Pauline Hanson, One Nation leader, has headed to Uluru in her fight to keep the climbing track on the national icon open.
Climbing Uluru is set to be banned on October 26th, but the One Nation leader posted to Facebook about her plans to climb it before the ban.
Hanson said that she has been given permission from the traditional owners of the land to climb Uluru.
“I have been given permission by Anangu Mayatja Council of Elders, Mr Reggie Uluru and Mr Cassidy Uluru to climb the Rock,” she wrote on Facebook.
“Both are senior traditional owners of Uluru.”
She then further explained that she was invited to Uluru for discussions about the future of the rock.
“The Anangu Mayatja Council of Elders have invited me to the Rock for discussions about their future following my calls for the climb to remain open,” she wrote.
“I arrived yesterday afternoon and held talks with the two sons of Paddy Uluru who was the traditional owner and other family members.
“Today I will meet with around 15 of their Anangu Mayatja Council of Elders.”
Even with permission of the traditional owners of the land, she has been criticised by both Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.
Labor’s Opposition Spokesperson for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney spoke to SBS News about how it was a “stunt”.
“She has no appreciation whatsoever of the cultural significance of Uluru … Uluru is a living being for Aboriginal people. It’s not something that you clamber over,” she said.
“It’s a stunt.”
Burney said that she visited Uluru and “had a long conversation with some of the traditional owners [who] explained to me the very real and deep cultural reasons why they are resolute in closing the climb with the full endorsement of the management of the park”.
Burney also dismissed the fact that Hanson had received “permission” from the traditional owners.
“The climb is an open climb at the moment. The traditional owners cannot stop anyone climbing [for the time being],” she said.
Hanson has been open about her stance on Uluru as she argued with Steve Price on The Today Show and has maintained that nothing needs to change.
“We’ve been climbing the Ayers Rock, or Uluru, for many years,” Hanson said on the program.
“It’s no different to saying we’re going to close down Bondi Beach because there are some people there that have drowned. How ridiculous is that!” @PaulineHansonOz #9Today pic.twitter.com/aQ2nPTtdgL
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) 14 July 2019
“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,” she said.
“Now the resort has only returned $19 million to the taxpayers only just recently. It employs over 400 people there, 38 per cent 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.”