ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact

Today as he climbed Uluru for what he expects to be his last time, a Betoota Heights man paused to share his opinion on the growing refugee crisis in Australia.

Panting and puffing about a third of the way up one of the country’s most sacred natural wonders, Brendan Sommers said if we let them all [refugees] into the country, they will not respect our culture or our laws.

The 69-year-old 1449AM KBBL Talkback listener felt compelled to phone The Advocate after seeing the large numbers of foreign toursits climbing Uluru with him.

“It’s enough to make your skin curl,” he said.

“I’m about half way up Uluru right now, looking out onto the vastness of our land and I can’t help but think how refugees would ruin it. They’ll come here, sit on the dole and fail to assimilate,”

“I can handle most things but I simply cannot handle people disrespecting our way of life.”

When asked by our reporter if he thought saying these things while he’s climbing Uluru might seem a bit hypocritical, Brendan said he’s not in the business of apologising for things he didn’t do.

He then criticised the newspaper and hung up.

More probably not coming.



