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TSJC slams government 'values' hypocrisy
Timor Sea Justice Campaign Media Release - August 31, 2005
Speaking after the sixth anniversary of East Timor's referendum on independence, Timor Sea Justice Campaign co-ordinator Tom Clarke, labelled the Australian Government's current obsession with so called Australian values as "some type of twisted joke."
Mr Clarke said Education Minister Brendan Nelson, and other key figures in the Australian Government need to start practising what they preach and ongoing maritime boundary negotiations with East Timor would be a good place to begin.
"Any member of the Howard Government that talks about 'a fair go' needs to have a good hard look at Australian Government policy regarding gas and oil in the Timor Sea. There is nothing 'fair' about forcing the poorest country in Asia into shabby resource deals rather then simply recognising East Timor's rightful entitlement to have permanent maritime boundaries established in accordance with current International Law," Mr Clarke said.
Referring to the Australian Government's pre-emptive withdrawal of recognition of the maritime boundary jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, Mr Clarke said the actions of the Australian Government stood in bold contrast to the values of responsibility, compassion, fairness, and comradeship that Minister Nelson is so keen to promote.
The comments came as interested parties around the world are still awaiting news of a proposed deal on how Australia and East Timor will share the estimated $40 billion of Government royalties from the Greater Sunrise gas filed located twice as close to East Timor than Australia.
Despite Foreign Minister Alexander Downer's suggestion in May that a deal had been reached, the Australian Government has continued to unilaterally take millions of dollars of government royalties from contested oil and gas resources in the Timor Sea.
Mr Clarke asked how depriving the poorest country in Asia of billions of dollars while East Timorese children are dying from preventable diseases, was in keeping with the spirit of the efforts of Simpson and his donkey that Minister Nelson supposedly admires.
"If the Howard Government believed in 'a fair go' it would stop pussy-footing around with complicated resource sharing agreements and simply establish permanent maritime boundaries half way between the two countries," Mr Clarke said.
For more information, please contact:
Tom Clarke, Co-ordinator, Timor Sea Justice Campaign, Melbourne.
mobile: 0422 545 763 e-mail: tom@timorseajustice.org
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