Peter Sweeney – Australia has been called on to give a "fairer go" to East Timor over the oilfields issue. The Federal Government has been accused of "megaphone diplomacy" in its negotiations with its battling neighbour.

"East Timor stood up for Australia when it mattered most [during World War II] and now it's time for us to stand up for them," said Philip Glendenning, of the Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education. The centre was formed by the Christian Brothers, who were founded by Edmund Rice in 1802.

"Australia-wide, our schools and community groups are concerned at how we are treating East Timor," Mr Glendenning said in a letter to Prime Minister John Howard.

"We recall with not much pride the support given by the Australian government to the Indonesian government in the lead-up to their invasion of East Timor in 1975.

"Our Government is presently receiving far more revenue from the oilfields than we provide in aid programs to East Timor. It makes any claim to generosity on our part a hollow travesty of the truth.

"The projected benefits to Australia from the yet-to-be-developed fields, such as Greater Sunrise, dwarf the current unjust advantage we have negotiated for ourselves.

"The issuing of exploration licences by Australia in territory that is closer to East Timor than Australia calls in question any pretence of sincerity on our part."

The Edmund Rice centre has called on the Government to negotiate a fairer maritime boundary, including seabed and water economic zones, with East Timor.

"People in East Timor live on around 50 cents a day and yet we have access to their resources," Mr Glendenning said. "We treat them very shoddily and it's hardly an example of good neighbourliness."