 The matter was subsequently closed without charges being laid.After questions arose in 2003 about Irwin being paid $175,000 worth of taxpayers' money to appear in a television advertisement and his possible political ties, Irwin told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that he was a conservationist and did not choose sides in politics.His comments describing Australian Prime Minister John Howard as the "greatest leader in the world" earned him scorn in the media.