Forty years on, PM hails Uluru handback to traditional owners
Anthony Albanese praised the generosity of Uluru’s traditional owners during the Indigenous Voice to Parliament campaign as something that “stays in my heart as much as this rock is the heart of this continent”.
In the shadow of the Northern Territory’s iconic landmark, the Prime Minister reflected on the failed referendum vote on Saturday as he marked the 40th anniversary of the return of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park to its traditional owners.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese takes a selfie with Mutitjulu school student Annalisha Buzzacott at a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the surrender of Uluru to its traditional owners, the Anangu.Credit: AAP
Albanese said he accepted the result of the October 2023 referendum, in which a majority voted against a proposed constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, even though it was not what he wanted or voted for. But he said he still cherishes the memories of his time in the red center during the Yes vote campaign.
“I will forever be grateful for the generosity of the traditional owners, especially the women who danced and sang to pay homage to the leaders, the Australian prime minister,” he told reporters at Uluru on Saturday. “What remains in my heart as much as this rock is the heart of this continent is something I will never forget.
“Change is hard, but progress happens. It doesn’t happen in a straight line,” he said. “Hard things are worth doing, but we accept the consequences.”
Speaking outside the sacred First Nations site, Albanese said the return of the Anangu in 1985 was a turning point for Aboriginal land rights and a powerful moment in the country’s history.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to the media at a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the return of Uluru.Credit: AAP
Located more than 300 kilometers south-west of Alice Springs, the national park includes landmarks formerly known as Ayers Rock and Olgas. It has become one of Australia’s most popular tourist destinations and is visited by millions of people every year.
“After decades of exclusion, the Anangu’s rightful relationship with this place has finally been recognised, and the Anangu have responded by choosing to share it with all of us. Tourists flock there, rangers care for it. All Australians are welcome here,” he said.
