Those Angels including native Papuan Infantry Battalion soldiers were Australian citizens during the WW2 and could have been compensated earlier like Australian War Veterans.It’s trully a shame to ascertain that no proper nominal records were kept.

In 2000 I planned to capture the Olympic Torch to attract the media and world’s attention about Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels Issues but abandoned the plan when the Olympic Torch was airlifted from Kokoda to Owers Corner.

It’s time to move on see tangible developments along the Kokoda Trail.

Once again, I wholeheartedly acknowledge and thank all Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels’ Symphatisers.

Let us all keep the Kokoda legends alive in the years to come.

George Batia

Maybe its time that we take this into our own hands and organise the “People’s Medal” for the carriers. Give back something that they gave to us

Comment: Dear Mr Rudd
Last year on my return from New Guinea where like yourself I trekked across the Owen Stanley range I wrote to you and raised two matters of concern to me one matter related to Australia’s ongoing contribution to training and education in PNG and the other matter was related to the awarding of a suitable medal to PNG nationals who bravely assissted Australia during WWII.
I have had an answer, quite promptly, to the issues I raised regarding training for which I am grateful, however the matter of recognition of service by PNG nationals known as “fuzzy wuzzy angels” has not received a response.
I would be most grateful if that correspondence could be dealt with and a positive response provided in relation to my comments in support of a special medal for these people who served in our war effort against the Japanse particularly in 1942 and 1943. Of course this issue should be settled before the last of the “fuzzy wuzzy’s” who were conscripted by the Australian Government of the day dies of old age.
ANZAC day would be a great time to acknowledge their service and announce that medals will be forthcoming to surviving personnel and to the families of decesased personnel.

This is the original letter sent in September 2008 which received a response regarding my comments on training

Comment: Dear Mr Rudd
Like you I have completed a crossing of the Owen Stanley range in PNG, whilst I found the crossing physically very demanding, it was also, as I am sure you would acknowledge, an emotional journey for all of us who walk the track in the foot steps of ordinary Australians who did extaordinary things there 66 years ago. These men have been honoured by Australia and continue to be be honoured by individual Australians who travel to PNG to visit the sites of their sacrifice and bravery such as Isuarva. My visit was in early August and since then I have thought carefully about my experience and the emotions I had in PNG and since coming back to Australia.
I am concerned that successive Australian governments have not formally recognised the efforts and valour of the thousands of PNG workers “the fuzzy wuzzy angels”. As a country we have not done enough for these people when they were still with us in significant numbers and if we do not act quickly there will be none left alive. I am aware that the memorial at Isuarva and at Owers Corner appropriately acknowledges these people as well as the Australian servicemen, however this is in my opinion is not enough.
Mr Rudd I am sure you are aware that many Australians share my view and would welcome the presentation of some form of official service medallion to the few survivors and the distribution to the descendants of those who have died the same medallion. I am aware that successive Australian Governments have put forward the view that as these men were not members of the Australian services that therefore they cannot be awarded Australian service medallions. I personally think this is bureaucratic nonsense however if it is the problem let us solve it by another mechanism. Surely this should not be beyond our capacity to strike a one off medallion and award it for service provided. If there are concerns about other support being sought e.g. pensions then they could be dealt with in another way and I would suggest through the support of young PNG residents through carefully monitored education and training scholarships.
These people deserve more than we have done to date and like me you probably saw very aged PNG residents wearing service medallions presented to them by individual Australians. Whilst this is good we can do better and in addition individual Aussies should be keeping their medallions.

I made mention above of a possible scholarship scheme, this would need to be run by an NGO and audited in Australia. I don’t believe that we can just give money directly to PNG. I recognise this is paternalistic however it is clear that the large amount of money we send to PNG each year – I believe in excess of $350 million- is not trickling down to the ordinary people. A trip around Port Morseby reveals an economy and infrastructure that is about to collapse. This is of course a different and perhaps harder issue for us as Australians dealing with a sovereign state than is the issuing of medallions to people who helped us many years ago. While it is hard, it is also important to both us and to the people of PNG that we help get the situation improved for everyone concerned. If we do nothing we could be facing a failed state on our door step.

I am the managing director of a training company based in NSW and regularly visit Canberra where we also deliver training. I would welcome the opportunity to meet with relevant staff from your department or other departments to discuss these matters or indeed how my training organisation could get involved in assisting young people in PNG. I am not interested in doing this as a commercial activity but rather to assist these young people or to help set up a fund to provide on-going training through PNG based organisations.