Australia agrees to fund Kokoda review

Australia has agreed to fund an independent review of the management of the Kokoda trekking industry, according to the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby.
A joint media statement released by the high commission and the Papua New Guinea government yesterday said a taskforce had already been established by Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari to oversee the review process.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill had issued a directive for a review of the management of Kokoda trekking industry.
The taskforce is chaired John Punde, the deputy secretary in the Department of Prime Minister and the National Executive Council.
The committee members are the Secretary of the Department of provincial and local level government Dickson Guina, Managing Director of Conservation and Environmental Protection Authority Gunther Joku, chief executive of the Tourism Promotion Authority Jerry Agus and chief executive of the Kokoda Track Authority James Enage.
The commission said requests for tender to conduct the review were advertised last month and would remain open to submissions untilFeb 5.
Meanwhile, Kokoda Track landowners and the Koiari local level government who are the custodians of the Kokoda Trek are concerned about not being consulted over the review.