The Northern Territory's Tourism Minister Lauren Moss says she hopes One Nation leader Pauline Hanson now understands why climbing Uluru will be banned after she visited the rock and met traditional owners.
Senator Hanson visited Uluru last week for Nine's A Current Affair, saying she would climb it, despite the Anangu people having pleaded with tourists for years not to.
She met with the Anangu Mayatja Council of Elders after calling for an overturning of the pending ban from 26 October - comparing it to not allowing swimming at Bondi Beach.
One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson. Source: AAP
Senator Hanson became nervous during the steep and potentially dangerous first section of climbing the rock and gave up.
At least 35 people have died on the 348 metre-high rock and more are rescued by park rangers each year, suffering injuries such as broken bones, heat exhaustion and dehydration.
Senator Hanson said the climb should be made safer - not banned - but told the Today Show she can presently "see the sense in banning the climbing of the rock due to safety reasons".
The ban would lead to a loss of employment for the local indigenous people living at Mutitjulu, she said.
That claim was rejected by Ms Moss who said the majority of visitors don't climb.
A sunset view of Uluru. Source: Getty Images AsiaPac
Parks Australia said about 250,000 people visit each year and estimated the number of climbers had dropped to below 20 per cent, although there was a sharp jump in visitors ascending the rock this year.
"The Anangu have made a decision about the closure for cultural reasons and I think that should be supported," Ms Moss told reporters.
"The numbers climbing Uluru over the years have been declining, the number of other experiences you can have around the rock have been increasing and I think we will continue to see hundreds of thousands of visitors every year going to have what is a cultural experience in the Northern Territory.
Northern Territory Minister Lauren Moss. Source: AAP
"If Pauline Hanson can get involved in controversy, she will, I hope she has a better understanding of why these decisions have been made."
The majority of tourists take walks along sections of Uluru, with the whole base walk about 10 km of track.
