust to the heart. Irwin pulled the 8" spine out himself, then lost consciousness as they got him to the boat within 2 minutes.

They did CPR until more medical help arrived (there was a paramedic on the boat) by helicopter 10 minutes later, but by then it was too late.

That last sequence was filmed, and Irwin had said in earlier interviews he hoped it would be on film if he were ever killed by an animal he was working with - that it would show the animal's innocence, just doing what animals do.

The producers of the documentary will talk to Terri Irwin later about the videotape, which is now in the hands of the police, for the coroner's inquest.


27 posted on 09/04/2006 8:04:34 PM PDT by Rte66
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To: Pyro7480

If that goes through, only certain members of the Labour Party over there are responsible.

----

Enlightne me. Which 'certain members'?


28 posted on 09/04/2006 8:04:53 PM PDT by Fred Nerks (ENEMY + MEDIA = ENEMEDIA)
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To: Fred Nerks
Tory MPs have accused Mr Blair of using his stance on Lady Thatcher's funeral arrangements to appease left-wing Labour MPs.
29 posted on 09/04/2006 8:06:24 PM PDT by Pyro7480 ("Love is the fusion of two souls in one in order to bring about mutual perfection." -S. Terese Andes)
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To: Pyro7480
Bless the Aussies Hearts!!

State Funeral Bump!!

30 posted on 09/04/2006 8:07:26 PM PDT by sit-rep ( http://trulineint.com/latestposts.asp)
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To: nmh

I wasn't aware of any of Steve's political leanings. Was this part of an interview somewhere? Just curious - would love to read more.

BTW, many prayers for the Irwin family.


31 posted on 09/04/2006 8:08:48 PM PDT by AirForceBrat23
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To: AirForceBrat23
Crikey! Praise for PM puts you in a snake pit
32 posted on 09/04/2006 8:11:24 PM PDT by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: AirForceBrat23
Crikey! Praise for PM puts you in a snake pit

When Prime Minister John Howard dropped in on Irwin's Australia Zoo on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, the naturally ebullient Irwin introduced him to the crowd as "the greatest leader Australia has ever had" and the "greatest leader in the entire world".

33 posted on 09/04/2006 8:12:06 PM PDT by Pyro7480 ("Love is the fusion of two souls in one in order to bring about mutual perfection." -S. Terese Andes)
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To: naturalman1975

LOL! We post the exact same article.


34 posted on 09/04/2006 8:12:28 PM PDT by Pyro7480 ("Love is the fusion of two souls in one in order to bring about mutual perfection." -S. Terese Andes)
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To: Pyro7480

Well, it's a good article!


35 posted on 09/04/2006 8:13:38 PM PDT by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: AirForceBrat23

Being Steve Irwin

Actually, that could just as well read "hating Steve Irwin", which appears to be the latest fad among Labor, the cultural Lefties, and the Arts chatterati. Miranda Devine has an article on the fallout from Irwin's declaration that John Howard was the "greatest leader ever" and the "greatest leader in the entire world". Of course, you can't say that if you're an actor or on television, so the usual suspects are now doing their best to ruin Irwin.

Suddenly Irwin the likeable, outback ocker became Irwin the greedy "millionaire" Howard-lover. For some people, this was unforgivable.

The letters pages of newspapers exploded with venom and journalists sharpened their poison quills.

"After his public comment to the effect that John Howard is the greatest prime minister this country has ever had, I no longer take him seriously as an apolitical or intelligent wildlife advocate," A. Bass of Sutherland wrote to The Daily Telegraph yesterday.

A reporter from The Age in Melbourne questioned why Irwin had turned down an invitation to Bill Clinton's presidential farewell dinner. "Does it tell us more about Steve Irwin than he might want us to know?" he wrote. Irwin had "thick skin", the article went on to say. "There's no getting through to the heart or the soul. And let's not make the mistake of going for the head."

There were snide stories about Irwin's invitation to the Lodge for a fancy "partisan barbecue" Howard hosted for visiting US President George Bush, complete with snaky references to the $25,000 cost.

There were stories attacking Irwin's character. "For crocodile hunter Steve Irwin charity really does begin at home, with the millionaire 'donating' $175,000 to himself," began one story in The Courier-Mail in Brisbane. This $364 a minute of taxpayers' money was supposedly for "one day's work" shooting a quarantine awareness TV ad. The Federal Opposition and ABC Radio tried to whip up a crocodile-cash-for-comment scandal, linking the payment to Irwin's praise of the Prime Minister.

Finally, last week, Irwin was forced to defend himself, issuing a statement explaining the money was for a whole year's work on the quarantine campaign, not one day, and that he had given every cent to a new koala hospital at his Queensland zoo...


http://www.mediaman.com.au/articles/crocodile_hunter.html




36 posted on 09/04/2006 8:13:38 PM PDT by Fred Nerks (ENEMY + MEDIA = ENEMEDIA)
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To: AirForceBrat23
That's a croc and he's the greatest
37 posted on 09/04/2006 8:16:22 PM PDT by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: AirForceBrat23; naturalman1975; Aussie Dasher
Aussie Dasher on Irwin brought joy to millions: PM (John Howard)

Steve Irwin was a strong supporter of Prime Minister Howard and was an honoured guest when the PM held a BBQ for President Bush on his last visit.

38 posted on 09/04/2006 8:16:29 PM PDT by Pyro7480 ("Love is the fusion of two souls in one in order to bring about mutual perfection." -S. Terese Andes)
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To: Fred Nerks

That's the International Left for you. Hatred is par for the course.


39 posted on 09/04/2006 8:17:32 PM PDT by Pyro7480 ("Love is the fusion of two souls in one in order to bring about mutual perfection." -S. Terese Andes)
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To: Pyro7480; Constitution Day

Gotta respect a guy who breaks out the smoker for a good ol' fashioned BBQ with the President. Wonder if the President swaped some Texas BBQ tips with PM Howard and Steve.


40 posted on 09/04/2006 8:19:27 PM PDT by stainlessbanner
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