Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has poured cold water on a plan to stop people climbing one of the country's most treasured landmarks, Uluru.
A draft management plan for the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park has called for a ban on people climbing the 348-metre high rock, which is sacred to local Aborigine people and visited by 350,000 people every year.
Mr Rudd, who is in Italy for the Major Economies Forum, said while it was important to properly manage the country's natural landscape it would be a shame if climbing Uluru was banned.
"Obviously it's a question of public safety and managing important parts of our natural landscape," he told Fairfax Radio Network.
"(But) I think it would be very sad if we got to a stage though where Australians and frankly our guests from abroad weren't able to enjoy that experience ... to climb it."
The prime minister said Uluru was a wonderful part of the country that he looked forward to visiting in the future.
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