Australian Senator Pauline Hanson has slammed the authorities for banning all climbing on the sacred mountain Uluru and called the ban, which is due come into effect on October 26, ridiculous.
The One Nation leader’s backlash follows after herds of ‘disrespectful’ tourists have been spotted climbing and polluting the sacred mountain of Uluru in an attempt to get the most out of their trips before the ban prohibiting the practice comes into effect.
Following the authorities’ unanimous decision to prohibit all human activity on the sacred Aboriginal rock, masses of tourists decided to climb the mountain before the ban comes into effect.
In an attempt to climb Uluru before it’s too late, thousands of tourists have started illegally entering and camping in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.
Besides upsetting the local environment and traditions, the tourists have also been dumping their trash and starting illegal fires.
“If people plan their trip, get in touch with our information center, we can find them a close alternative … They need to ask the questions at the information centers as they travel along the track,” Stephen Schwer of Tourism Central Australia said in an interview with ABC.
“Where a lot of this comes from is people assuming they will simply be able to find space, and when they can’t find space, they find it themselves — and when they do, they are trespassing.”
Defending the controversial practice and comparing the ban to shutting down Bondi Beach, Hanson said:
“People have been climbing the rock all of these years and now all of a sudden they want to shut it down? I really don’t get it. And how are they going to pay back the Australian taxpayer?”
Appearing on Channel Nine’s Today, the senator added:
“The Australian taxpayers put in millions, hundreds of millions of dollars into it and they’re wanting another $27.5 million to upgrade the airport there for the resort.
“Now the resort has only returned $19 million to the taxpayers only just recently. It employs over 400 people there, 38 percent are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
“The fact is, it’s money-making. It’s giving jobs to indigenous communities, and you’ve got thousands of tourists who go there every year and want to climb the rock.”
To continue encouraging tourism in the future, the national park will redirect its focus on the local culture and history rather than climbing.
What are your thoughts on this matter? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to SHARE this post with your friends and family!