Policy on East Timor oil

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The Socialist Alliance condemns the Australian Government's theft of East Timor's oil and gas resources by refusing to abide by international law in the determination of maritime boundaries between the two countries and by continuing to exploit the disputed oil fields in the Timor Sea.

That alongside anti-war and elections campaigning in the next year, Socialist Alliance branches give priority to joining with the churches, unions, Greens, NGOs, and other solidarity activists in the campaign against Australia's grab of East Timor's oil, gas and maritime resources through making permanent an unfair boundary in the Timor Sea.

The Socialist Alliance supports East Timor’s demand for delimitation of maritime boundaries with Australia, based on the internationally accepted median line principle, thus guaranteeing East Timor’s right to maritime sovereignty and the oil and gas resources located on the East Timorese side of such a boundary. The Socialist Alliance condemns the Australian government’s refusal to accept the median line principle and its continuing theft of oil and gas resources in the Timor Sea, that rightfully belong to East Timor.