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In a since-deleted event, a 4WD group on Facebook has vowed to climb Uluru the day the climbing ban comes into effect, ostensibly to spite “do-gooders” and prove that “religious beliefs” should not dictate our enjoyment of the site.
Earlier today, Pauline Hanson and Steve Price debated the merits of banning the access of Uluru to tourists. Ever the wordsmith (and torturer of metaphors), Hanson likened it to the closure of Bondi Beach, stating that “…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!”
I’m confused about why the @TheTodayShow would invite Senator Pauline Hanson & Steve Price as guests to discuss ending the #Uluru climb? Would you like to invite me on the show to talk about cardiothoracic surgery? Space exploration? Architecture? Ancient languages? #auspol pic.twitter.com/7qNHdmJybY
— Amy Lamoin (@LamoinAmy) July 15, 2019
However, while we may shake our heads at the nonsense pouring out of the mouth of Hanson, it’s clear that these views exist. What’s more, they should be exposed, not in substitution of legitimate voices, but to illuminate how much white Australia’s opposition to the Uluru ban should be unheard. For what it’s worth, as Welcome to Country noted, “The Traditional Owners side of the argument is simple: Their law does not allow people to go up there and they want everyone to respect this law. Just like it is against British law to walk around Buckingham Palace as you please, it is against Anangu law to climb Uluru, and that needs to be respected.”
As it turns out, it’s a flat no from the owners. Speaking of flats, a now-deleted event on Facebook proves that Hanson’s view is anything but original. Established by the group “Lock Your Hubs 4WDing”, a collection of likeminded individuals are set to group in the carpark of Uluru and climb it the first day the ban is set to take effect.
The event page originally stated: “Sick of being told by the do-gooders how to enjoy “OUR COUNTRY”? It’s not about disrepecting (sic) the indigenous’s religious beliefs, the monilith (sic) predates all of humanity by many millions of years, why should one group’s religious beliefs dictate how we all should enjoy “OUR COUNTRY”?
On the first day of the ban, October 26th 2019. We’ll be meeting at (sic) carpark, and climb to the top! Let’s show them we won’t be pushed around!”
The event has since been scrubbed from the site, and the administrators of the page have yet to respond to our attempts to confirm whether the event is cancelled or still going ahead.
