East Timor activists are calling on Australian authorities to cooperate with an inquiry into the deaths of five journalists in Timor more than 30 years ago.

A Sydney newspaper has published what it claims to be an extract from an intelligence report, which says the journalists – known as the Balibo five – were executed by order of the Indonesian generals. A new inquest into the journalists' deaths will be held in New South Wales next year.

East Timor activist Rob Wesely-Smith says it is about time Australia put an end to the speculation.

"They have lied and they have obfuscated for 30 years on what they know and they have... tried to pretend that the men were killed in the crossfire of the war," he said. "That wasn't true – they were deliberately murdered."

Mr Wesely-Smith has challenged Labor leader Kevin Rudd to join a campaign to find out the truth behind the deaths of the Balibo five. He says Labor must make up for the actions the Whitlam Government took on the case.

"[I'm] not sure if they can require the Australian Government to hand over sensitive information," he said "They probably can't, it hasn't happened for 30 years. The fact that there will be the evidence given by the people who saw this intercept will be important."