23 July 1999

The Australian Electoral Commissioner, Mr Bill Gray, said that he was satisfied that registration for the East Timor consultation in Australia was progressing well according to the international guidelines laid down for this historic poll.

Under these guidelines, which were formally agreed between the Indonesian and Portuguese Governments and the United Nations, facilities are available in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Darwin.

Mr Gray was responding to comments that people in other parts of the country would have to travel to these cities to register and vote.

Mr Gray said that while he understood and welcomed the level of interest among East Timorese in Australia, the AEC was conducting the consultation in accordance with the international guidelines and had no discretion or authority to provide additional facilities in other areas for registration and polling.

These venues were specified in the international Agreement Regarding the Modalities for the popular Consultation of the East Timorese Through a Direct Ballot, concluded in New York on 5 May 1999 between the Governments of Indonesia and Portugal, and the UN. Any changes to these venues would have to be made by the UN.

Mr Gray said that information about the Consultation had been widely disseminated in Australia and a national enquiry line was able to assist on the following lines:

Telephone Enquiry Service: 1300 302 117 (English)

Interpreter Services: 1300 302 162 ( Bahasa Indonesian)

1300 302 207 (Tetum)

1300 302 331 (Portugese)

Further Information

Brien Hallett
02 62714415 or 0412059964