Bob Irwin 'never banned from zoo'
One of Australia Zoo's bosses has today flatly denied suggestions Bob Irwin was ever banned from the Beerwah tourist attraction, saying he loved him like a father.
Australia Zoo director Wes Mannion also denied suggestions of a rift between Mr Irwin and his daughter-in-law Terri Irwin, despite Mr Irwin releasing a statement on the weekend in which he
severed ties with the Zoo.
Australia Zoo opened its doors to the world's media again today, unveiling three 12-week-old tiger cubs from Indonesia in a bid to demonstrate its ongoing commitment to conservation.
Mr Mannion said the Zoo's conservation direction had not changed since the death of the Crocodile Hunter and the organisation remained open and accountable.
He denied Steve Irwin's dad had been barred from the tourist facility he established, saying Mr Irwin Senior had only been at the Zoo three or four days ago.
"Hes not locked out. No! You can take any story and skew it, I think a month ago I was dating Terri well Im happily married with a little boy. So, you can skew a story any way you like. Bob is welcome anytime in the zoo, thats never been a point of contention.
"Its not a rift. Bob has decided to go his different way. We never talk about family, for starters, Bobs a great guy. The zoo is heading in a direction that its always headed in and everyones aware of that.
"The most important thing is that were all in this for the same reason, were all into conservation,'' Mr Mannion said.
"Bobs been a fantastic guy, he always will be. Hes moved on to a new job which is another conservation property which the zoo has funded, so really its exciting, I think its great for him to have a change.
"As far as the politics involved and whatever else that people may or may not say, I never talk personally about family, but I will say that Bob would do great whatever he does and the great thing is that its another conservation property that will be focused on, its a property the zoo has helped him get so I think its a win-win for everybody.
"Its Bobs property and Bob will do what hes always done. Hes worked on the conservation property for the zoo for the last 7 or 8 years so I think its great.''
Mr Mannion stressed the direction of the Zoo remained the same, as did the management team, apart from Steve Irwin.
"Its been a team effort and its not only the management team that we have the team at zoo a lot of team members have been here for 10, 12 years plus.
"The wonderful thing for me is the zoo itself has not changed. The people who make the difference and have forged this zoo since 1992 are still here.
"Bob is too. Bob has been out at Blackbutt for the last eight years and before that he was at Rosedale since 1992. As far as the workings of the zoo and where the zoo is heading hes never had a real interest in it but what he does have a huge interest in is conservation and hes just moved on to another conservation project.
"I dont feel like hes moved on at all.''
Mr Mannion rejected suggestions there were morale problems or ongoing issues with staff, saying there would always be some people unhappy in an organisation as large as Australia Zoo.
Mr Mannion pointed out that none of the people criticising the Zoo, whether existing or former staff, were willing to put their name to their statements.
All those who have contacted the Daily to say Bob Irwin had been banned from the zoo said they could not give their names because either they or their partners would face retribution at the zoo.
"The key matter is that at the end of the day, weve been here for 30 years and were going to be here for another 40 years,'' Mr Mannion said.
"When people say to me oh gee, wheres the zoo going, well in another 20 years come in and say hello and Ill let you know where its going because were here the long haul, were a local business, I did grades 9,10,11 and 12 on the Sunshine Coast.
"Ive been here since I was 14. The thing that is pretty awesome about what Steve and Terri have achieved is that Steve could have grabbed the money and run.
"Steve could have taken the money that he made from documentary film-making and put his feet up in the Bahamas but he didnt.
"He put it into the local community, he created 550 jobs, Terri has been working tirelessly for the last few years, well since Stevie died, going around and spruiking the Sunshine Coast.
"Were a local business. We love our locals and well always be local and Terri is as local as anyone.
"Shes been here for so long and she in hand with Stevie built this place, along with everyone else, but her and Steve had the biggest hand in making the zoo the success it is and they could have cut and run.
"They could have taken everything they had and went away and moved to America. Her passion and our passion is the Sunshine Coast, is Queensland and conservation of wildlife and that will never change no matter what people say.''
When asked about a North Queensland property being in Terri Irwin's private company name, Mr Mannion maintained it was owned by the zoo, but then admitted it was a private family company, Silverback Properties Pty Ltd, as reported by the Daily.
The Daily revealed on Saturday how Terri Irwin had built a $26 million property empire all held solely in her own name while Australia Zoo rakes in millions from grants and donations.
This includes a $6 million property paid for by the former federal government last year, which is now held by Mrs Irwins private company.
Silverback Properties Pty Ltd, has outlaid more than $20 million for real estate around Australia Zoo, in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, at St George, Emu Creek and in Far North Queensland.