Transcript
In February landowners lifted a blockade of the track in time for the 2018 season after the government agreed to a review of the track's management and to address landowner claims.
The Australian writer and social commentator Rashmi Bell completed the Kokoda Track in August to see what's changed for its landowners.
She says there was no evidence of a review by the Kokoda Track Authority, the KTA, or of anything having changed when she spoke with landowners.
"They kept on saying, expressing their frustration at KTA not coming through with the funds that they were promised to help with maintaining their communities, developing their communities. That was the pattern all along the trail."
The KTA is mandated by government to collect AU$150 for each trekker from tour operators while, "improving the way of life for communities living along the track, through funding and development programmes."
One of those operators is Pam Christie from PNG Trekking Adventures.
She says many landowners on the track have not been receiving funds for several years now.
Ms Christie says there has been no social mapping done along the Kokoda Track corridor to determine who the rightful landowners are.
"When you're working in Papua New Guinea, that's the first thing that you do if you're going to work along a corridor. Whether it's in mining, whether it's trekking, cultural issues, you have to identify who actually owns the land."
She says the money is going from the operators to the KTA but she's not sure what happens to it then.
"It could be going to someone that isn't the correct person and the money could be being misappropriated by that person. It could be misappropriated before it even gets to them."
Pam Christie says she doesn't know how the KTA can come back from such a shambolic state as so much has been done wrong with landowners.
She says monthly reports on visitor numbers haven't been available for three years now although a 2012 study shows average annual numbers of around 3000 trekkers for the previous decade which provided AU$450-thousand annually in fees.
One recent positive sign is the Kokoda Track Authority has a new chief executive who says he has directed his team to investigate landowner claims.
Julius Wagirai, who took the reins in early November, agrees with the issues.
Mr Wagirai points to the lack of accurate social mapping and clear landowner data and says there is also no clear audit on what funds have and have not been paid.
"I have directed my officer to actually do an investigation into that. Dating back two or three years down because there are some landowners that are claiming that, yes they have not been paid. I want a thorough investigation by my accounts staff on what's outstanding and what has been paid, and I will not comment further on that until I have established that."
This action has been commended by another tour operator, Adventure Kokoda's Charlie Lynn, who now questions where AU$50 million from Australia has gone - money aimed at identifying landowners.
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says.
"The Government of Papua New Guinea is responsible for the management of the Kokoda Track and the trekking industry, including the collection and distribution of revenue from trekkers' fees. Any questions related to these matters should be directed to the PNG Government."
Rashmi Bell says the Kokoda Track Authority has a big job to do in communicating with and gaining trust from landowners.
"They don't have contact with KTA. KTA is not along the trail. They don't come along the trail and speak to landowners and communities."
PNG Trekking Adventures Pam Christie says the KTA has to use the off season to have meaningful dialogue with landowners or risk disruption to the track when the season re-opens in April next year.
