Another shameful chapter from the Howard years...finally reversed

[Number37]

"Ending years of opposition, Australia agreed in 2017 to accept Dili's formal notice to terminate an agreement to split petroleum revenue equally from Greater Sunrise and set a 50-year timetable for negotiating a permanent sea boundary."

"According to media reports, East Timor could receive up to 80 per cent of revenue, but could agree to less if gas is piped to a terminal in the tiny country."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-26/australia-and-east-timor-agree-on-maritime-border/9486752

Downer conned the East Timorese into drawing the maritime boundary in Australia's favour for the sole purpose of getting its hands on the Greater Sunrise Fields.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

If I recall correctly, they got ASIS to bug the Timor-Leste Cabinet which is scandalous. There was at least one ASIS agent/operative/whatever who was pissed at being used so some arsehole companies could make more money. Had nothing to do with protecting Australia.

Edit: Sounds like things aren't going well for him https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...or-leste-cabinet-under-effective-house-arrest

 

[Number37]

If I recall correctly, they got ASIS to bug the Timor-Leste Cabinet which is scandalous. There was at least one ASIS agent/operative/whatever who was pissed at being used so some arsehole companies could make more money. Had nothing to do with protecting Australia.

Edit: Sounds like things aren't going well for him https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...or-leste-cabinet-under-effective-house-arrest

They stopped him from testifying at The Hague by confiscating his passport.
The conduct of Downer during the whole process was an absolute disgrace.

 

[HairyO]

They stopped him from testifying at The Hague by confiscating his passport.
The conduct of Downer during the whole process was an absolute disgrace.

Country acting in country's best interest is hardly new.

Back in the 70s we let journalists die to curry favour with a close neighbour.

 

[King Brown]

Easily the dodgiest deal of the past 20 years.

Good on the Turnbull Government for rectifying it.

Downer should be in jail.

 

[Pie eyed]

"Ending years of opposition, Australia agreed in 2017 to accept Dili's formal notice to terminate an agreement to split petroleum revenue equally from Greater Sunrise and set a 50-year timetable for negotiating a permanent sea boundary."

"According to media reports, East Timor could receive up to 80 per cent of revenue, but could agree to less if gas is piped to a terminal in the tiny country."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-26/australia-and-east-timor-agree-on-maritime-border/9486752

Downer conned the East Timorese into drawing the maritime boundary in Australia's favour for the sole purpose of getting its hands on the Greater Sunrise Fields.

Thought this was a very late SSM thread.

 

[ShanDog]

Glad that's been done. For all the good we did for the Timorese at the turn of the century (and since), this petroleum issue and our lack of support in the 70s really took the shine off it. Can't do anything about the latter, but glad this is sorted.

 

[Darkyprotector]

Country acting in country's best interest is hardly new.

Back in the 70s we let journalists die to curry favour with a close neighbour.

Check the scoreboard pal

And ps get some new material , you've trotted that one out 6 or is it 7 times

Gee that Howard was a peice of work

Bugging. Lying, scheming , war mongering.
Selling the country out and our gold
Yeah

So glad you approve

 

[Darkyprotector]

Easily the dodgiest deal of the past 20 years.

Good on the Turnbull Government for rectifying it.

Downer should be in jail.

Don't give em credit please

That comments bullshit

 

[Proud SJW]

Country acting in country's best interest is hardly new.

Back in the 70s we let journalists die to curry favour with a close neighbour.

No, we didn't "let them die".
They were warned that it was a bad idea to go in, they went anyway, and paid the price. If one of them decided it would be a good idea to allow themselves to be photographed painting Australian flags on walls, it's a pretty good indication that "press neutrality" isn't going to be an argument taken as seriously as it might have been had they remained a little more circumspect.

What Australia did was to let the matter lie, rather than stir up more trouble. You can argue that that in itself might be a bad thing, there's no need for hyperbole.

 

[Admiral Byng]

"According to media reports, East Timor could receive up to 80 per cent of revenue, but could agree to less if gas is piped to a terminal in the tiny country."

From what I understand, this is just about physically impossible with today's technology. The gas field and Timor island lie on different continental plates and there is a 7000 m abyss along the plate boundary. This is why the original plan was to pipe it ashore to Australia where the sea depth is only about 2-300m, and split the revenue. I am unaware of any previous projects that have succeeded in running a pipeline over continental plate boundaries at these sorts of depths.

Good luck to them trying it. It my end up being a situation where they have 80% of zero revenue.

 

[Number37]

From what I understand, this is just about physically impossible with today's technology. The gas field and Timor island lie on different continental plates and there is a 7000 m abyss along the plate boundary. This is why the original plan was to pipe it ashore to Australia where the sea depth is only about 2-300m, and split the revenue. I am unaware of any previous projects that have succeeded in running a pipeline over continental plate boundaries at these sorts of depths.

Good luck to them trying it. It my end up being a situation where they have 80% of zero revenue.

Even if it's piped to Australia for processing the Timorese will still get 70%, which is a whole lot better than the previous deal.

 

[nut]

If I recall correctly, they got ASIS to bug the Timor-Leste Cabinet which is scandalous. There was at least one ASIS agent/operative/whatever who was pissed at being used so some arsehole companies could make more money. Had nothing to do with protecting Australia.

Edit: Sounds like things aren't going well for him https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...or-leste-cabinet-under-effective-house-arrest

And that’s what the CIA do

 

[medusala]

Downer conned the East Timorese into drawing the maritime boundary in Australia's favour for the sole purpose of getting its hands on the Greater Sunrise Fields.

So Downer doing something in Australia'so interest is shameful?

If I recall correctly, they got ASIS to bug the Timor-Leste Cabinet which is scandalous.

No it would be scandalous if they didnt bother. Intelligence service. Hint in the title.

 

[Number37]

So Downer doing something in Australia'so interest is shameful?

How would you characterize ripping off a 3rd world country?

 

[Bomberboyokay]

No it would be scandalous if they didnt bother. Intelligence service. Hint in the title.

Right. You would go apeshit if Brussels bugged May's Cabinet.

 

[HairyO]

And that’s what the CIA do

Its what everyone does if they can. And in an us vs them world Im fine with it.

 

[nut]

Its what everyone does if they can. And in an us vs them world Im fine with it.

Until we are on the losing end....

 

[QuietB]

Its what everyone does if they can. And in an us vs them world Im fine with it.

Your us vs them world is going to end with human settlements on Mars.

I doubt we'll be getting a ticket

 

[HairyO]

Until we are on the losing end....

Do better next time.

 

[radiojake]

Well that strongly worded email I wrote to Alexander Downer some 14 or 15 years ago when I was a starry-eyed activist pointing out the scandalous nature of Australia's treatment of the planet's newest state at the time has finally paid off!

 

[nut]

Do better next time.

If that’s what a country that’s been shafted by another country should do, then there are s**t load of countries planning to do better next time.

I’ll start with the Korean War.

 

[Ice-Wolf]

Given how shitful we are with royalties the Timorese we almost certainly going to make far more money off their share than we were off ours. Downer wasn't acting in Australia's interests he was acting in the Corporations interests.

 

[Pie eyed]

Belongs here.

 

[Jello_B]

Well that strongly worded email I wrote to Alexander Downer some 14 or 15 years ago when I was a starry-eyed activist pointing out the scandalous nature of Australia's treatment of the planet's newest state at the time has finally paid off!

Did you cut the letters out, coz that would have been cool.