Scott Morrison has defended his absence at Uluru as traditional owners celebrated the end of climbing being allowed on the rock.
The Prime Minister instead travelled to Western Australia over the weekend for a charity event and to watch the Australian netball team.
“I can’t be in two places at once,” he told reporters in Sydney on Monday.
Mr Morrison acknowledged the end of the Uluru climb was a significant and timely change.
“The tourism industry will of course adjust and move on, and I think will go from strength to strength.”
Environment Minister Sussan Ley attended Uluru as the sole representative of the federal government.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese did not attend.
Mr Morrison was condemned by Labor senator Pat Dodson for not attending Uluru, saying he had missed an opportunity to highlight the importance of the climbing ban for indigenous Australians.
“He’s ducked us, the Prime Minister, and that’s a real insult to people who hold and carry customary law,” Senator Dodson told the ABC.
Senator Dodson was one of four Labor representatives who attended, including two other indigenous members, Linda Burney and Malarndirri McCarthy.
Meanwhile, Indigenous Affairs Minister Ken Wyatt is hoping to achieve political consensus on constitutional recognition and a voice to parliament.
Mr Wyatt has asked Labor, One Nation, the Greens and independent politicians to join a new parliamentary working group on indigenous issues.
But the group isn’t a formal committee and won’t have any decision-making powers.
It won’t report to the House of Representatives or the Senate.
“Achieving constitutional recognition of indigenous Australians, refreshing Closing the Gap, fostering an environment for truth-telling and ensuring that indigenous voices are heard by governments are all priorities of ours,” the minister wrote in his letter to the parties.
“I look forward to working with you and all those across the parliament, to achieve long lasting positive outcomes for all indigenous Australians and our nation.”
Members of the group will be decided by Friday, ahead of its first meeting slated for parliament’s final sitting fortnight of the year.
Mr Wyatt will lead the group and will be joined by seven government members, five Labor and two independents along with one representative each from the Greens, One Nation and Centre Alliance.
The minister will also outline plans for how an indigenous voice to parliament would work in coming days.
-AAP
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