100 Kina A Day Kokoda Porters Deserve Better

THE KOKODA EXPLOITATION: 100 KINA OR NO TRACK

The Backbone of the Track is Breaking. It’s Time to Pay the Debt.

Every year, thousands of trekkers walk the Kokoda Track, seeking a life-changing experience. They pay thousands of dollars for the privilege. But the very men who make this journey possible—the porters who carry the food, the tents, and the safety gear on their backs—are being exploited by a system that treats their sweat as a cheap commodity.

The Problem: Poverty Wages in a Premium Industry
Currently, most porters are paid a pittance—often as low as 50 to 70 Kina per day. That’s between AUD$20 and AUD$30 per day. In an era of skyrocketing inflation and a devalued Kina, this isn’t just “low pay”; it is an insult to the men who ensure every trekker’s survival.

We are launching this campaign to demand a mandatory basic wage of 100 KINA PER DAY for every porter on the Track. No excuses. No deductions. No “in-kind” trade-offs.

DEBUNKING THE OPERATOR EXCUSES

Tour operators have spent years spinning a web of myths to keep wages down. We have the facts to dismantle them.

1. The “Thin Margins” Myth

Operators claim they can’t afford 100 Kina. This is a lie. Technical analysis shows that for a group of 30 to 50 trekkers, most operators reach their “break-even” point after only four trekkers. Every cent from the 5th to the 50th trekker is massive profit. The cost of paying a porter 100 Kina instead of 60 Kina is a fraction of a single trekker’s fee. The money is there; it’s simply staying in the operators’ pockets.

2. The “Currency Fluctuation” Excuse
Operators argue that the economy is too volatile for a wage hike. The opposite is true. In the last two years, the PNG Kina has dropped over 20% against the Australian Dollar. Since operators charge trekkers in AUD but pay porters in Kina, operators are making 20% more profit just on the exchange rate. They are getting richer while the porters’ buying power disappears.

3. The “Benefits” Trap
Operators boast about providing “walk-home allowances,” food, and medicine as if these were charitable gifts. They are not. Food, equipment, and medical care are basic industrial requirements for any physical labor. These are operational costs, not a substitute for a living wage. You cannot pay school fees with a “walk-home allowance.” We demand 100 Kina PLUS these essential working conditions.

4. The “Safety” Threat
When pressured on wages, some operators threaten to move to “skeleton crews.” They are already doing this. To maximize greed, many are already understaffing treks, putting both porters and trekkers at extreme risk. A mandatory 100 Kina wage, enforced alongside strict safety ratios, is the only way to stop this race to the bottom.

5. The “Reform” Delay Tactic: Don’t Let Them Kick the Can Down the Road
A new and deceptive argument has emerged from some tour operators. They claim to “agree in principle” with the 100 Kina wage, but they insist it must be part of a “comprehensive reform package” for the entire Track.

On the surface, this sounds responsible. In reality, it is a classic stalling tactic designed to bury a simple, urgent pay increase under years of committees, reports, and bureaucratic red tape.

A. Reform is a Marathon; Poverty is an Emergency

“Structural reform” on the Kokoda Track involves the PNG Government, the KTA, local landowners, and international NGOs. These processes take years—sometimes decades—to finalize. Porters cannot wait for a “new management framework” to be ratified before they can afford to feed their families today.

  • The Reality: Linking a basic wage increase to a larger reform is a death sentence for the 100 Kina goal. It allows operators to look like the “good guys” while ensuring they don’t have to pay a cent more until the “perfect system” exists.

B. Decouple Pay from Policy

There is no technical reason why a wage increase cannot happen immediately. An operator can change their payroll tomorrow morning with the stroke of a pen. They do not need a new government toilet block or a revised permit system to pay their staff fairly.

  • The Demand: Implement the 100 KINA NOW. We can discuss the “larger reforms” for work conditions later. If operators truly care about “reform,” they should start with the most basic reform of all: ending poverty wages.

C. Using “Caring” as a Weapon

By claiming they want “better conditions” (like training or insurance) alongside the wage hike, operators are trying to make the campaign look short-sighted.

  • The Truth: We want those things too. But we won’t let those complex goals be used as a hostage to prevent a simple pay rise. 100 Kina is the baseline. Everything else is a bonus to be negotiated once the base is secured.

OUR DEMAND: 100 KINA MINIMUM

We are calling on all Kokoda Tour Operators to immediately and willingly commit to a 100 Kina per day basic wage.

  • No reduction in staff numbers.

  • No removal of existing benefits (food, gear, medical).

  • No more hiding behind “voluntary tips” to make up for your refusal to pay a fair wage.

TAKE ACTION NOW

The history of the Kokoda Track is built on the “Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels”—men who gave everything for those in their care. Today’s porters are their descendants, and they are being betrayed by corporate greed.

Do not let your trek be built on exploitation.

1. Demand to see the wage policy of your tour operator.

2. Refuse to trek with any company that pays less than 100 Kina per day.

3. Sign the Petition: Join thousands of others in demanding justice for the men of the Track.

[SIGN THE CHANGE.ORG PETITION HERE]

100 Kina. It’s the bare minimum.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE KOKODA TRAIL

Kokoda Trail Guide: Trekking Through History and Nature