Hey climbers, get your hands (and feet) off Uluru

A BAN against climbing Uluru comes into force in October and it won't be a day too soon.

Uluru in the Northern Territory. A sight worth seeing in person. Picture: Andrea Davy

Sadly, according to one tourist guide, most of the influx of climbers looking to get in before then are Australian.

• A BAN against climbing Uluru comes into force in October and it won't be a day too soon.

What a disgrace foreigners are apparently showing a deeper understanding and respect of Aboriginal culture and spirituality than locals.

Anyone who goes to Uluru to climb it is not welcome as far as I am concerned so they won't be missed come October.

While I firmly believe Uluru has a place in Australians' hearts, we do not all share ownership of it.

It is not our possession.

I hope that one day in the near future the idea of climbing Uluru will be as palatable as smoking opium and drink-driving.

• I'LL let you in on a secret.

I didn't do a single day's homework during my last two years of school.

Even so, my results were better than expected and my senior education is the foundation of the career I've built.

Not every student would have been able to do that and succeed, but I steadfastly believe they should.

In March, I wrote that Australia should make its school system more like Finland's and immediately ditch homework.

Now research from the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition shows homework is bad for kids' health.

As time goes on, the arguments against homework pile up and up. Surely it's only a matter of time before all students can have the freedom I tasted during Years 11 and 12 throughout their schooling.

• BEING competitive, I like to win, but being Australian I also always go for the underdog.

Well almost always.

It was a cruel match-up when S--- Towns of Australia ran a Facebook poll on whether Gladstone or Bundaberg was worse.

Poor Gladdy didn't stand a chance from the start.

Originally published as Hey climbers, get your hands (and feet) off Uluru