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"Unimaginable curse": Karl Stefanovic pays tribute to fallen father

<p>Karl Stefanovic has paid tribute to Lachlan Webb, a young Queensland dad who sadly passed away from a rare genetic brain disorder. </p> <p>Webb first started showing symptoms of Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI) early last year, a rare degenerative brain disorder where the inability to fall asleep is just one of the many symptoms of the condition which many describe to be a living nightmare. </p> <p>From there the symptoms progress to the inability to walk, loss of sight and speech and eventual total shutdown of the body's ability to keep itself alive among others. </p> <p>The Queensland father had already lost his grandmother, aunties, uncles and his mum Narelle to the disease, with his mum passing away just six months after she was diagnosed. </p> <p>The condition is so rare that only 50 families worldwide are known to carry the gene. </p> <p>Karl Stefanovic first met Webb and his sister Hayley back in 2016, after they both learned that they carried the fatal gene. Despite the diagnosis the siblings were determined to ensure the "curse" ended with them, travelling to the US to participate in a clinical study.</p> <p>The siblings also both underwent IVF with their respective partners to ensure that their children won't carry the gene. </p> <p>"Lachlan was a remarkable man battling an unimaginable curse," Karl said on the <em>Today</em> show. </p> <p>"Everyone at Today is thinking of the Webb family, Hayley, Lachlan's beautiful wife Claire and his little boy Morrison."</p> <p>"Hayley also has that gene, their bravery and resilience was incredible to witness firsthand and it's such an important message - everyday is a gift and our thoughts, our prayers and our love are with you all this morning."</p> <p><em>Images: Nine</em></p>

Caring

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Adorable detail in Channel 7 star's stunning Uluru wedding

<p>Channel 7 presenter Abbey Holmes has finally tied the knot with her partner, former AFL player Keegan Brooksby!</p> <p>After three long years of waiting the pair finally got married in a beautiful ceremony at the Northern Territory.</p> <p>“Mr & Mrs 6.11.23 — The perfect day with the most perfect person in the Heart of Australia. #WeDoInUluru,” Holmes captioned their wedding photo on Instagram.</p> <p>The pair got engaged at Uluru in 2020, and chose to tie the knot in the same location Brooksby proposed. </p> <p>The NT holds a special connection for them, aside from it being where they got engaged, it's also where Holmes was one of the highest profile female footballers, before breaking into the AFLW in 2017.</p> <p>Holmes revealed that their wedding was pulled together quite quickly, thanks to the help of their wedding planner. </p> <p>“We’ve actually pulled it together quite quickly after we had our engagement party on December 30 last year with no plans of when we were getting married,” she told <em>Seven News</em>. </p> <p>“It was only a week or so after that we kind of looked at each other and said if we don’t plan something it’ll never happen.</p> <p>“If it was up to Keegan and I it would never have got done. We would have been screwed without (our wedding planner).”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzVTaUPPCgI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzVTaUPPCgI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Abbey Holmes (@abbeycholmes)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Their wedding was nothing short of glam with Channel 7 AFL commentators Luke Hodge and Brian Taylor, and Magpies star Mason Cox among the 100-person guest list. </p> <p>Celebrity friends and fans took to the comments to congratulate the newlyweds. </p> <p>“Absolutely stunning!!! Soo so happy for you both. the start of another amazing journey together … sending you both love and beautiful blessings. Xx," wrote Aussie swimming legend Steph Rice. </p> <p>“Beautiful guys,” commented AFL champion Joel Selwood.</p> <p>“Such a beautiful wedding for a beautiful couple," added Olympic champion Lydia Lassila. </p> <p>"Wonderful news! Congratulations team 🤍" wrote Sunrise weather presenter Sam Mac.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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Why a First Nations Voice should come before Treaty

<p>Since the advent of colonisation, the absence of an effective process for conducting dialogues between the broader community and First Nations people has been a festering sore at the heart of Australian society.</p> <p>The <a href="https://australian.museum/learn/first-nations/unsettled/recognising-invasions/terra-nullius/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">notorious doctrine</a> of terra nullius not only led to the denial of the legitimate rights of First Nations people, but also ensured they could never be heard. This malign strategy has produced centuries of unspeakable suffering, sickness and death. Many Australians feel the time has come to start to heal the wound.</p> <p>The <a href="https://fromtheheart.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uluru Statement from the Heart</a> advocates for a process of dialogue to set us on a path towards a new way of living together. The statement was agreed to in 2017 by a convention of more than 250 First Nations people after an inclusive and rigorous process of regional dialogues. It proposes a First Nations Voice to Parliament to guide a passage both to a new “coming together” and to the clear articulation of the long-suppressed truth.</p> <p>As Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said when announcing the forthcoming referendum that seeks to incorporate these key proposals into the Australian Constitution, the statement is a generous offer to the entire Australian community. It does not harbour grudges and does not seek vengeance. It asks for a secure mechanism whereby the voices of First Nations people can at last be heard – by each other, by the parliament and by the wider Australian public.</p> <p>While support for the statement is widespread, some sections of the population – both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal – have dismissed the Voice as inconsequential, arguing the focus should instead be on establishing a “treaty”. They have argued a Voice will lead only to talk, whereas the real goal should be a law that guarantees the civil rights of First Nations peoples.</p> <p>This argument fails to understand the potential power of the Voice. It can not only lay a foundation for a movement towards reconciliation and truth, but also act as a tool to craft novel solutions to the problems created by the unique circumstances of Australia’s history and culture.</p> <p>In this connection, it is notable the statement does not actually use the term “treaty”. Instead, it proposes the distinctly Aboriginal concept of “Makarrata”, which refers to a process of learning from the past to create new ways of interacting with each other based on dialogue. Voice, Makarrata and Truth are inseparable, but Voice is the motor that drives all of them forward.</p> <p>Establishing the Voice will lead to immediate, important outcomes. It will set the scene for addressing the centuries of injustice. It will create an effective process to address the intergenerational disadvantage many communities suffer. It will help overcome the historical exclusion of First Nations people from public forums. And crucially, it will offer an important symbolic gesture of acknowledgement and recognition that the days of vox nullius (“voicelessness”), the primary intention and consequence of terra nullius, are at last over.</p> <p>It is, of course, unlikely that all First Nations people will speak with one voice – indeed, that would be undesirable. However, creation of a secure channel of communication will open up new ways for all members of the Australian community to negotiate their differences and discover novel solutions to our common challenges.</p> <p>First Nations people will therefore not be the only ones to gain from the Voice. A vibrant, living platform for vigorous dialogue that addresses fundamental political issues will also benefit the wider society. It will help revive the ailing public sphere in Australia, restoring trust in institutions that have been degraded and depleted as a result of a deeply-established focus on personal ambition, vested interests and loss of shared ethical vision.</p> <p>While some form of treaty will undoubtedly remain an important goal, the joint concepts of Voice, Makarrata and Truth are deeper, and more complex and enduring.</p> <p>On its own, a treaty would operate only as an element within the system of colonially-derived law. This means it would utilise concepts within a system of thought that few would argue has served our country well in relation to the treatment of First Nations people, let alone of refugees and other vulnerable minorities.</p> <p>The statement provides an approach to a consensus process that goes much further than this. Drawing on the creative resources of dialogue so fundamental to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, it will establish a framework that allows us to move forward to create new ethical bonds and fresh communal relationships that reactivate trust, reinvigorate public, cooperative action and support the resolution of conflicts through peaceful dialogue.</p> <p>As we move towards the referendum, it is important for us to think carefully about the vision we wish to hold for Australia. About whether we are, collectively, ready to accept the invitation offered in the Uluru statement.</p> <p>We have to decide whether we are ready to break the silence of our shared histories and take up the challenge to talk with each other, openly, frankly and with respect.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-a-first-nations-voice-should-come-before-treaty-192388" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: </em><em>fromtheheart.com.au</em></p>

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Woman cons her mother out of $82 million artwork by claiming it was “cursed”

<p dir="ltr">A 48-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of swindling her elderly mother out of a painting worth $82 million, by making her believe it was “cursed”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sabine Coll Boghici allegedly tricked her 82-year-old mother Genevieve into handing over <em>Sol Poente (1949)</em> by Tarsila do Amaral.</p> <p dir="ltr">The artwork belonged to Genevieve’s late husband, who was an art collector, as the artwork had previously been exhibited at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sabine’s art con is just one part of a haul of cash, art and jewellery worth almost $200 million allegedly defrauded by the Brazilian woman. </p> <p dir="ltr">The scam to obtain Genevieve’s artwork began in 2020, when a psychic approached the elderly woman with prophecies of her daughter’s imminent death.</p> <p dir="ltr">The victim was then taken to several more psychics, who police say used personal information provided by her daughter to scam her distraught mother into transferring money to pay for “spiritual treatment”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sabine and an accomplice posing as a psychic “began to take the artwork from the (mother's) house, claiming that the painting was cursed with something negative, with negative energy that needed to be prayed over,” said Rio de Janeiro police officer Gilberto Ribeiro.</p> <p dir="ltr">After almost a year of being mistreated by Sabine and her accomplices, Genevieve decided to go to the police.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police say 16 paintings were stolen, including works by renowned Brazilian artists like Cicero Dias, Rubens Gerchman and Alberto Guignard.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police say seven people are suspected of involvement in the years-long crime, facing charges of embezzlement, robbery, extortion, false imprisonment and criminal association.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Rio de Janeiro Civil Police / AFP</em></p>

Art

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Changing the Australian Constitution is not easy. But we need to stop thinking it’s impossible

<p>Supporters of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament have celebrated the commitment of the new Albanese government to put the issue to a referendum. But is government support enough?</p> <p>It’s a start, but the road to referendum success is a hard one, as it was always meant to be.</p> <p><strong>The Constitution was meant to be hard to change</strong></p> <p>When the Constitution was being written in the 1890s, the initial expectation was that it would be enacted by the British and they would control the enactment of any changes to it, just as they did for Canada.</p> <p>But the drafters of the Commonwealth Constitution bucked the system by insisting they wanted the power to change the Constitution themselves. They chose the then quite radical method of a referendum, which they borrowed from the Swiss.</p> <p>While it was radical, because it let the people decide, it was also seen as a <a href="https://adc.library.usyd.edu.au/view?docId=ozlit/xml-main-texts/fed0043.xml&amp;chunk.id=&amp;toc.id=&amp;database=&amp;collection=&amp;brand=default" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conservative mechanism</a>. British constitutional theorist A.V. Dicey described the referendum as “the <a href="https://archive.org/details/nationalreview2318unse/page/64/mode/2up" target="_blank" rel="noopener">people’s veto</a>”, because it allowed the “weight of the nation’s common sense” and inertia to block “the fanaticism of reformers”.</p> <p>The drafters of the Commonwealth Constitution were divided on the issue. Some supported the referendum because it would operate to defeat over-hasty, partisan or ill-considered changes. Others were concerned that change was hard enough already, and voters would have a natural tendency to vote “No” in a referendum because there are always objections and risks that can be raised about any proposal. Fear of the new almost always trumps dissatisfaction with the current system, because people do not want to risk making things worse.</p> <p>In this sense, the referendum is conservative – not in a party-political sense, but because it favours conserving the status quo.</p> <p>Another concern, raised by Sir Samuel Griffith, was that constitutions are complex, and a large proportion of voters would not be sufficiently acquainted with the Australian Constitution to vote for its change in an informed way. He favoured using a United States-style of constitutional convention to make changes.</p> <p>The democrats eventually won and the referendum was chosen. But to satisfy their opponents, they added extra hurdles. To succeed, a referendum has to be <a href="https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/cth/consol_act/coacac627/s128.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> not only by a majority of voters overall, but also by majorities in a majority of states (currently four out of six states).</p> <p><strong>A Constitution frozen in time</strong></p> <p>The predictions were right. The referendum at the federal level has indeed turned out to be the “people’s veto”. Of 44 referendum questions put to the people, only <a href="https://www.aec.gov.au/elections/referendums/referendum_dates_and_results.htm">eight have passed</a>. No successful Commonwealth referendum has been held since 1977. We have not held a Commonwealth referendum at all since 1999.</p> <p>There are many <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/binaries/library/pubs/rp/2002-03/03rp11.pdf">suggested reasons</a> for this. Some argue that the people have correctly exercised their veto against reforms that were proposed for party-political advantage or to unbalance the federal system by expanding Commonwealth power. If reforms are put because they are in the interests of the politicians, rather than the people, they will fail.</p> <p>Questions asked in referendums have been poorly formulated and often load too many issues into the one proposed reform. If a voter objects to just one aspect of a proposal, they then vote down the entire reform.</p> <p>Another argument is that, as Griffith anticipated, the people know little about the Constitution and are not willing to approve changes to it if they are unsure. The mantra “<a href="https://www.aec.gov.au/elections/referendums/1999_referendum_reports_statistics/yes_no_pamphlet.pdf">Don’t know – Vote No</a>” was extremely effective during the republic campaign in 1999.</p> <p>Of course, if you don’t know, you should find out. But the failure to provide proper civics education in schools means most people don’t feel they have an adequate grounding to embark on making that assessment.</p> <p>Decades of <a href="https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/better-civic-education-will-help-australians-respond-in-challenging-times/">neglect of civics</a> has left us with a population that is insufficiently equipped to fulfil its constitutional role of updating the Constitution.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465242/original/file-20220525-20-1ebbwk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465242/original/file-20220525-20-1ebbwk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=451&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465242/original/file-20220525-20-1ebbwk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=451&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465242/original/file-20220525-20-1ebbwk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=451&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465242/original/file-20220525-20-1ebbwk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465242/original/file-20220525-20-1ebbwk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465242/original/file-20220525-20-1ebbwk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">If people have the slightest uncertainty about what they are saying ‘yes’ to, they will inevitably say ‘no’ – something the republic referendum suffered from in 1999.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Rob Griffith/AAP</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p><strong>Vulnerability to scare campaigns</strong></p> <p>The biggest threat to a successful referendum is the running of a “No” campaign by a major political party, or one or more states, or even a well-funded business or community group.</p> <p>Scare campaigns are effective even if there is little or no truth behind them. It is enough to plant doubt in the minds of voters to get them to vote “No”. Voters are reluctant to entrench changes in the Constitution if they might have unintended consequences or be interpreted differently in the future, because they know how hard it will be to fix any mistake.</p> <figure class="align-right "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465249/original/file-20220525-22-a5fyt8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465249/original/file-20220525-22-a5fyt8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=844&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465249/original/file-20220525-22-a5fyt8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=844&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465249/original/file-20220525-22-a5fyt8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=844&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465249/original/file-20220525-22-a5fyt8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1061&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465249/original/file-20220525-22-a5fyt8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1061&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/465249/original/file-20220525-22-a5fyt8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=1061&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The 1967 referendum was one of the few that were successful.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">National Gallery of Australia</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>If a referendum campaign ends up focused on technical issues about the future operation or interpretation of particular amendments, then it is likely lost.</p> <p>Campaigns tend to be more successful if they focus on principles or outcomes, such as the 1967 referendum concerning Aboriginal people. That referendum had the advantage of not being opposed in the Commonwealth parliament. The consequence was that there was only a <a href="https://www.naa.gov.au/learn/learning-resources/learning-resource-themes/first-australians/rights-and-freedoms/argument-favour-proposed-constitution-alteration-aboriginals-1967#:%7E:text=In%20the%201967%20referendum%2C%20no,recorded%20in%20a%20federal%20referendum.">“Yes” case</a> distributed to voters, as a “No” case can only be produced by MPs who oppose the referendum bill in parliament.</p> <p><strong>Overcoming the malaise</strong></p> <p>While recognising these difficulties, perhaps the greatest risk is becoming <a href="https://www.auspublaw.org/2018/12/getting-to-yes-why-our-approach-to-winning-referendums-needs-a-rethink/">hostage</a> to the belief the Constitution cannot be changed and referendums will always fail. It will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.</p> <p>Instead, we need to face constitutional reform as being difficult but achievable and worthwhile. The Constitution should always serve the needs of today’s Australians, rather than the people of the 1890s.</p> <p>The key elements for success include a widespread will for change, the drive and persistence of proponents, good leadership, sound well-considered proposals and building a broad cross-party consensus. Not every element is necessary, but all are helpful.</p> <p>As incoming Indigenous Affairs Minister <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/7.30/linda-burney:-%E2%80%9Cwe-need-consensus-on-a-referendum/13895144">Linda Burney</a> recently noted, there is still a lot of work to be done in building that consensus in relation to Indigenous constitutional recognition, but the work has commenced.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/183626/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anne-twomey-6072">Anne Twomey</a>, Professor of Constitutional Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/changing-the-australian-constitution-is-not-easy-but-we-need-to-stop-thinking-its-impossible-183626">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Uluru turns into a waterfall in “rare and magical” sight

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A rare bout of rain </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/australian-holidays/northern-territory/uluru-turn-into-waterfall-amid-heavy-rain-in-region/news-story/d7ab44457590e77dfb3740e5d3c78f25" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">has turned</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Uluru into a series of waterfalls, with footage emerging of the wondrous sight.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park shared a series of images and videos showing the transformation, after the area received 22 mm of rain earlier in the week.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though that might not sound like a lot of rain, Parks Australia said the area’s average rainfall is just under 300 mm — meaning it received seven percent of its annual rain in a single night.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Parks Australia shared the “rare and magical” moment on social media, with one video capturing both the amazing sight and the sounds of burrowing frogs calling to each other.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CVxAxD2Fr3C/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CVxAxD2Fr3C/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park (@seeuluru)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“For most of the year these frogs are underground, avoiding hot and dry conditions,” Parks Australia explained in the caption.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“They emerge after rain to breed, feed and return underground to evade perishing in the harsh weather conditions.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“They continue to call for the next day or so, especially in the early morning and at dusk.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845319/uluru1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8baae45cf4da4585969de90e41e13193" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: @seeuluru / Instagram</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But it isn’t the first time this kind of moment has been witnessed.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Last year, the area received 30mm of rain — the biggest downpour in three years — which created a series of waterfalls that poured over Uluru.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following the most recent deluge, Parks Australia confirmed that the weather has since cleared.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CV1KPZ9htok/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CV1KPZ9htok/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park (@seeuluru)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“At about 5.30pm last night the skies lifted and it was clear that the Irish are right and there is a treasure at the rainbow,” the organisation wrote on Thursday, alongside a trio of photos capturing a double rainbow stretched across Uluru.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: @seeuluru / Instagram</span></em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Nine top Aussie camp sites - with a view

<p>While it may be off our radar right now, travelling around Australia will be back soon and who doesn't want to fall asleep under a blanket of stars and wake to some of the best views in the country? So, take a look here at our top nine Aussie camp sites.</p> <p>Australia really is the lucky country. Every state and territory is home to a diverse range of rich scenic grandeur an it’s ready to inspire us. The great thing about camping is it gives you the best seat in the house to enjoy the wonder of it all. Here you’ll find our picks of the top 9 camping and caravanning campsites with a view.</p> <p><strong>Alpaca Magic Stud, Sutton, NSW</strong></p> <p>Canberrans, this one is for you. While this campsite is technically located just across the ACT border in NSW, it’s only a 30-minute drive from the Canberra CBD. And you’ll be warmly welcomed by fields of alpacas, llamas, donkeys, and miniature cattle studs.</p> <p>The site is suitable for self-sufficient campers – which means BYO water, toilet and shower amenities – who leave no trace.</p> <p><strong>Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort, Monkey Mia, WA</strong></p> <p>Monkey Mia is one of those rare places in Australia where dolphin visitation is daily, rather than seasonal, and the Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort offers a human-dolphin interaction program for free. This absolute beachfront camping resort is in the heart of the Shark Bay World Heritage Area. Spend your day’s snorkelling or boating in crystal clear waters, partaking in a camel ride or an Aboriginal Cultural Walk.</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2efd197bd5834a0ca654e11ac447b830" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843586/monkey-mia-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2efd197bd5834a0ca654e11ac447b830" /></p> <p><strong>First Sun Caravan Park, Byron Bay, NSW</strong></p> <p>Cape Byron is the most easterly point of Australia’s mainland, and <a href="https://www.firstsunholidaypark.com.au/">First Sun Caravan Park</a> reaps the benefits of its plum position on the foreshore of Byron Bay’s main beach. Let’s just say you’re guaranteed to be the first to witness the sun each day.</p> <p>For the most part, guests are also treated to unobstructed views of the ocean with sites located right alongside the beach. Yet, you’re also within strolling distance to all the major attractions.</p> <p><strong>Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, NT</strong></p> <p>With its remote desert location, deep cultural significance and spectacular natural beauty, <a href="https://www.ayersrockresort.com.au/accommodation/ayers-rock-campground">Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park</a> is home to one of Australia’s most unforgettable attractions – and, without a doubt, offers one of the best campsite views in the world.</p> <p>Due to Uluru’s cultural importance to the local Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people, the closest you can camp is 15 kilometres away in Yulara at the Ayers Rock Campground. But don’t worry, it isn’t called The Rock for no reason, you will still be treated to jaw-dropping views from this distance.</p> <p>In addition to its grassy campsites, you’ll also have access to a swimming pool and it’s a great place to base yourself to explore the park’s numerous walking tracks, rockpools and Aboriginal rock art sites. It’s worth allowing a couple of days to explore and observe the changing moods of the Rock.</p> <p><strong>Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, Flinders Ranges, SA</strong></p> <p>The rugged mountains which rise above grassy plains to form <a href="https://www.australiantraveller.com/sa/outback-sa/flinders-ranges/">the Flinders Ranges</a> are more than 600 million years old. The Aboriginal Dreamtime stories that tell the tale of how this area was created have been passed down between generations for more than 40,000 years.</p> <p>In the northern part of this epic location, you’ll find <a href="https://www.arkaroola.com.au/caravan-camping">Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary.</a> Its campsites deliver some of Australia’s most spectacular mountain views and offer numerous eco-tourism-accredited guided tours.</p> <p>Whether you love birdwatching, bushwalking, geology, wildlife spotting or 4WD adventures, this wilderness sanctuary offers a multitude of activities for the outdoor enthusiast. They even have three fully equipped observatories, so you can get an even closer look at the incalculable number of stars at night.</p> <p>Pitch a tent among 600 million-year-old relics.</p> <p><strong>Lucky Bay National Park, WA</strong></p> <p>Gone are the days of paying top dollar to sit around an overcrowded resort because yes - your own personal paradise awaits you at Lucky Bay.</p> <p>You’ll find Lucky Bay just past Esperance in WA’s far south, and the campsites, which are situated almost on top of the sand, couldn’t offer more luxurious views: lush, turquoise waters lapping at gloriously white sand, a dramatic framing of rocky outcrops and beach-going kangaroos lazing about in the sunshine (yes, really).</p> <p>Swim, fish or opt for a bushwalk on one of the many trails that wind through the park past freshwater pools and a dazzling blanket of wildflowers (if you happen to be there in spring). </p> <p><strong>Green Patch, Jervis Bay, NSW</strong></p> <p>The campsites at <a href="https://parksaustralia.gov.au/booderee/camping/green-patch/">Green Patch</a> book out months in advance, so you do need to book ahead. You’ll find Green Patch tucked away in Booderee National Park in Jervis Bay on the NSW South Coast. The lucky few who get in early can expect white sandy beaches, crystal clear water, and kangaroos bounding in the distance.</p> <p>The neighbouring beaches are perfect for swimming and sun-worshipping, while nearby bushwalking trails deliver several shaded picnic spots to sit and enjoy a meal with a view.</p> <p>Bathrooms, hot showers and water are all in ready supply, as are barbecues and wood fireplaces – so bring plenty of supplies for a barbie under the stars and a night-time bonfire. And don’t forget the wine.</p> <p><strong>Jan Juc Caravan Park, Great Ocean Road, Vic</strong></p> <p>Considered to be one of the world’s most <a href="https://www.australiantraveller.com/vic/great-ocean-road/the-best-itinerary-for-driving-the-great-ocean-road-in-three-days/">scenic coastal drives</a>, Victoria’s Great Ocean Road gives you the opportunity to see the iconic 12 Apostles, get up close to native wildlife, and take in iconic surf breaks, pristine rainforests and misty waterfalls.</p> <p>The natural beauty of this area draws visitors from far and wide. To truly drink in the stunning scenery, pitch a tent at the <a href="https://www.janjucpark.com.au/">Jan Juc Caravan Park</a>. And if you also want to check out the world-famous Bells Beach surf break, the park is as close as you can sleep to the action. There are barbecues, powered and unpowered campsites and cabins available.</p> <p><strong>Freycinet National Park, Tas</strong></p> <p>It’s no secret that <a href="https://parks.tas.gov.au/explore-our-parks/freycinet-national-park">Freycinet National Park</a> is home to some of Tasmania’s most incredible camping spots, which may explain why you have to enter a ballot system to camp during peak times (Easter and Christmas).</p> <p>Pitch a tent here to wake to breathtaking ocean views. Your days will be spent exploring the beautiful bays: Honeymoon Bay, Sleepy Bay and Wineglass Bay – with the panoramic views of wondrous Wineglass Bay the main drawcard for visitors.</p> <p>The views on offer at Alpaca Magic Stud are essentially in the name – fields upon fields of peacefully grazing animals. But if the view alone isn’t enough to entice you, book into one of the many workshops on offer: Conversations with Cows, Breakfast with the Alpacas &amp; Llamas, Needle Felt workshops, Fleece Spinning workshops, and the very popular Llama Walking Experience.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty Images</em></p> <p> </p> <p> </p>

Domestic Travel

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Creator of Uluru’s Field of Light launches new exhibition in Darwin

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prolific light artist Bruce Munro is back again to dazzle tourists and locals alike in Darwin with his latest light-driven installation.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The latest exhibit stretches across 2.5kms around Darwin’s city centre and features eight illuminated sculptures by Munro, whose a world renowned artist.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B3w58f5lhfl/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B3w58f5lhfl/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Bruce Munro: Tropical Light opens November 1st Darwin, Australia.Fireflies, copyright © 2019 Bruce Munro. All rights reserved. Photography by Mark Pickthall.</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/brucemunrostudio/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Bruce Munro</a> (@brucemunrostudio) on Oct 18, 2019 at 8:12am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Munro was inspired by the Northern Territory’s capital city and is the first citywide exhibition in the world.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The collection reflects Munro’s personal history of visiting Australia as well as the Northern Territory.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This is a collection of smaller installations and a very different experience to Field of Lights,” Mr Munro told </span><a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/australian-holidays/northern-territory/creator-of-ulurus-field-of-light-launches-new-exhibition-in-darwin/news-story/003b3522311a1e3d4d96b451c20ed9d0"><span style="font-weight: 400;">news.com.au</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BnmRCh7BFaQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BnmRCh7BFaQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">One of my favourite Fields of Light, Uluru, Australia - Jane OConnor, Bruce Munro Studio. Photographs by Mark Pickthall and Serena Munro</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/brucemunrostudio/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Bruce Munro</a> (@brucemunrostudio) on Sep 11, 2018 at 12:40pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Those coming to Darwin for Tropical Lights will experience the beautiful city … which has everything a big city has but slightly more condensed. This exhibition is not about me plonking sculptures from (the) other side of the world and putting them in Darwin, the sculptures are inspired by Darwin.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“So I am interested to see if people enjoy it and feel and think the same as I did when I first came here.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4VKb-HlSw6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B4VKb-HlSw6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Bruce Munro: Tropical Light, Darwin Australia. November 1st 2019 - April 30th 2020. Photography by Serena Munro, copyright © 2019 Bruce Munro. All rights reserved. A huge thank you to @fusionexhibitionandhire &amp; @NTmajorevents an install we will never forget ❤️@tropicallights.darwin</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/brucemunrostudio/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Bruce Munro</a> (@brucemunrostudio) on Nov 1, 2019 at 10:09am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The Tropical Light exhibit in Darwin is open until the 30th of April 2020. </p>

Domestic Travel

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New Indigenous sacred site calling for Uluru-style ban

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Indigenous activists are now calling for a popular hiking spot to be closed to hikers due to the cultural significance to the traditional owners of the land.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mount Warning in the Tweed ranges in northern NSW is considered a sacred site to the traditional owners, the Bundjalung people, but it’s a popular spot with hikers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bundjalung Elder Robert Corowa has said that the recent closure of the Uluru climb has given him and his community a new sense of hope.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m ashamed to go there … it makes me really sad to watch people climbing it. I don’t want to let people think they’ve got the right,” he said.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B1YlIFChOLf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B1YlIFChOLf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Subida do Mt. Warning pra ver o nascer do sol, cansativo, mas a vista é sensacional! 🇦🇺</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/gumastavo/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Gumastavo</a> (@gumastavo) on Aug 20, 2019 at 4:26am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Corowa has said that visitors who hike Mount Warning are disrespectful to the sacred spot.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m ashamed to go there … it makes me really sad to watch people climbing it. I don’t want to let people think they’ve got the right,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, rainforest park manager Mark Bourchier said that he was concerned that the closure of the mountain would impact tourism to the area as it attracts up to 100,000 visitors annually.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If we go shutting the mountain, I can see there would be way less visitors to the area,” he told </span><a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mt-warning-next-on-climb-chopping-block/news-story/d4c4e9c4fc5a8fa55373c698bef7da53"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Courier-Mail</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

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“What white privilege looks like”: How the world has reacted to the Uluru climbing ban

<p>Media outlets around the world have reacted to the permanent closure of public access to Australia’s most iconic landmark, Uluru.</p> <p>After decades of tourists climbing the enormous rock, rangers have finally put an end to it at 4 pm Friday, after the ban was unanimously voted on in 2017.</p> <p>A new sign was set up on the base of the rock, letting visitors know that the climb was permanently closed – 34 years after the Anangu people, the traditional custodians of the land, were handed back the title to Uluru.</p> <p>Starting from today, those who are caught breaking the rules would be issued a fine of $6,300.</p> <p>But not everyone is happy about the decision, as Australians and others around the world are divided on the history-making decision.</p> <p>Yesterday, Uluru was inundated with tourists wanting to climb the rock for the very last time, to which a<span> </span><em>New York Times</em><span> </span>writer described as “a reminder that a segment of the population remains resistant to some of the decisions Indigenous people make when ownership of land is returned to them.”</p> <p>“They have absolutely no shame,” wrote one person on Twitter on the flock of climbers.</p> <p>“This is what white privilege looks like in Australia.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">They have absolutely no shame. This is what white privilege looks like in Australia.</p> — Princess Buttercup ☠🎗️ (@sckitupbuttercp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sckitupbuttercp/status/1187607049607102464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">25 October 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“The lengthy queue of people waiting for one last crack at violating Indigenous rights before the white government finally puts an end to it is pretty depressing,” wrote another commenter on the publication’s website.</p> <p>While the ban is “a once-unimaginable act of deference to a marginalised population,” wrote the story’s author Jamie Tarabay, it is “a partly symbolic gesture that does nothing to address the myriad social problems endured by Indigenous Australians.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Like little ants trail. Not for survival, not climbing up from floods or anything. Paying their way from their earnings to disrespect a sacred site.</p> — J. Xuan (@HazelONeil16) <a href="https://twitter.com/HazelONeil16/status/1187673547193212928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">25 October 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“Many of the Anangu themselves live in a trash-strewn community near the rock that is closed to visitors, a jarring contrast to the exclusive resorts that surround the monolith, where tourists seated at white tablecloths drink sparkling wines and eat canapes as the setting sun turns Uluru a vivid red.”</p> <p>Certain parts of Uluru are considered so scared that the Anangu people don’t want it to be photographed or even touched, writes Tarabay, although tourists are permitted to “tool around its base on camels or Segways, or take art lessons in its shadow.”</p>

Domestic Travel

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Climb fever: Last day of Uluru climb brings in thousands

<p>The decision to ban people from climbing Ayers Rock has divided a nation, and with its last day on the books, big numbers are expected to swarm in before a permanent closing of the climb. </p> <p>The 33 degrees forecast for Friday means the climb will be open all day after extreme heat this week. </p> <p>On Thursday the hours to scale up Uluru were restricted between 7 am and 8 am due to a sweltering 40 degree day. </p> <p>After the last of the climbers come down, workers will immediately start removing all evidence climbing was ever allowed on the 348-metre high red sandstone rock. </p> <p>Uluru is arguably one of Australia’s most famous landmarks. </p> <p>The chain handhold that was built in 1964 for visitors to get up and down the steep western face will also be removed. </p> <p>Photos and videos of massive queues of people waiting to climb up the rock  - against the wishes of local Indigenous people - has surfaced on social media, garnering heavy criticism as a result. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">One day out from Uluru climb closure, this is the line at 7am. <a href="https://t.co/fxs344H6fV">pic.twitter.com/fxs344H6fV</a></p> — Oliver Gordon (@olgordon) <a href="https://twitter.com/olgordon/status/1187149946731937793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“If native aboriginal people fought to ban climbing on their extremely sacred rock, why would you still want to climb it, you asinine tourists!” wrote actor and rock climber Sebastian Roché on Twitter.</p> <p>“Imagine learning Uluru was being shut off for climbing because it’s sacred to the Aboriginal culture, and instead of respecting that, you spend the final day before it closes doing... this,” another person said. </p> <p>The National Park board decided in 2017 to ban the climb from Saturday. </p> <p>It marks 35 years since the land title to the Anangu was given back on October 26, 1985.</p> <p>Earlier this week, tourist Tegan McLellan, 28 scaled the massive landmark with her partner in a bid to get in before the practice is banned. </p> <p>The veterinary nurse and social media influencer said climbing to the top of Uluru has always been on her bucket list but it wasn’t until she heard the climb would be closed for good that she decided to make the journey to the Red centre. </p> <p>“Uluru has always been on my list of places to visit but was always a ‘some day’ trip,” she told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/australian-holidays/northern-territory/influencers-reason-for-deciding-to-climb-uluru-before-the-ban/news-story/b53928ee54800a6070bc0670b1679356" target="_blank">news.com.au.</a></p> <p>“Uluru is an icon of Australia and an important part of our history.</p> <p>“Since hearing that the climb was closing I decided to make it a priority to visit before the opportunity was gone.”</p> <p>Ms McMlellan says she found the climb to be “difficult” despite being a pretty fit person. </p> <p>“It’s very steep in some parts … and you can easily lose your footing. Your shoes slip easily, so you have to pull yourself up using the chain, but the chain was also slippery from everyone’s suncream and sweaty hands,” she explained. </p> <p>The Queensland-based nurse said the “tough climb” should have regulations in place for people. </p> <p>“It’s a very tough climb with no shade and even the way down is just as tough,” she said.</p> <p>“You have people going up, people coming down and people sitting and resting, all along a very steep slope on a narrow track.</p> <p>“I heard that one lady got stuck halfway up and sat there for two hours in the scorching sun because she couldn’t get down.”</p> <p>Uluru is a sacred site and holds great spiritual significance to local Aboriginal communities, including the Pitjantjatjara Anangu traditional owners who live in nearby Mutitjulu.</p> <p>"It is just a blip in the middle, this whole climb thing, it is going back to normal by banning the climb,” said Mutitjulu resident and Central Land Council chair Sammy Wilson</p> <p>The Anangu people will celebrate with a ceremony at the rock on Sunday night.</p> <p><span>Scroll through the gallery above to see Tegan McLellan's climb through pictures. </span><span>Images: @teganmclellan </span></p>

Domestic Travel

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“You are shooting yourself in the foot”: Tourists baffled over Uluru climb ban

<p>While some tourists from all over the world are rushing to climb Uluru before it is banned on Saturday, some are questioning why local traditional Indigenous Australians called for a ban in the first place. </p> <p>Ayers Rock Resort has been jam packed for most of 2019 meaning nearly 5,000 people are trying to get a chance to climb Uluru before it is too late. </p> <p>Some Australian tourists have gone to extreme measures and camped illegally on private land around Uluru during school holidays, because the resort's campground has been full.</p> <p>The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park board made the decision to impose an official ban from October 26 to pay respect and recognition to the rock’s cultural significance to the Anangu people. </p> <p>Melbourne tourist Stefan Gangur, 51 told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.yahoo.com/author/australian-associated-press-562" target="_blank"><em>AAP</em><span> </span></a>he opposes the ban because it is a vital source of income for the community. </p> <p>"What are people doing out here? It is part of the economy and how it runs out here" he said.</p> <p>"You are shooting yourself in the foot, as long as everyone respects it, it is okay.</p> <p>"It is no secret a percentage of the money from the national park passes goes back to the Aboriginal people."</p> <p>The controversial ban of one of Australia’s most prolific and well known landmarks has prompted warnings that Uluru faces an uncertain future. </p> <p>A chain was built on the steep of the western face of Ayers Rock in 1964 and will be dismantled from October 28. </p> <p>The National Park’s general manager Mike Misso told AAP Uluru will become a better destination for tourists as more Anangu people will be working and benefitting from it. </p> <p>"The dominant reason for the UNESCO World Heritage listing was the living cultural landscape of nature and culture intertwined through traditions over thousands of years," he told<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.yahoo.com/author/australian-associated-press-562" target="_blank">AAP.</a></em></p> <p>"The closure of the climb enhances the park's world heritage values. It's in conflict if you have got inappropriate visitor activity,”Grant Hunt, chief executive at the resort’s operators Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia said. </p> <p>"For every tourist destination, you have to reinvent yourself, if you just offer the same people go elsewhere.”</p> <p>Mr Hunt says there is far more to Uluru than the climb, with more than 100 tours and experiences for tourists to experience - from riding mountain bikes, to Aboriginal cultural tours, helicopters and skydiving. </p> <p>“The travelling public have become much more culturally mature than they were 20 years ago,” Mr Hunt said.</p> <p> “I think most people expect this and in fact want it to happen.</p> <p>“There’s a minority who still don’t of course and you always get that with any decision but certainly our research and feedback says about 80 per cent of people are supportive of the climb closing.”</p>

Travel Trouble

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"Glad to be alive": 12-year-old takes 20m tumble on Uluru climb

<p><span>A 12-year-old girl has fallen at least 20 metres while climbing Uluru, two weeks before the iconic sandstone rock is closed to climbers.</span></p> <p><span> The South Australian girl, who was travelling with her parents and younger brother, was reportedly descending from the summit of the 348-metre tall rock on Sunday when she lost her footing and fell.</span></p> <p><span>The girl was then carried to the base of the rock and treated at the Yulara clinic before being flown by the Royal Flying Doctor Service to Alice Springs hospital.</span></p> <p><span>“Apparently, it was about a 20 to 30-metre fall,” Troy Dicks, flight nurse with the RFDS told <em><a href="https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-15/12-year-old-girl-survives-20m-fall-on-uluru-climb/11604452?pfmredir=sm">ABC</a></em>.</span></p> <p><span>“On the steep decline, she’s actually got a run up, she’s actually dived and rolled.”</span></p> <p><span>Dicks said the 12-year-old suffered an ankle injury, a compound fracture on her finger and grazes.</span></p> <p><span>“She apparently had a nasty finger injury that was dressed and cleaned,” Dicks said. </span></p> <p><span>“It was a compound fracture. So there was bone showing.</span></p> <p><span>“She also had an ankle injury. I’m not sure whether it was broken or not but it was certainly swollen and deformed.”</span></p> <p><span>A spokesperson from the Alice Springs Hospital confirmed that the patient is in a stable condition.</span></p> <p><span>Dicks said the patient was “surprisingly well and in good spirits”.</span></p> <p><span>“She just realised how lucky she was and was very glad to be alive.”</span></p> <p><span>Michael Misso, general manager at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park told <em><a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/girl-12-injured-in-fall-on-uluru/news-story/9e29ed409e11b1c6ad57848f1192e8b6?from=htc_rss">Sky News</a> </em>that park rangers are working hard to manage the visitors’ safety.</span></p> <p>“Ultimately people need to take responsibility for their own actions and safety, but we give advice on how to stay safe from the base of the climb,” Misso said.</p>

Travel Trouble

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Why do people believe in curses?

<p><em>Strictly Come Dancing</em>, the TV show which pairs celebrities with professional dancers to compete in a ballroom dancing competition, has apparently been the cause of a number of divorces, break-ups, and scandals. This “<a href="https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-08-19/strictly-come-dancing-strictly-curse-affairs-break-ups/"><em>Strictly</em> curse</a>” is not helped by the show’s demanding schedule, long practice hours, and intimate dancing.</p> <p><em>Strictly</em> is not the only modern curse featured in the media of late. The <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-49125467">curse of the Tour de France</a> returned, with the failure of a French rider to win the <a href="https://usimmigrationupdate.com/french-cyclists-hit-again-by-curse-of-tour-de-france-bbc-news/">cycling race</a>. Hopes that Julian Alaphillippe would this year end the 34-year drought were dashed.</p> <p>Meanwhile, the rapper Drake has been linked to a series of <a href="https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/the-drake-curse-best-times-it-struck-down-sports-teams-athletes-2487702">sporting failures</a> over the years. The Drake curse <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-47947155">was broken</a>, however, when his team (the Raptors) won their first basketball championship earlier this summer. Other popular culture “curses” around James Dean’s <a href="https://sg.news.yahoo.com/curse-james-dean-porsche-550-010003800.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAF2ZVBzvFXEOzvnoMUgY8skG7UrCeRorWZqdpvaG_S4strong5uBQpsuPmuhd4IF81thP1olYYRZm2M4UM9fnKeCgNd8_vW2c4TpA8cF8uNnsXs6roX4sjdbWZXpXeiVeqN9uKxf8ToZc2suFf0VKmK7OMf6gKX2xIJWf5xKupt25V5l">car</a> and the next <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/jun/07/james-bond-25-film-cursed">James Bond</a> film, have also circulated of late.</p> <p>What’s this all about? Most people these days surely don’t believe in supernatural curses. But their prevalence in the media suggests that they still have a hold on psyches, and that a good amount of people still pay credence to them.</p> <p><strong>Rational explanations</strong></p> <p>From a scientific perspective, curses have rational explanations. These clarify why people directly ascribe supernatural powers to negative events.</p> <p>For instance, belief in curses can arise from thinking style. Psychologist Daniel Kahneman has <a href="http://reflectd.co/2016/02/24/thinking-styles/">proposed</a> that there are two distinct modes of decision making. System 1 is automatic, rapid and largely unconscious. Subsequently, this system is intuitive and prone to biases and systematic errors. In contrast, System 2 is controlled, slow, effortful, and produces rational thought. So, perhaps people believe in curses because their spontaneous, subjective, System 1 thinking predominates.</p> <p>Endorsement of curses may also stem from the desire to make sense of the world; ascribe meaning to chaos. Why do people sometimes see faces in clouds or Jesus in their toast? We have a tendency to find meaningful patterns in meaningless noise: which some call <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/reality-play/201207/being-amused-apophenia">apophenia</a> and others <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/patternicity-finding-meaningful-patterns/">patternicity</a>. In the case of curses, this can cause people to see links between random events and wrongly attribute misfortune and bad luck to a magical hex rather than factors such as chance and human error.</p> <p>Those who believe in curses may also be susceptible to the <a href="http://www.howtogetyourownway.com/effects/barnum_effect.html">Barnum</a> or Forer Effect. This is where people wrongly infer that general information has specific personal relevance. In the context of curses, this might explain the tendency to associate general misfortune with particular, personally significant jinxes.</p> <p><strong>Psychological influences</strong></p> <p>A belief in curses, once it exists, is often reinforced by other psychological tendencies.</p> <p>Believers in curses may look for affirming evidence, such as potentially related bad luck, and discount contradictory data. This confirmatory bias produces coherent, but logically inconsistent narratives supporting the presumption of supernatural forces.</p> <p>This was true of the curse of Tutankhamun, for example. This derived from the general notion that a curse would befall anyone who broke into a pharaoh’s burial site. At the time of the excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb, the archaeologists suffered no misfortune. But as a result of press coverage about “the pharaoh’s curse”, subsequent deaths and misfortunes of the archaeology team became associated with the curse. Similarly, the movies Poltergeist and The Omen have over time acquired a reputation <a href="https://www.historytoday.com/archive/months-past/tutankhamuns-curse">as cursed</a>.</p> <p>The power of curses to influence people stems from belief in their veracity. This often arises from an external locus of control, where people feel unable to influence events. In the absence of perceived control, people become more accepting of mysterious, external forces. Psychologists refer to this as <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/moments-matter/201708/locus-control">magical thinking</a>.</p> <p>In addition, belief in curses is associated with certain personality characteristics. Particularly, tolerance of ambiguity and neuroticism. Tolerance of ambiguity describes the degree to which an individual can <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/anger-in-the-age-entitlement/200902/uncertainty-is-your-friend-part-i">cope with uncertainty</a>. People with low tolerance of ambiguity tend to look for closure. This manifests as the failure to critically consider evidence and to jump to conclusions. These factors can lead to indiscriminate, premature acceptance of material. Neuroticism, meanwhile, can facilitate worry, concern and rumination about curses.</p> <p>In extreme cases, belief in curses can undermine confidence in oneself and one’s future success. Psychologists refer to this as self-fulfilling prophecy. This is where belief in a curse produces the perception of inevitable misfortune. Indeed, the mere suggestion of bad luck can produce negative outcomes. Researchers call this the <a href="https://www.brainblogger.com/2009/07/15/the-curse-of-the-nocebo-effect">Nocebo Effect</a>.</p> <p><strong>Social factors</strong></p> <p>The influence of curses also originates from their grounding in culture. Specifically, through education and social narratives, the notion of curses perpetuates over time. Consequently, they become culturally acceptable and in some instances plausible. For example, the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20180216-the-strange-power-of-the-evil-eye">evil eye</a> has a long tradition around the world. This derives from the belief that someone who achieves great success also attracts the envy of those around them, manifesting itself as a curse that will undo their good fortune.</p> <p>Socially, media coverage can induce the notion that curses exist. A recent example is the <a href="https://www.nme.com/blogs/what-is-momo-your-guide-to-the-horrifying-meme-billed-as-the-new-slenderman-2364215">Momo Challenge</a>. This spread via WhatsApp and involved the appearance of a creepy, Japanese sculpture accompanied by instructions to perform dangerous tasks. The communication also predicted unfortunate consequences if the receiver failed to follow instructions, or pass on the message. This story went viral and caused children and parents great anxiety.</p> <p>Although there is of course no scientific evidence to support the supernatural basis of curses, they can still have a powerful psychological influence on people. Believing in curses can undermine decision making, well-being and self confidence. In extreme cases, they can also facilitate unusual ideas, undermine critical thinking and produce <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2012/apr/25/the-knowledge-football-curses">odd behaviours</a>.</p> <p>Despite evidence to the contrary, some curses are compelling. So it will be interesting to see whether forthcoming contestants in <em>Strictly Come Dancing</em> avoid the bad luck associated with previous series.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/121385/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: http://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em>Written by <span>Ken Drinkwater, Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Cognitive and Parapsychology, Manchester Metropolitan University and Neil Dagnall, Reader in Applied Cognitive Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University</span>. Republished with permission of </em><a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-people-believe-in-curses-121385" target="_blank"><em>The Conversation</em></a><em>. </em></p>

Mind

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"I'm Indigenous": Pauline Hanson faces scrutiny after controversial statement on A Current Affair

<p>One Nation Pauline Hanson has angered many as her mission to allow all Australians to climb Uluru continues.</p> <p>She headed out to Uluru with<span> </span>A Current Affair<span> </span>and the controversial segment aired on Monday night.</p> <p>"I've come here to listen to the traditional owners," she said.</p> <p>Hanson was invited to visit Uluru by Jimpanna Yulara, a senior member of the Anangu Mayatja Council of Elders. Hanson spoke of the beauty of Uluru in the segment.</p> <p>"And what reasons people come out - whether they see it as a challenge, it's an iconic part of Australia to be involved in, to enjoy it. I'd like to see the climb stay open, I really would."</p> <p>Despite the Senator saying that her intervention in the debate over climbing Uluru is about helping Indigenous Australians, not everyone is convinced.</p> <p>This included a group of young Indigenous women who spoke to Hanson at a local café, where they were employed.</p> <p>The women argued that Uluru is part of their culture.</p> <p>"It's a big part of our Indigenous culture," one of the women said.</p> <p>"And I'm listening to the traditional owners of the land here and I will talk to them," Senator Hanson replied.</p> <p>"So our opinion doesn't matter? Even though we're Indigenous? Beautiful," the woman replied.</p> <p>Hanson tried to diffuse the tension by saying that she too was Indigenous.</p> <p>“I’m Indigenous,” she told them. “I was born here. I’m native to the land. I’m Australian as well and I’m Indigenous as well.”</p> <p>This statement was met with smirks from the women, with one suggesting that Hanson’s land is “England”.</p> <p>When Hanson was asked about the encounter, she said that she wasn’t interested in it.</p> <p>“They’ve had their opinion. I’ve come, not to talk to a 19-year-old or 20-year-old who’s not from the area. I’m listening to the traditional owners of the land.”</p> <p>The elders that Hanson met with were concerned about the long-term economic impact that the closure of the climb could have on the local community.</p> <p>“A lot of people have a lot of respect for me and appreciate the job I’m doing for them,” she said.</p> <p>However, once Hanson herself attempted the climb, she found it trickier than initially anticipated.</p> <p>She was forced to stop a short distance up, as her shoes weren’t gripping, and she was worried about slipping.</p> <p>“Seriously, I cannot walk down here. My boots are that bloody old. They’re so smooth I’m not getting any grip. I tell you what, I’m not getting any grip on my backside either.”</p> <p>Many were critical of Hanson’s decision to make the climb after meeting with elders as well as getting frustrated with<span> </span>A Current Affairfor airing the segment.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Doctor’s waiting room is the ONLY place I’d watch Pauline Hanson on ACA but my god I can’t tear my eyes away from this car crash.</p> — Anna Brain (@Brainybites) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brainybites/status/1165913511815331840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">26 August 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">I assume climbers that took selfies with Pauline Hanson on the Rock were paid actors ? I assume the poll <a href="https://twitter.com/ACurrentAffair9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ACurrentAffair9</a> which is showing strong support for climbing Uluru is fake ? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9aca?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9aca</a> Or maybe Hanson does have support ? maybe large numbers support her but dont do twitter</p> — Darren Beale (@DarrenBeale2) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarrenBeale2/status/1165918843576840192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">26 August 2019</a></blockquote>

Domestic Travel

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A Current Affair dodges questions about who paid for Pauline Hanson’s Uluru trip

<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Current Affair</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has dodged questions as to whether or not it paid for controversial One Nation leader Pauline Hanson to climb Uluru.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After a trailer was dropped for Monday night’s episode of the current affairs show, many had questions as to how the show was granted access to Hanson’s trip.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">It's still legal. But is it right?<br />MONDAY. 7.00PM. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9ACA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9ACA</a>. <a href="https://t.co/YywKw3Rk2r">pic.twitter.com/YywKw3Rk2r</a></p> — A Current Affair (@ACurrentAffair9) <a href="https://twitter.com/ACurrentAffair9/status/1164831623231111169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">23 August 2019</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nine would not confirm to </span><a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/entertainment/2019/08/25/nine-uluru-pauline-hanson/"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>The New Daily</em></span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> as to whether or not they had paid for the trip.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Pauline Hanson has recently expressed a desire to attempt to climb Uluru after the announcement that local landowners would be enforcing their desire to prohibit people climbing the magnificent natural landmark,” a <em>Nine</em> spokesman said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Ms Hanson invited </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Current Affair</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, along with local land owners, on that journey.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Current Affair</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> have defended their decision to film her journey, saying that it would help Australians gain an insight into the debate.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">ACA</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> team followed due diligence to ensure all permits were granted and the climb was approved, and engaged local elders who agreed to meet with Ms Hanson,” the spokesperson told </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The New Daily</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hanson also shared a post to Instagram, saying that she was heading back to Alice Springs with the “</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Current Affair </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">crew”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Heading back to Alice Springs with the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Current Affairs</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> crew,” she wrote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I managed to get front seat for a change. Don’t forget to watch the show Monday night.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B1kHhvIAzIP/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B1kHhvIAzIP/" target="_blank">Heading back to Alice Springs with the A Current Affairs crew. I managed to get front seat for a change. Don’t forget to watch the show Monday night. #aca #PaulineHanson #traceygrimshaw #OneNation #Uluru #ayersrock</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/senatorpaulinehanson/" target="_blank"> Pauline Hanson</a> (@senatorpaulinehanson) on Aug 24, 2019 at 3:58pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Last Thursday, Hanson told </span><em><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radio/alicesprings/programs/breakfast/pauline-for-online/11438506"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The ABC</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that she now understands why climbing Uluru would be banned.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s quite scary. I was surprised. I’d never been out there before,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I respect the decision that there is not enough safety with regards to the rock.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I respect the decision that their people, their kids, are not getting jobs. They’re bringing in Aboriginals from outside to fill the positions that should belong to their own people.”</span></p>

Domestic Travel

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"It's a stunt": Pauline Hanson criticised over plans to climb Uluru ahead of ban

<p>Pauline Hanson, One Nation leader, has headed to Uluru in her fight to keep the climbing track on the national icon open.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Hanson said that she has been given permission from the traditional owners of the land to climb Uluru.</p> <p>“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.</p> <p>“Both are senior traditional owners of Uluru.”</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FPaulineHansonAu%2Fphotos%2Fa.154502488087405%2F1060770234127288%2F%3Ftype%3D3&amp;width=500" width="500" height="541" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>She then further explained that she was invited to Uluru for discussions about the future of the rock.</p> <p>“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.</p> <p>“I arrived yesterday afternoon and held talks with the two sons of Paddy Uluru who was the traditional owner and other family members.</p> <p>“Today I will meet with around 15 of their Anangu Mayatja Council of Elders.”</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FPaulineHansonAu%2Fposts%2F1060575410813437&amp;width=500" width="500" height="776" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>Even with permission of the traditional owners of the land, she has been criticised by both Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.</p> <p>Labor’s Opposition Spokesperson for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney spoke to<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/a-stunt-senator-pauline-hanson-slammed-for-climbing-uluru-ahead-of-ban" target="_blank">SBS News</a><span> </span>about how it was a “stunt”.</p> <p>"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.</p> <p>“It’s a stunt.”</p> <p>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".</p> <p>Burney also dismissed the fact that Hanson had received “permission” from the traditional owners.</p> <p>"The climb is an open climb at the moment. The traditional owners cannot stop anyone climbing [for the time being]," she said.</p> <p>Hanson has been open about her stance on Uluru as she argued with Steve Price on<span> </span>The Today Show<span> </span>and has maintained that nothing needs to change.</p> <p>“We’ve been climbing the Ayers Rock, or Uluru, for many years,” Hanson said on the program.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">“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!” <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulineHansonOz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PaulineHansonOz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9Today?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9Today</a> <a href="https://t.co/aQ2nPTtdgL">pic.twitter.com/aQ2nPTtdgL</a></p> — The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTodayShow/status/1150509729103278080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">14 July 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“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.</p> <p>“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.</p> <p>“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.”</p>

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"We have been inundated with comments": Today show responds to Uluru backlash

<p>The <em>Today </em>show has responded to the backlash it received over an all-white panel discussion on the Uluru climbing ban which aired on Monday.</p> <p>The segment, which was hosted by Deborah Knight, featured One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and radio host Steve Price. In the discussion, Hanson slammed the planned closure of Uluru, likening it to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/how-ridiculous-pauline-hanson-and-today-show-panned-over-shameful-uluru-debate/" target="_blank">shutting down Sydney’s Bondi Beach</a>.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Pauline Hanson told <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTodayShow?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheTodayShow</a> that banning the Uluru climb would be like closing Bondi Beach. Some viewers questioned why Hanson was interviewed on the issue but traditional land owners were not.<a href="https://t.co/n3G8wnGAFD">https://t.co/n3G8wnGAFD</a></p> — Twitter Moments Australia (@MomentsAU) <a href="https://twitter.com/MomentsAU/status/1150633211669577729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>The panel discussion has been slammed on social media, with Australians criticising the program for not including Indigenous figures in the conversation.</p> <p>“Let’s talk Uluru climbing with … Pauline Hanson and Steve Price. Couldn’t they find anyone whiter?” one wrote.</p> <p>“Trust [the <em>Today </em>show] to have One Nation senator Pauline Hanson on this morning to give her utterly irrelevant take on Uluru, which only comes from a place of racism, fear and ignorance. Do your producers have anybody else’s number?” another commented.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Trust the <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTodayShow?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheTodayShow</a> to have One Nation senator Pauline Hanson on this morning to give her utterly irrelevant take on Uluru, which only comes from a place of racism, fear and ignorance. Do your producers have anybody else's number? Call out if you need help making non-trash TV <a href="https://t.co/hoiQVKdsLI">https://t.co/hoiQVKdsLI</a></p> — Jennine Khalik (@jennineak) <a href="https://twitter.com/jennineak/status/1150546196328402944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Pauline Hanson compares the Uluru climbing ban to closing Bondi Beach?<br />No, you dozy cow. Bondi Beach is not a sacred site. Let's use the Australia War Memorial for pool parties and climbing, huh? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#auspol</a> <a href="https://t.co/VXY0aGPUVT">pic.twitter.com/VXY0aGPUVT</a></p> — Catherine Perry. (@CatPurry9) <a href="https://twitter.com/CatPurry9/status/1150655541288398849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>On Tuesday morning, Knight noted the “heated debate” around the issue on the breakfast show. “We have been inundated with comments in response to Pauline Hanson on the show yesterday,” said Knight.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">“The information that she’s providing across the country is nothing short of scare-mongering.” <a href="https://twitter.com/Malarndirri19?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Malarndirri19</a> responds to Pauline Hanson's comments over shutting down climbing on Uluru. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9Today?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9Today</a> <a href="https://t.co/Dd4JOTSJEr">pic.twitter.com/Dd4JOTSJEr</a></p> — The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTodayShow/status/1150865753022689280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>The show invited Northern Territory senator Malarndirri McCarthy, a Yanyuwa woman from Borroloola, to give her input this morning.</p> <p>McCarthy said Hanson’s claim on the show that the climbing ban would affect tourism and local jobs is “incorrect”.</p> <p>She said, “What has occurred is that there is employment at the rock and there will continue to be employment. This has been a very methodical planned process for quite a number of years.</p> <p>“I think it is really unfortunate that a member of the Senate — a parliamentarian who has the opportunity to get as much information as she possibly can — has not done that. That’s why it is really critical that Senator Hanson thinks very seriously about taking up the offer. I am prepared to facilitate that.”</p> <p>McCarthy explained that the site is a sacred place to the local Indigenous group. “In terms of the song lines for the Anangu people, it is a sacred place, a spiritual place … I remember taking Oprah Winfrey there in 2010 as Tourism Minister, [and] she understood completely the importance of the spirituality of the place.”</p> <p>The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is set to shut down the climb permanently on October 26 this year on <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jul/11/tourists-are-rushing-to-climb-uluru-before-ban-takes-effect" target="_blank">the 34th anniversary</a> of the day Uluru was given back to the traditional owners.</p>

Domestic Travel

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“How ridiculous”: Pauline Hanson and Today show panned over "shameful" Uluru debate

<p>In three months, the hour-long hike up Uluru will be closed, but the decision has stirred up debate around the nation as the closure of the hike draws closer.</p> <p>One Nation’s Pauline Hanson and 2GB radio DJ and regular<span> </span><em>The Project </em>panellist Steve Price appeared on <em>Today</em> this morning to discuss why the rock should stay open to climbers.</p> <p>Despite traditional owners of the land being horrified as tourists flock to Uluru to climb it before the closure, Price and Hanson shared their thoughts during the all-white panel debate.</p> <p>“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,” Hanson said.</p> <p>“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.</p> <p>“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,” Hanson finished.</p> <p>Price agreed.</p> <p>“What we should be doing is assisting the local indigenous population to make this a growing tourism concern. We’ve seen, apparently, a huge spike in people that want to climb it since the announcement it’s going to close in October. So that shows there’s a hunger for tourists to do it,” he said.</p> <p>“If it’s well managed Deb [Knight], I don’t have an issue with it. We need to sit down with them and explain this could be a positive for them.”</p> <p>However, disgruntled fans were quick to criticise the segment on social media, pointing out that Price and Hanson, both Caucasian Australians, were debating the sensitivge topic with <em>Today</em>’s Knight, who is also a Caucasian Australian.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/StevePriceMedia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StevePriceMedia</a> weighs in on the "silent scandal" affecting 1 in 3 elderly Australians. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9Today?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9Today</a> <a href="https://t.co/H40Uuy2o3v">pic.twitter.com/H40Uuy2o3v</a></p> — The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTodayShow/status/1150511835591790593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“I can only conclude that the reason the Today Show continues to provide Pauline Hanson with a platform is because they endorse her putrid, racist bile and want to ensure it gets wide coverage,” one user wrote.</p> <p>“Let's talk Uluru climbing with… Pauline Hanson and Steve Price. Couldn't they find anyone whiter?,” another comment read.</p> <p>The decision to have three white Australians discussing the issue without seeking the opinions of members of the Indigenous community was deemed insensitive.</p> <p>"Omitting that factual dimension of the story is not reporting, its participation in a pantomime," one person wrote.</p> <p>More than five hours after the initial debate,<span> </span><em>Today</em><span> </span>included a second segment where Indigenous entertainment reporter Brooke Boney weighed in on the discussion.</p> <p>“This is about indigenous people having some sort of say over what happens on their land and their sacred sites,” she said.</p> <p>“The thing about the rock is that it is so sacred to them that every time someone gets injured, hurt or has to be airlifted out it hurts them, and they say their ancestors mourn the loss of those people," Boney commented. </p> <p>“They're not doing it to be nasty or protective, they're doing it to protect others because it is really dangerous.”</p> <p>Yawuru woman Shannan Dodson, who works as an Indigenous Affairs Adviser for Media Diversity Australia, told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/australian-holidays/northern-territory/one-nations-pauline-hanson-compares-closing-uluru-to-shutting-bondi-beach/news-story/10d69391726ea30a0fe5607b0d3b0e93" target="_blank">news.com.au</a> that Uluru should have the same significance as any other of the world’s sacred sites.</p> <p>“The issue around climbing Uluru is that it is a sacred place and at the end of the day, when you see how much the world rallied around the destruction of Notre Dame and how significant that is, people understand there are sacred places based around culture and religion,” she said.</p> <p>“The fact you can’t then translate that to Uluru having the same significance is undermining.</p> <p>“For me, it feels like Western cultures and values are always elevated above other cultures and values. It’s saying Aboriginal cultures and values are less important. It’s just a thinking that we’re less than them and that our culture and values don’t matter.”</p>

Travel Trouble

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Shocking photo reveals BIG problem with Uluru: “It makes me sick"

<p>A shocking new photo has emerged of the hordes of tourists who are trying to climb Uluru before it officially closes.</p> <p>A photo was taken at the base of Uluru which shows the amount of people trying to climb it. The picture shows a queue of people snaking up the landmark, as hundreds are arriving daily to climb it before the deadline of October 26.</p> <p>The traditional landowners, known as the Anangu people, and Alice Springs locals say that the impact of the tourists has been “the busiest they’ve seen it”.</p> <p>“There’s cars parked for one kilometre on either side of the road leading up to the carpark at the base,” an unnamed photographer who supplied the photo to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-10/uluru-climb-closure-breaking-point-overflow-tourists-waste/11296256" target="_blank">ABC Alice Springs </a>said.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FABCAliceSprings%2Fphotos%2Fa.10150105317457671%2F10156406196652671%2F%3Ftype%3D3&amp;width=500" width="500" height="682" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>About 140 people were climbing the rock each day when the ban was announced in 2017, but those numbers have skyrocketed to between 300 to 500 people per day as the ban approaches.</p> <p>Stephen Schwer, chief executive of Tourism Central Australia, has told the ABC that tourists are trespassing, camping illegally and dumping rubbish on private lands.</p> <p>“(Tourists) think they’re doing a good thing by free camping along the way; what they are actually doing is trespassing on pastoralist and joint-managed and protected land, and a lot of people don’t seem to be getting that message,” Mr Schwer said.</p> <p>“When there is the kind of influx of drive travel as we are seeing at the moment, there is an influx of waste.”</p> <p>Lindy Severin, the owner of Curtin Springs station, which is about 100 kilometres away from Uluru, has said thousands of tourists travelling in caravans have been dumping their toilet tanks onto the roads.</p> <p>“There are limited areas to dispose of black waste in Central Australia — it’s either Alice [Springs] or Ayers Rock near here — and we’ve got visitors who don’t want to stand in queues to dump waste,” Ms Severin told the ABC.</p> <p>“There’s just rubbish everywhere, [including] used toilet paper.”</p> <p>Traditional landowners are devastated at the amount of people rushing to climb Uluru before the cut-off date, despite the common knowledge that climbing Uluru is deeply offensive.</p> <p>“It makes me sick looking at this photo at the disrespect and disregard shown for the traditional owners’ wishes,” said a spokesperson from the Darug Custodian Aboriginal Corporation to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/anger-as-tourists-swarm-uluru-as-climb-closure-date-approaches/news-story/719341af223311e97e9f84f66c52e824" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>.</p> <p>“Not only do people climb it but they defecate, urinate and discard nappies and rubbish on it.</p> <p>“I for one cannot wait for the climb to be permanently closed and our sacred lore, culture and traditions to be acknowledged and respected.”</p>

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