Anthony Albanese will make historical past this week when he turns into the primary sitting prime minister to stroll a part of the gruelling Kokoda Track.
Accompanied by his Papua New Guinean counterpart James Marape, Australian Defence Force representatives and a choose variety of media, the group will stroll from Kokoda Village by way of the unforgiving jungle to Isurava Village.
It’s there he’ll be a part of Australians and Papua New Guineans for the annual Isurava Anzac Day service on Thursday.
His journey comes with a diplomatic component at a time of intense competitors within the area and simply days after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited the small Pacific nation on the weekend for the primary time since 2022.
But as he ready to board his flight, Mr Albanese stated the trek would enable him to pay respect to the Australian service personnel who fought and died throughout the necessary Second World War battle of Kokoda.
What is Albo doing?
After attending an Anzac Day commemoration dinner hosted by Mr Marape on Monday, Mr Albanese will start his 17km monitor on Tuesday morning.
Although only a small part of the 96km complete path, for 2 nights Mr Albanese will camp in the identical locations Australian troopers did once they fought off the invading Japanese.
On his first day, he’ll move by way of the Hoi Village and camp in a single day in Deniki.
Then, on Wednesday, Mr Albanese and his journey companions will proceed the stroll to Isurava forward of Thursday’s Dawn Service.
Ahead of his departure, Mr Albanese stated being accompanied by Mr Marape “says a lot about how close the relationship is”.
“We’ll be paying tribute to the courage, the endurance and the sacrifice which Diggers made in World War II,” he stated.
“Anzac Day is a sacred day for Australians, but it’s also a day that is commemorated in Papua New Guinea. And our relationship is very strong.
What is Kokoda?
The Kokoda campaign, which began in July 1942 and went until November, was part of Japan’s attempt to capture Port Moresby when it was an Australian territory.
For Australian forces, holding Port Moresby was crucial in defending Australia.
“Kokoda is the stuff of legend,” Mr Albanese stated on Monday.
“As young Australians, we all learned at school the legendary status of those brave soldiers who fought against the odds at Kokoda.”
It started when the Japanese landed in Buna and Gona on the north coast earlier than they made their means over the Owen Stanley Range – a mountain vary that separates the northern a part of the nation from the south.
Over 4 months, the Australian and Japanese forces fought alongside plenty of foot tracks, together with at Kokoda, Deniki, Efogi, and Isurava.
Papuan Infantry Battalion troopers fought alongside Australians, whereas 1000’s of civilians – who turned generally known as the “Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels” – supplied help, carrying provides, constructing bases and evacuating the sick and wounded.
The Battle of Isurava – the place Mr Albanese will mark Anzac Day – was the scene of a few of the most intense combating throughout the Kokoda marketing campaign.
An estimated 99 Australians had been killed and 111 wounded over six days in August 1942.
Australian forces re-entered Kokoda on November 2, and November 3 is now commemorated as Kokoda Day.
Mr Albanese will change into the primary sitting prime minister to stroll the monitor, however a few of his predecessors have visited the area earlier than. Paul Keating famously kissed the bottom on the Kokoda Memorial when he visited in 1992, and John Howard and Malcolm Turnbull each visited memorial websites throughout their prime ministerships.
Kevin Rudd walked the monitor whereas opposition chief in 2006 alongside then-government minister Joe Hockey. Scott Morrison walked the path in 2009.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
