On 27 February 2019, the PNG National Newspaper reported ‘Legislation for new entity to manage Kokoda underway’.
It was an innocuous article that didn’t raise any eyebrows due to the ongoing dysfunction and corruption within the Kokoda Track (Special Purpose) Authority (KTA) over the years.
The article advised that a ‘Review of the KTA’ had been completed and draft legislation was underway.
No information has been disseminated regarding the ‘independent review’ conducted by DPLLGA. It was noted however that a Deputy Secretary of DPLLGA, Mr. Julius Wargiral, had been appointed ‘Acting CEO’ of the KTA in late 2018. Wargiral, who had no qualifications or experience in business, trekking or pilgrimage tourism, appeared to be working directly for Mark Nizette who had moved back into the KTA office after a four-year stand-off with the former CEO of the KTA, James Enage.
Nizette was a former Assistant Secretary for International Heritage at the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (DSEWPC), before his assignment as ‘Management Advisor’ to CEPA.
At the time DFAT operated a ‘Kokoda Development Program’ from the offices of the Australian High Commission while DSEWPC funded the ‘Kokoda Initiative’ within CEPA. It’s a matter of record that the two Australian funded programs were not in sync which created confusion and duplication amongst those they were supposed to serve.
Soon after Nizette was embedded within CEPA The Hon John Pundari MP, Minister for Environment and Conservation, assumed control of all things to do with Kokoda by establishing a ‘Kokoda Initiative Ministerial Committee’. His Secretariat was based in CEPA and Nizette’s title was upgraded to ‘Strategic Management Advisor’.
This effectively meant that responsibility for the Kokoda tourism industry was unofficially transferred from the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) to CEPA. Legislative responsibility remained with the Minister for Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs.
The Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture was excluded from the process even though he is responsible for any policy associated with the Kokoda Trail, which has emerged as PNGs most popular tourism destination.
The Australian Minister for Veterans Affairs was also excluded – this resulted in a situation where the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) was responsible for Australia’s World War 1 heritage at Gallipoli and the Western Front while DSEWPC was responsible for their World War 11 heritage at Kokoda and beyond in PNG.
Nizette was well suited to his role as an environmental 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 which coincided with Minister Pundari’s attendance at international Climate Change conferences. This could be verified by a review of the DFAT funded Minister’s travel itineraries since 2012.
As a result, the title of Pundari’s Ministry was extended to include ‘Climate Change’ which legislated the Climate Change Authority Act 2015.
A review of email traffic from early 2013 shows that Nizette was aware of the dysfunctional management of the of the Kokoda Trail under the system imposed on it by DEWHA/DPEWPC officials and was operating in a parallel universe without any understanding of the commercial or cultural reality of Kokoda tourism.
He was also the recipient of submissions which suggested how the value of the pilgrimage could be enhanced for trekkers, how villagers could earn additional income from it, and how the environment could be better protected. He did not respond to any of them.
A KTA Review was ordered by former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill because of the reported dysfunction of the management system imposed on the KTA by DEWHA officials in 2009. Unfortunately the task was compromised when it was assigned to the Kokoda Initiative as they were related to the dysfunction.
Halstead had been previously engaged as Operations Manager of the KTA from May 2010 to July 2011. He was therefore engaged to review the dysfunction of the system he played a key role in developing and managing.
It was no surprise that the review recommended a continuation of the status quo with the Trail continuing to be managed as an environmental resource by a bureaucracy rather than as a tourism business on a commercial basis by a company owned by landowner groups across the Trail.
The review also failed to address the issue of pilgrimage tourism or commemoration which are the prime reasons trekkers choose to trek across it.
Nizette told a National Newspaper reporter that the KTA Review had concluded and submitted to the Kokoda Initiative Committee (KIC) who then ‘asked for draft legislation to be done’.
The Kokoda Initiative Committee[i], which is embedded in CEPA comprised members from a cross-section of Government departments. None had any qualifications or experience in commerce, pilgrimage tourism, trekking or commemoration.
None had ever trekked across the Trail with a professional tour company to understand the reaction of the paying customers to the pilgrimage, the putrid toilets, the lack of interpretive memorials at significant campaign sites, the lack of environmental signage, or the expert guidance of their PNG support crews.
And none has ever participated in a village-based workshop to identify the needs of local subsistence communities.
The Secretary of the KIC, Mr. Mark Nizette, had previously trekked with an eco-tour operator in 2004 and has been associated with aid-funded projects across the Trail since 2012 as a Strategic Advisor for the Kokoda Initiative.. It is therefore probable that his views would have prevailed in any discussions-decisions regarding the management of the Kokoda Trail.
A dispute with the CEO of the KTA, Mr. James Enage, in 2014 resulted in Nizette being declared persona non-grata and banned from the KTA office for the next four years.
When the Minutes of a KIC meeting were distributed, almost six-months after the meeting, James Engage accused CEPA of misrepresenting the Minutes of the meeting. In an email to Gunther Joku, CEO of CEPA on 13 December 2016, he wrote:
‘The above is a clear example of what has transpired over the years in terms of KI Reports which has come out and has reflected major negative perception issues on KTA as an organisation by someone in CEPA who cleverly manipulates words to try to influence the Consultation Report outcomes, portraying negative views about KTA within the Kokoda Initiative Program.
‘I say CEPA simply because KI Consultation Reports and Meetings Minutes are generated out of CEPA. KTA has suffered a perception issues in the pass and at present times because this continued attitude is not corrected within CEPA. Classical examples are the outcomes of Kokoda Initiative Mid Term Review Report of 2014 and Kokoda Initiative Draft Master Plan which definitely did not correctly reflect what was communicated by KTA Management to consultants who were involved in writing up of these documents. To this date, KTA Management do not accept what is written in KI draft Master Plan, because what is written there do not reflect the true essence of KTA status and aspirations communicated to the KI engaged consultants involved in developing the KI Master Plan.‘Gunther, the above attitude in distorting words and not reflecting the true words used in consultation and KI Stakeholders meeting especially on matters relating to KTA and Track Management and Livelihoods of the Kokoda Track people is definitely hurting our relationship because the correct words and untrue statements just continues to misrepresents the truth and disappoints me.
‘Please whoever in CEPA, that is distorting words from meeting Minutes and Consultation reports better stop this attitude to give true records of meetings minutes and consultation reports. Otherwise, Gunther, please just remove whoever that is doing this and relocate them to other sections of CEPA to protect our working relationship. ‘For future KI meetings,
I recommend that 2- or 3-minute takers be appointed for KI Meeting Minutes taking purpose to eventually compare notes and arrive with the final outcome of correct meeting minutes records. Also use Dictaphones to assist with keeping verbal records of the meeting minutes in future to refer to them when writing meeting minutes.’
Mark Nizette was the secretary of the meetings referred to by James Enage.
After another two years of the impasse between the James Engage and Mark Nizette, a carefully orchestrated plan to replace Engage as CEO of the KTA was initiated.
On 4 April 2018 Nizette assisted in arranging a KTA Board Meeting to accept Enage’s ‘resignation’. He ensured they had the numbers to carry the motion. The CEO of PNG Tourism, Mr Jerry Agus, was appointed to chair the meeting in the absence of Mr Rueben Maleva.
Engage was made aware of the move and arranged for a couple of his key supporters on the Board to boycott the meeting which proceeded and accepted his resignation.
The following day Mr Rueben Maleva called another Board meeting in his capacity as Chairman of the KTA. This time Enage’s wan-toks had the numbers and refused to accept his resignation. He therefore remained as CEO and the dysfunction continued.
On 20 April we were advised by the Australian High Commission that they
‘attended a meeting of the Kokoda Initiative Committee which was chaired by Environment Minister Pundari in his capacity as lead minister for the KI.’
The Australian High Commission went on to remind trek operators that:
‘the KTA Board had met on 4 April and accepted James Enage’s resignation as CEO. One of the purposes of the KIC meeting was for the PNG Government to affirm publicly, and in view of all the assembled stakeholders, that James Enage had in fact resigned from the position of CEO, and to thank him for his service and discuss an appropriate severance package for him. The latter issue was delegated to the KTA Board to consider, under the interim chairmanship of Tourism Promotion Authority CEO Jerry Agus. Agus was appointed interim KTA chair at the 4 April board meeting, and his appointment was also affirmed at the KIC meeting before the assembled delegates.
‘Minister Pundari urged the KTA Board to move quickly to appoint a temporary CEO to replace Enage and suggested that a senior PNG official might be a suitable candidate. A permanent replacement would be recruited following the review into the KTA. The review, which is being led by the PNG Government, is proceeding according to schedule. A contractor has been appointed and is expected to deliver a draft report by the end of May. Consultations will take place with relevant stakeholders including from the trekking industry – over the next month.’
The Australian High Commission was embarrassed by an article in The National newspaper on 4 May 2018 which reported that ‘Kokoda Track chief executive James Enage says the board has decided not to accept his resignation until a review of the authority is completed’.
It seemed that the Australian High Commission and the DFAT-Kokoda Initiative were acting as ‘agents of influence’ in the operation of a PNG Government organisation, the KTA.
The impasse continued until Minister Pundari and Port Moresby Governor, Powes Parkop, arranged to offer Engage a lateral ‘promotion’ to an executive position in the National Capital District Commission which he accepted.
We were then advised that Mr Julius Wargiral, Deputy Secretary of DPLLGA, had been appointed to replace Engage in an acting capacity. Mr. Wargiral is a career bureaucrat who, like Engage, had no previous experience or qualifications in business, pilgrimage tourism, trekking, or commemoration.
Soon after, Mark Nizette was embedded back into the KTA office as a ‘Strategic Advisor’ for Abt Associates who are contracted by DFAT to deliver aid-projects across the Kokoda Trail.
The role of the KTA is to manage all aspects related to pilgrimage tourism for the social and economic benefit of subsistence village communities.
Nizette’s placement into the KTA office extended his influence from CEPA into another PNG Government department. The recruitment of a Deputy Secretary from DPLLGA effectively established an informal but influential Kokoda Initiative-CEPA-KTA alliance.
Mr. Wargiral is now into his fourth year as CEO of the KTA in an ‘acting’ capacity without a single change being implemented to improve the dysfunctional management system.
During this time Mark Nizette was advised of two qualified individuals who were available to apply for the position of CEO:
- Mr Glenn Armstrong, former General Manager of the PNG National Newspaper, Post-Courier; former General Manager of PNG National television station, EMTV; and former marketing manager of their national airline, Air Niugini.
- Mr Andy Abel ML, President and Founder of the PNG Surfing Association; former trustee of the National Museum and Art Gallery; Director of the National Aircraft Corporation and Deputy Chairman of the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority.
For reasons known only to Mark Nizette neither one was contacted for a formal interview despite Minister Pundari’s statement that a ‘permanent replacement would be recruited following the review into the KTA’!
Mr Julius Wargiral has continued in the position of Acting CEO for the past four years.
The two-year pause caused by the Covid pandemic provided a timely opportunity for Mr. Wargiral to address the backlog of management issues he had been made aware of.
During this time he has failed issue the Minutes of KTA Forums held in 2017 and 2019; has failed to meet his statutory obligations to publish any financial statements or Annual Reports; has failed to update the KTA website which has obsolete information; has failed to take any action to remove illegal Australian tour operators who do not comply with the PNG Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) Act; has failed to develop a management database or a campsite booking system; and has not taken any action to ensure campsites would be able to meet post-Covid requirements regarding social distancing and personal hygiene.
A clue to his priorities was reported in The National newspaper article on 27 February 2019 when Nizette advised that ‘draft legislation for a new entity has already commenced’.
Three months later National Executive Council (NEC) advised Mr. Gunther Joku, CEO of CEPA of NEC Decision No. 123/2019 of 27 May 2019 which included the following decisions:
- noted that the Report has been endorsed by the Kokoda Initiative Committee representing the partnership between PNG and Australia to protect and promote the Kokoda Track Region;
- approved that under the proposed legislation, Kokoda Track Management Authority will manage the Kokoda Track protected area as a Special Tourism Region;
- directed that KTA, in conjunction with DPLGA, CEPA, NMAG, TPA, Central Provincial Administration and Oro Provincial Administration develop a Kokoda Track Tourism Master Plan to develop and manage the Kokoda Track protected area as a Special Tourism Region;
- noted the expiry of the Kokoda Track Authority Board in 2016 and directed that the Minister for Inter-Government Relations approve an Interim Board pending the establishment of the proposed legislation, consisting of the same positions as detailed in the 2008 Proclamation, but calling for new nominations for the positions of the Koiari and Kokoda Landowner representatives;
- noted that the acting Chief Executive Officer of KTA will report to the Minister for Inter-Government Relations, pending the establishment of the proposed legislation, and the abolishment of the existing Proclamations;
- endorsed the appointment of Mr. Julius Wargirai, as acting Chief Executive Officer of the Kokoda Track Authority to oversee the transition to the new Kokoda Track Management Authority, and the development of the Kokoda Track Tourism Master Plan;
- approved a funding of K3 million annually for the Kokoda Track Authority for an initial three years until the Kokoda Track Management Authority is established and a new Kokoda Track Tourism Master Plan is developed for the Special Tourism Region to guide further Government investments; and
- directed that KTA, in conjunction with DPLGA, CEPA, NMAG and TPA, liaise with the Australian Government entities as appropriate, including the Queensland Government, to implement agreements to support the work of the KTA including tourism development and protected area management.
The NEC Decision was ill-informed as there is no record of prior consultation with the two key stakeholders in the Kokoda tourism industry i.e., the tour operators who generate the income or the villagers across the Trail who own the land, in the CEPA advice to NEC.
The reference to a ‘Kokoda Track Protected Area’ and a ‘Special Tourism Region’ is irrelevant as neither region has been proclaimed by the PNG Government. The proposed ‘Kokoda Track Protected Area’ extends far beyond the boundaries of the Kokoda Trail which lies between Owers Corner and Kokoda, and there is no known demand for tourism beyond these boundaries.
Trekking resumed in April 2022 and it was soon apparent that, apart from some basic bridgework on some sections of the Trail, no action had been taken to prepare campsites or install hygienic toilets for trekkers. It is still not possible to even book a campsite, no action had been implemented to curb the actions of illegal tour companies or to protect village guides and carriers from exploitation.
The impact of the NEC decision of 27 May 2019 effectively transferred KTAs responsibility for managing the business of Kokoda from Tourism to Environment with the development of a new Kokoda Track Management Authority. It is not known if Julius Wargiral failed to address his management responsibilities for Kokoda tourism because he has no understanding of the industry or whether his reassignment by NEC provided him with a convenient opportunity to avoid his management responsibilities.
It is worth noting that neither of the two key stakeholders in Kokoda tourism, i.e., the tour companies who generate the income for the industry nor the villagers who own the land, were consulted prior to NEC Decision 123/2019 of 27 May 2019.
Soon after the outbreak of Covid Australian officials, including Mark Nizette, were evacuated to Australia until early 2022.
A leaked email to Governor Juffa from Mark Nizette on 1 April indicates that he is the chief proponent behind the development of the KTMA Bill:
| From: Mark Nizette <mark.nizette@gmail.com Date: Thu, 1 Apr. 2021, 11:47 am Subject: KTMA Draft Bill and Discussion Paper To: Gary Juffa <Gvjuffa@gmail.com ‘Gary, ‘Attached is the latest version of the KTMA draft bill, and a draft discussion paper I’m working on, and a draft covering brief for you and the other members of the KIC. ‘There are some key policy issues we require guidance on and then your approval to get this draft out to the communities and the other stakeholders (e.g. tour operators). ‘We will then finalise it for final KIC approval and then go through the channels to get it to Parliament for the three readings. Would love to have this in place before the end of 2021 so we can start 2022 with the KTMA. ‘Your help would be most appreciated, as I’m finding it difficult to step people through the process (being so far away). However, Julius and Dr Moutu have been very helpful. (CEPA has been more absent – just between you and me). ‘Happy to discuss the content and the process of going forward from here. I think Martin Brash could assist. ‘Please note that nothing is set in stone yet, with the bill, or my discussion papers etc. We need KIC clearance/discussion and feedback/direction. ‘m. ‘Mark Nizette, MBE Kokoda Initiative Strategic Advisor’ |
Until this time none of the stakeholders were aware of the development of the KTMA bill and none had been consulted!
The Zero Draft Bill only came to light after Mr. Andy Abel ML heard a rumour about it. He then sought confirmation of its existence from Governor Gary Juffa who requested a copy from Mark Nizette. Governor Juffa then passed it onto Andy Abel who then became aware of the contents of the bill and its negative ramifications for Kokoda tourism which had already declined by 46 percent since DEWHA/ DSEWPC/DFAT assumed responsibility for its management in 2009.
It was certainly no surprise that CEPA had ‘been more absent’ as there is nobody in the organization qualified in business, pilgrimage trekking, tourism, or commemoration. The only person with the incentive to hijack the word ‘Kokoda’ to drive an environmental agenda far beyond the Trail as a career enhancing opportunity is Mark Nizette.
It is possible the lines of ‘advice’ and ‘influence’ could therefore have been blurred due to Mr. Nizette’s long tenure as a Strategic Advisor with the Kokoda Initiative, his role as Secretary of the KIC, and his assignment to the KTA office.
According to metadata in the following Microsoft Word document properties:
- The author of the ‘Issues Brief KTMA Draft Legislation’ signed by Mr Julius Wargiral, is ‘Mark Nizette’.
- The author of the ‘KTMA Bill “Zero Draft” Discussion Paper February 2022’ is ‘Mark Nizette’.
- The author of the ‘KTMA Discussion Paper, March 2021’, is ‘Mark Nizette’.
- The author of the ‘Kokoda Track Management Authority Bill 2021’ is ‘Mark Nizette’.
NEC Decision No. 123/2019 (10) of 27 May 2019, obviously based on CEPA advice:
‘endorsed the appointment of Mr. Julius Wargirai, as acting Chief Executive Officer of the Kokoda Track Authority to oversee the transition to the new Kokoda Track Management Authority, and the development of the Kokoda Track Tourism Master Plan’.
This decision effectively relieved Wargiral, and the KTA, of any managerial responsibility for Kokoda tourism which is in breach of the existing KTA Constitution.
The ‘law of the jungle’ therefore prevailed without any management systems in place and no accountability for funds received from Australian taxpayers or from trek permit fees.
On 10 August 2021 Acting CEO Julius Wargiral invited Governor Juffa to a meeting to brief him ‘on the current state of the KTA as we transition to the KTMA and to be fully functional when the legislation is passed through Parliament.
It is therefore concerning that the KTA Review, and the Kokoda Track Master Plan are being used as the authority for the development of a KTMA Act when neither report has been accepted by landowners across the Kokoda Trail.
Of more concern is the fact that, after 13 years in charge of the Kokoda Trail, the Kokoda Initiative has failed to identify the landowners. A recent Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) $210,000 contract to ‘Develop a Stakeholder Engagement Strategy’ from June-December 2022 is indicative of ignorance of the local dynamics across the Trail.
The contract was awarded to a favoured PNG contractor, Tanorama Ltd, who had previously been engaged to conduct other studies including a review of the KTA and is involved with facilitating the process for the proposed KTMA bill.
DVA were, or should have been, aware that a member of their Project Reference Group involved in the development of their Military Heritage Action Plan, Mr Andrew Abel ML, has specialized in landowner engagement throughout PNG for the past 30 years in the surfing industry. Mr. Abel is also Deputy Chairman of the Tourism Promotion Authority. He has been critical of the secrecy surrounding the development of the KTMA bill and the lack of engagement with landowners.
The following questions are relevant regarding the process leading to the development of the KTMA bill:
- According to the PNG State Solicitor the first two steps in the development process for an Act of Parliament advises that a ‘piece of legislation that will affect a cross section of the population etc will require consultation . . . with the public and stakeholders as well.’ After the policy is approved, ‘NEC may also direct that appropriate legislation be developed for passage in Parliament’.
The Strategic Advisor for the Kokoda Initiative, and Secretary to the Ministerial Kokoda Initiative Committee (KIC), Mark Nizette should therefore be asked why these two steps were ignored by CEPA and KIC in the development of the necessary policy to support the drafting of the KTMA bill. - Mark Nizette advised that two independent reviews had been undertaken, one by the KIC and the other by the Department of Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs (DPLLGA). He should be asked to advise:
- Who conducted the independent KIC review?
- Who conducted the independent DPLLA review?
- Why were these reviews not distributed to key stakeholders for comment?
- Why was Mr. Julius Wargiral appointed by NEC to ‘oversee the transition to the new Kokoda Track Management Authority, and the development of the Kokoda Track Tourism Master Plan’ given he has no qualifications or experience in business, pilgrimage tourism, trekking or commemoration and that it contravenes the KTA Constitution.
- Who drafted the Terms of Reference for the KTA Review ordered by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill?
- id the Terms of Reference require the review to team to conduct village-based workshops across the Kokoda Trail? If not – why not?
- Did the Terms of Reference require the review to team to conduct village-based workshops across the Kokoda Trail? If not – why not?
- Was any qualitative research conducted with KTA licensed tour operators and past trekkers? If not, why not?
- Were annual financial reports for the KTA during the period 2009-2015 published: If not, why not?
- Were management systems regarding the booking of campsites, maintenance of a database, control of trek group itineraries, integrity of tour operator licensing system, compliance with PNG laws, regular Trail maintenance plans, etc. reviewed? If not – why not?
- Why did the Kokoda Initiative not pitch a tender for an external review to the major consulting firms in Port Moresby for their KTA Review?
- Given that Mr. Julius Wargiral was appointed in an Acting capacity, what action has been taken to recruit a business manager to replace the former CEO, James Enage? If no action has been taken, why not?
- Why did the Secretary of the KIC take six-months to distribute the Minutes of the meeting of the KIC referred to in the email from James Enage on 13 December 2016?
- Why did the Kokoda Initiative accept the recommendations of the KTA Review and the Kokoda Track Master Plan if, according to James Engage, ‘the KTA Management do not accept what is written in KI draft Master Plan, because what is written there do not reflect the true essence of KTA status and aspirations communicated to the KI engaged consultants involved in developing the KI Master Plan?
- Why did the Kokoda Initiative accept the recommendations of the KTA Review and the Kokoda Track Master Plan if, according to James Engage, ‘the KTA Management do not accept what is written in KI draft Master Plan, because what is written there do not reflect the true essence of KTA status and aspirations communicated to the KI engaged consultants involved in developing the KI Master Plan.
3. On 20 April 2018 the Australian High Commission advised a ‘permanent replacement would be recruited following the review into the KTA. The KTA Review was published by TRC on 4 July 2018 – four years ago!
- Why has the Kokoda Initiative failed to recruit a permanent CEO for the KTA as they advised on 20 April 2018?
4. NEC Decision No. 123/2019 (8) of 27 May 2019 ‘noted the expiry of the Kokoda Track Authority Board in 2016 and directed that the Minister for Inter-Government Relations approve an Interim Board pending the establishment of the proposed legislation, consisting of the same positions as detailed in the 2008 Proclamation, but calling for new nominations for the positions of the Koiari and Kokoda Landowner representatives.
- There is no evidence that an Interim Board was ever appointed in accordance with the NEC decision. Why?
5. NEC Decision No. 123/2019 (9) of 27 May 2019 ‘noted that the acting Chief Executive Officer of KTA will report to the Minister for Inter-Government Relations, pending the establishment of the proposed legislation, and the abolishment of the existing Proclamations’.
- Why was the role of the CEO of the KTA changed to assist in implementing environmental legislation as opposed to managing Kokoda tourism in a professional manner with proper governance and the existing KTA Constitution?
- Why was the role of the CEO of the KTA changed to assist in implementing environmental legislation as opposed to managing Kokoda tourism in a professional manner with proper governance and the existing KTA Constitution?
6. NEC Decision No. 123/2019 (11) of 27 May 2019 ‘approved a funding of K3 million annually for the Kokoda Track Authority for an initial three years until the Kokoda Track Management Authority is established and a new Kokoda Track Tourism Master Plan is developed for the Special Tourism Region to guide further Government investments.’
- Did the KTA receive the allocation of K3 million each year for 2019-2020, 2121 and 2022?
- If the full allocation was not received from NEC for 2019-2020, 2121 and 2022 what were the allocations for each year?
- Does the KTA have a statutory obligation to publish annual financial reports?
- If there is a statutory obligation to publish annual financial reports why has the KTA not complied?
- Is the Kokoda Initiative aware of the failure of the KTA to publish annual financial reports?
- If the Kokoda Initiative is aware of the KTA requirement to comply with the necessary legislation, have they taken any action to assist them to meet their statutory obligations? If not, why not?
7. In an email to Governor Gary Juffa on 1 April, the Kokoda Initiative Strategic Advisor, Mark Nizette, advised ‘However, Julius and Dr Moutu have been very helpful. (CEPA has been more absent – just between you and me)’:
- Neither Julius (Wargiral) nor Dr Moutu has ever trekked across the Kokoda Trail – neither is physically capable of doing so. How could they have therefore been ‘very helpful’ to Mark Nizette?
- What did Mark Nizette mean by the comment that CEPA ‘has been more absent’?
- Is CEPAs ‘absence’ the result of a lack of interest in the topic due to more pressing priorities in their department as revealed in the 2006 RAPPM report, or because of the fact that none of them have any experience in business, pilgrimage tourism, trekking or commemoration – and/or because none of them have ever trekked across it with a professional group and therefore have no understanding of the value of pilgrimage tourism?
- What evidence in the form of qualitative research does CEPA-KIC have to support their assertion relating to the potential of tourism beyond the gazetted boundaries of the Kokoda Trail?
18. Why is the premise of the KTMA Bill being framed against the outcomes of the KTA Review and the Kokoda Track Master Plan if neither one has been accepted by the landowners across the Kokoda Trail?
Charlie Lynn
28 October 2022
[i] The CEPA Kokoda Initiative Committee comprised Mr Gunther Joku – CEO, CEPA; Dr Andrew Moutu-NMAG; Mr Jacob Areman-DNPM; Mr Jerry Agus-TPA; Mr James Enage- KTA; Mr Isaac Matia-AHC; Ms Kay Kalim-CEPA; Mr Mathias Jack- KTCSC; Mr Phillip Batia-KTCSC; Mr Gei Rag-CPA; Mr Dickson Guina-DPLGA; Mr Mark Nizette-KI Secretariat
