Australian Government Moves to Close Uluru Climb

I actually posed the question back in April about whether or not it is ethical to climb to the top of Uluru.  Well now it appears there is a new push to claim it is not ethical:

THE Northern Territory Labor government and the federal opposition are furious with a federal plan to close the climb to the top of Uluru, saying Peter Garrett is slamming the gate on a world famous tourism experience.

A 10-year draft management plan for Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, released yesterday, indicates the days of climbing the rock are coming to an end: “For visitor safety, cultural, and environmental reasons, the director and the board will work towards closure of the climb,” it says.

Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt said the closure was Environment Minister Peter Garrett’s idea. “Under the Garrett plan, visitors from around Australia and the world would be stopped from completing the majestic and exhilarating journey,” Mr Hunt said.

“I have always suspected that closing the rock to walkers was on Labor’s agenda. Today we see the start of their plan to end one of the great tourism experiences in Australia.

“The Prime Minister cannot allow Peter Garrett to go ahead with his plan to close the climb.”

Kevin Rudd’s office said it was for Mr Garrett to comment. Mr Garrett refused to give his view and his office said he was waiting for public feedback.

About 100,000 people — a third of the visitors to Uluru-Kata Tjuta — climb the rock each year, despite signage from traditional owners asking them not to do so. Park managers say they are tired of rescuing people who panic and freeze halfway up the climb. [The Australian via Andrew Bolt]

This goes back to what I said in my earlier posting that the Aborigines cultural concerns has to do with people who are not fit enough to climb the rock:

When I went to Uluru I asked one of the local Anangu people if his people would be really offended if I climbed the rock.  He said the local Aborigines actually don’t mind people climbing the rock, but they just try to discourage people from climbing rock in effort to get people who may be elderly or out of shape from climbing up the rock and killing themselves from exhaustion or heat stroke.  He said that when someone dies on the rock the locals have to conduct an elaborate ceremony so that the spirit of the deceased person leaves the rock.  This is highly annoying to them when they have to do it over and over again because of people who shouldn’t be trying to climb the rock in the first place die for whatever reason.

This is a perfectly legitimate concern.  However, I thought this at the time and I don’t understand why the federal government doesn’t think about this either, but why not have all climbs to the top of the rock be by guided tour only?  It still allows people to climb the rock while at the same giving the traditional owners discretion on telling people who are unfit to climb to turn around.  Best yet it provides more employment for local Aborigines.  It seems like a win-win for everyone involved.