Pauline Hanson vows to scale Uluru in defiance of upcoming climbing ban – and claims Aboriginal elders have given her PERMISSION
- One Nation leader Pauline Hanson will climb Uluru in defiance of upcoming ban
- She has been outspoken about the ban, calling for it to remain open to climbers
- Ms Hanson said she was invited by the Anangu Mayatja Council of Elders
- She claimed she was given permission by Aboriginal elders to climb the rock
Pauline Hanson is preparing to climb Uluru in defiance of the upcoming ban and claims she has been given permission by Aboriginal elders to climb the famous rock.
The One Nation leader touched down in central Australia and posed for a photo next to the monolith on Tuesday ahead of her controversial climb.
Ms Hanson said she was invited by the Anangu Mayatja Council of Elders to discuss their future after calling for the climb to remain open.
‘I arrived yesterday afternoon and held talks with the two sons of Paddy Uluru who was the traditional owner and other family members,’ she wrote on Facebook.
Pauline Hanson is preparing to climb Uluru in defiance of the upcoming ban on scaling the famous rock
Paddy Uluru once said the act of climbing the monolith previously known as Ayers Rock was ‘of no cultural interest’ to his people.
The local Anangu elder believed there was simply no practical reason to climb Uluru because it was no good for hunting or gathering food.
‘If tourists are stupid enough to climb the rock, they’re welcome to it,’ he has been quoted as saying.
Following her meeting, Ms Hanson took to Facebook to share she was granted their approval to make the ascent to the top of the rock.
‘I have been given permission by Anangu Mayatja Council of Elders, Mr Reggie Uluru and Mr Cassidy Uluru to climb the Rock,’ her post read.
‘Both are senior traditional owners of Uluru.’
Uluru will be closed off to climbers in October after a decision was made to prevent future scaling of the sacred site.
Ms Hanson has been vocal about disagreeing with the ban.
Senator Hanson has previously slammed the move and compared shutting down the iconic rock to closing Bondi Beach.
She said the sacred rock should remain open for climbing because ‘we’ve been climbing the Ayers Rock, or Uluru, for many years’.
Following her meeting, Ms Hanson took to Facebook to share she was granted their approval to make the ascent to the top of the rock
Uluru will be closed off to climbers in October after a decision was made to prevent future scaling of the sacred site
‘People have been climbing the rock all of these years and now all of a sudden they want to shut it down?,’ Ms Hanson told Deb Knight on Channel Nine’s Today.
Senator Hanson said October’s closure of the climb was ‘ridiculous’, pointing out that it provided significant revenue to the local indigenous community.
‘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.
‘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.’
Senator Hanson said the ban was ‘no different to coming out and saying, ‘We’re going to close down Bondi Beach because there are some people that have drowned’. How ridiculous is that?’
Senator Hanson said October’s closure of the climb was ‘ridiculous’, pointing out that it provided significant revenue to the local indigenous community