Steve Irwin

[FiggyPudding]

I'm not sure if Bindi is overexposed, but I kind of wonder how much diversity and normal kid stuff exists in her life. I loved popsicles, but my mom didn't let me eat them 24/7.

As precocious as Dakota Fanning is, I never have difficulty watching her interviews. When Bindi is on tv, I almost always have to turn the channel because it makes me so uncomfortable.

[Deleted]

figgypudding said:

As precocious as Dakota Fanning is, I never have difficulty watching her interviews. When Bindi is on tv, I almost always have to turn the channel because it makes me so uncomfortable.

Me too. Something's just not right.

[ebfarnum]

I'm saddened to see the Crocmen have been replaced by a snake. Bet she went all "MISS Ross" and tossed 'em aside like Mary and Flo.

Diva.

[augurey]

Awww...I liked that one Crocman who was really working it out during Bindi's "rap".

Is she going to release a single next?

[Yossarian]

Steve Irwin's dad left Australia Zoo because he had become a "disrupting influence":

Steve Irwin's father Bob says he walked away from Australia Zoo because he was becoming a "disrupting influence".

Mr Irwin, 68, last month ended his role with the Queensland zoo that he founded 36 years ago, and which son Steve made into an international drawcard.

Media reports suggested he was upset with the direction of the Sunshine Coast-based zoo and the career of Steve Irwin's nine-year-old daughter Bindi.

While Mr Irwin issued a media statement last month about his retirement to a property near Kingaroy, north of Brisbane, where he says he wants to "continue Steve's dream", he has not conducted any interviews until now.

"There's been a lot of media coverage recently of my departure from Australia Zoo," Mr Irwin says in an interview to be aired on ABC TV's Australian Story program on Monday.

"It's a strange feeling to spend half your lifetime building something up and walking away from it.

"I was becoming a disrupting influence, not that I meant to be."

Bob Irwin's wife Judy also tells the program about the decision to quit the zoo.

"It surprised me how quickly we made the decision to go," she says.

The Crocodile Hunter's widow Terri has previously denied a personal rift was behind Bob's decision to leave.

"I just can assure everyone that I love Bob dearly ... he's gone through so much grief losing his (first) wife and his only son that I will respectfully just leave it at that," Terri Irwin told reporters last month.

Ms Irwin plans a five-year expansion of the zoo to make it Australia's peak tourist destination with a "Disneyland feel", as well as adding luxury accommodation and boosting staff.

She has denied rumours the family plans to sell the zoo and move back to the United States.

Meanwhile, the Australian Tax Office is reportedly investigating a scheme to send a share of Australia Zoo profits offshore.

The tax scheme allowed the Irwins to obtain significant tax deductions and is linked to a $2.56 million civil lawsuit against Ms Irwin and Australia Zoo, The Australian newspaper reports.

Documents obtained by the newspaper show the zoo paid $600,000 a year in fees to a Singapore-based company for advice on its business structure.

The company was later raided by the taxation office.

The scheme enabled Australia Zoo to claim significant tax deductions.

The newspaper reported that Australia Zoo believes some of the companies it dealt with were not legitimate and it was the "unwitting" victim of a "highly sophisticated case of deception".

[margojata]

Ms Irwin plans a five-year expansion of the zoo to make it Australia's peak tourist destination with a "Disneyland feel", as well as adding luxury accommodation and boosting staff.

Oh, lovely. Disneyland - with crocs.

And because it can't be said enough - Bindi freaks me out.

[Yossarian]

Details of the financial package given to Steve's father after splitting from Australia Zoo.

Hush money, perhaps?

[Deleted]

I hate how this has all become so dirty and tainted since Steve Irwin's death. He must have been the one in the family keeping the morals and priorities straight.

[angelaudie]

I have a feeling Steve was the glue that held the family together. Now that he's gone they don't know how function without him.

[Deleted]

angelaudie said:

I have a feeling Steve was the glue that held the family together. Now that he's gone they don't know how function without him.

Oh, he was the glue, all right. If anyone disagreed with him, he'd lay out a string of cuss words the length of the barrier reef. He was a nice guy overall, but he was a perfectionist and very alpha-male. My friend worked at his zoo every summer for years and I knew about him long before he became famous.

The difference between him and Terri is that his first priority was to his wildlife work and his family. He wasn't big on money matters. I think Terri cares about wildlife too, but to a lesser extent. Don't get me wrong. Terri's a sweet person. She's just more of a businessperson than Steve ever was or could have been. I used to really respect her until she started pimping out that little girl. What the hell do a clothing line and dolls have to do with wildlife? The gift shop at the zoo was raking in more than enough money with their overpriced souvenirs. It's the greed taking over. It only gets worse from here, folks.

I won't even comment on Bob Irwin's departure. God bless that man. I'll leave it there.