‘There is overwhelming evidence that the term ‘Kokoda’ has been effectively hijacked to provide relevance to the engagement of aid-funded environmentalists, anthropologists, archaeologists, and social engineers in areas related to social mapping, village livelihoods, gender equity, DEI, ecosystems services options, capacity building, and mentoring far beyond the gazetted boundaries of the Kokoda Trail.

‘But almost nothing has been invested in our shared military heritage across the Trail or the economic empowerment of traditional landowner communities.’

More than 65,000 Australians, motivated by the military heritage of the Kokoda campaign and the physical challenge it presents, have have embarked on a pilgrimage across the Kokoda Trail over the past two decades:

The Trail is now PNGs most popular pilgrimage tourism destination which has generated more than $300 million for the PNG economy.

But since the Australian Department of Environment, Water, Heritage, and the Arts (DEWHA) took control of the Kookoda Trail under a ‘Joint’ Agreement in 2009, trekker numbers have fallen by a whopping 42% due to their priority of social-environment issues at the expense of pilgrimage tourism.

Since then ‘Heritage’ was dropped from their title when it was rebadged as the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (DSEWPC). More recently it has been rebadged as the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).

Each rebadging has seen the DFAT ‘Kokoda Initiative’ move further towards environment and social issues at the expense of our military heritage.

The 42% fall in trekker numbers has resulted in a cumulative LOSS of some $20 million in foregone wages, campsite fees and local purchases for village communities across the Trail.

The primary influencer for the subtle change in priority from pilgrimage tourism to socio-environmental issues appears to be Mr. Mark Nizette MBE, Strategic Management Advisor to the DFAT ‘Kokoda Initiative’ and Secretary to the Ministerial ‘Kokoda Initiative Committee’ (KIC) within the PNG Conservation Environment Protection Authority (CEPA).

Nizette was well suited to his role as an environment bureaucrat. He was born in Lae and is fluent in Tok Pisin. He had previously studied pre-history and anthropology at the Australian National University – his Linkedin profile indicates he is a candidate for a Doctorate in this area. His local knowledge and language skills seem to have placed him in a position of considerable influence in regard to obtaining a frequent-flyer ticket for his Minister. John Pundar MP, on the international Climate Change gravy train. This could be verified by a review of the Minister’s travel itineraries since 2012.

As a result, the title of Pundari’s Ministry was extended to include ‘Climate Change’ – the following link indicates that Pundari’s private business iterests would have taken priority over his Ministerial responsibilities for the Kokoda Trail:

It is not known what strategic management advice Nizette provided regarding the business management of Kokoda tourism during his era of influence from 2011 – 2024 however under his watch during this period:

  • There has been no investment in the protection, development and interpretation of any historic battle sites across the Trail to enhance the value of the pilgrimage for trekkers, or to increase income earning opportunities for traditional landowners;
  • No environmental interpretation signs, common in Australia’s National Parks, have been placed anywhere along the 138 km Trail to enhance the educational aspect of the trek;
  • No management systems are in place which results in chaos across the Trail during peak trekking periods;
  • It is not possible to book a campsite anywhere across the Trail;
  • No support has been provided to campsite owners to assist them to meet the needs of trekkers;
  • There is not a single toilet across the entire Trail that meets the most basic hygienic needs of trekkers;
  • There is no trek itinerary management system in place which denies villagers the opportunity to generate additional income by meeting the needs of trekkers as they have no idea who, when, or how many trekkers will be arriving;
  • No ‘Trail Maintenance Plan’ has been implemented to provide employment for villagers;
  • No micro-business initiatives to assist villagers to earn additional income by meeting the needs of trekkers have been introduced;
  • Not a single one of the five key strategies or 33 objectives of their KTA Strategic Plan: 2012-2015 was achieved – it has since been quietly shelved; and
  • The Kokoda Track Authority has not published an Annual Financial Report during the entire period of his engagement from 2011 – 2024.

The following paper maps Nizette’s strategy to develop an aid-funded web of influence to support his ideological political agenda in PNG and his clandestine strategy to have the Kokoda Trail managed as an environment park for the benefit of government bureaucrats rather than as a pilgrimage tourism enterprise for the economic benefit of traditional landowner communities.