In case you're unaware, after Australia liberated East Timor, we signed contracts that gave us about 80% of the oil in the East Timor sea. Only problem is that according to international law that oil belongs to the East Timorese. Given they are one of the poorest (and newest) nations in the world, some people think we should give them what is actually theirs... and East Timor are threatening to take us to court over it.

So what do you think and why?

East Timor primarily. Hell they need it to build up their country. But some should be sent here perhaps as a gesture for our help, but taking 80% that's going too far.

Those ungrateful East Timorese!

We send half our army over there to keep them safe after supporting the Indonesian government while they massacred half the population. We fail to keep them safe. We beat them up and oppress the general population.

All this, I might add, out of the goodness of our hearts (and the depth of our taxpayers pockets) - with no secondary objectives.

And then they complain when we steal their oil.

Disgusting.

I definately think the Oil should be going to East Timor. It is their oil after all. I don't really see why Australia should be expecting some form of reward for helping East Timor, one would hope what was done was done because it was considered to be the right thing to do, not because of some potential to obtain oil.

Edit: lol@beast

Don't you think whether they give us oil out of gratitude for our help should be up to them to decide?

Yes of course.

Thats like us putting a tax on their country, I hate tax and I'm sure they as hell do, although liberating them wasn't cheap so I do think some, and I stress some sompensation is in order. Maybe around the 35-40% mark.

I have to agree with most of that. They probably wouldn't even have been able to get the oil if Australia hadn't helped.

Except don't you think it's disgusting that we supported the Indonesian government when they were massacring the East Timorese - thus getting better trade deals with them then we would have otherwise got - and then at the same time as we get a chance to get something off the East Timorese - we go and help them. It could just be coincidence - but I think the Australian Government (both Labour and Liberal - since both supported the policies of the time) doesn't give a fuck about the people of East Timor.

We have absolutely no right to the oil. Had East Timor not been liberated Indonesia would have got it all - and they definitly have the resources to take the oil.

Right now our Government is stealing oil off the poorest country in the Asia Pacific region. Do we only care about ourselves? Are we happy to steal money while the victims starve to death?

It's shameful.

The East timoresse should get it, now they will take Australia to the UN however proceedings will go on for so long there with appeals after appeals by time its done the oil will be gone.

Given we were helping them as part of a UN Peacekeeping force, we definitely don't have a right to the oil on that basis. If we'd prior to helping them signed a contract saying that we'd help them in return for this oil, it's possible that we would have a right (some people might argue that they were under undue stress at the time).

You can't say "Let me help you" and then make terms after the fact.

Imagine if someone offered you a hand with your homework and once you'd finished said "that'll be $20 thanks."