Karen Michelmore, Darwin – Most Australians believe an independent adjudicator should decide the location of Australia's maritime boundary with East Timor if negotiations fail, a national poll found today.

The Newspoll survey found 77 per cent of Australians supported the International Court of Justice (ICJ) determining the boundary – which would divide up the Timor Sea's rich oil and gas reserves – if the dispute is not resolved amicably. Ten per cent opposed the idea, while 13 per cent were undecided.

The survey was commissioned by businessman Ian Melrose as part of a $2 million advertising campaign he is sponsoring in a bid to pressure the federal government to agree to a fairer deal for the impoverished neighbouring East Timor.

Greens senator Bob Brown today challenged Labor to pledge to refer the dispute to the ICJ if it won government. The Howard government had refused to allow the ICJ to settle the dispute, he said.

"The Greens have advocated for some time that the ICJ should adjudicate on the disputed maritime boundary between Australia and East Timor to ensure that international law applies," Senator Brown said.

"If it does, we know that East Timor, the poorest nation in our region, will get a much fairer share of oil and gas reserves than it has under the Howard government. East Timor needs its rightful share of these resources to provide for its people – to build schools, hospitals and roads."

The poll was conducted by Newspoll in Australian capital cities in the final weekend of the election campaign, with 700 people quizzed.

"This poll shows that the Australian people believe that the ICJ is the appropriate body to resolve any ongoing dispute," Mr Melrose said.

"Yet two months before East Timor became a nation in May 2002, the Howard government withdrew recognition of the ICJ's jurisdiction over the matter.

"It's time for both the prime minister and Opposition Leader Mark Latham to reconsider their position and commit to the ICJ being the final arbiter of the dispute."

Mr Melrose has been airing television commercials to raise awareness of the issue in marginal seats across Australia.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer last month said negotiations over the boundary would likely be finalised by Christmas.

Woodside Petroleum warned in July its multi-billion dollar Sunrise gas project in the Timor Sea would stall if the countries did not resolve their dispute over the boundary by the end of the year.

The boundary has been a major sticking point between the two countries, with Timor Sea's oil and gas reserves estimated to be worth $US30 billion.