www.timorseajustice.org
News Release - EMBARGOED UNTIL MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2005.

HOWARD BETRAYS ANZAC SPIRIT: WWII VETS IN TV CAMPAIGN

The latest TV ads from Australian businessperson and Timor Sea campaigner Ian Melrose, feature World War Two veterans angry about the Australian Government's handling of the Timor Sea gas and oil dispute.

Referring to the Australian Government's attitude towards our impoverished neighbour East Timor, the group of veterans who served there during World War Two claimed it contradicted the ANZAC spirit.

The 30 second segments show diggers reflecting on how they owed their lives to the people of East Timor, contradicted by the Australian Government's greed over gas and oil today.

Veteran John 'Paddy' Keneally said, when he and his mates went to war more than 60 years ago, they never dreamed Australia would betray the generosity of the East Timorese people.

"I didn't fight for this kind of Australia. John Howard I'd rather you didn't come to my Anzac Day parade," he said.

The advertising campaign, written and financed by Ian Melrose, will screen on channels 9, 7, and SBS around Australia in the lead up to ANZAC Day and the next round of maritime boundary negations between Australia and East Timor scheduled to take place in Dili on the 26 th of April.

" I thank the Australian service men and woman who risked their lives fighting for a fair and just Australia. As an Australian who also believes in justice and a fair go, I call upon John Howard to stop betraying the ANZAC spirit and give East Timor its legal entitlement," Mr Melrose said.

Australian lobby group, the Timor Sea Justice Campaign, claim that the Australian Government is ignoring current principles of International Law by refusing to establish a maritime boundary with East Timor along the median line halfway between the two coastlines. Such a boundary could deliver $40 billion in gas and oil royalties to East Timor, currently the poorest country in Asia.

East Timor has no legal avenue to resolve this dispute because the Australian Government preemptively withdrew recognition of the maritime boundary jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice two months before East Timor's independence.

Mr Melrose's last set of ads where refused by the SBS and channel 7 due to objections over the line "Stealing from a third world country kills their children."

Mr Melrose stands by his emotive claim, pointing out that, "While East Timorese children are dying of preventable diseases, the Australian Government has stolen $1 million from East Timor every single day since 1999."

For more information, please contact:
Tom Clarke, Co-ordinator, Timor Sea Justice Campaign, Melbourne. 0422 545 763.

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