In the news
Sowing hope in hungry East Timor
March 26, 2010
For many East Timorese, the time between the wet and dry seasons includes three to four months known as the hungry months, when last year’s supplies of rice and maize have run out and the new season’s crops have yet to yield.
Read the full article from ABC Online
East Timor marks a decade of independence
August 31, 2009
East Timor has celebrated the 10th anniversary of independence with a powerful speech by President José Ramos-Horta urging Timorese to move forward rather than look back.
Read the full article from The Sydney Morning Herald
Cosgrove honoured amid E Timor celebrations
August 30, 2009
Retired General Peter Cosgrove has been presented with one of East Timor’s highest honours at a ceremony celebrating the country’s 10 years of independence.
General Cosgrove was the head of the Australian-led multinational peacekeeping mission which arrived in East Timor after the vote for independence in 1999.
Read the full article from ABC News
East Timor’s lost opportunity
August 29, 2009
Lindsay Murdoch pays a visit to East Timor ten years after the vote for independence.
Read the full article from The Sydney Morning Herald
Troops leaving East Timor
August 28, 2009
The United Nations is preparing for a gradual withdrawal from East Timor early next year and expects Australia will begin to reduce its troop numbers about the same time.
Read the transcript from ABC AM.
Ten years on, East Timor looks to the future
August 27, 2009
Eric Ellis writes about Finance Minister Emilia Pires and her hopes for her nation.
Read the full story from Business Day
Power to reach out and touch somebody
August 26, 2009
A brother of one of the Balibo five is paying back a favour, writes Lindsay Murdoch.
Read the full story at The Sydney Morning Herald
A free Timor, but the price is high
August 22, 2009
East Timor voted for independence 10 years ago, but its people await a better life. Lindsay Murdoch reports on the story of young Pedro Unamet Remejio.
Read the full article from The Sydney Morning Herald
UN to wind down their presence
August 20, 2009
The United Nations is preparing to wind down their presence in East Timor as the country’s security situation stabilises. UN forces have increasingly been handing responsibility back to the local authorities as East Timor’s justice system firms up.
Read the full article from The Sydney Morning Herald
Appeal to help disabled children
August 18, 2009
Paul Stewart, the brother of murdered Balibo Five journalist Tony Stewart, has launched an appeal to help raise funds to aid a small group of Timorese nuns with their efforts for disabled children.
Read the article from Third Sector
East Timor increasingly popular with travellers
August 16, 2009
East Timor’s tourism trade has been benefiting from a new type of tourist: that of the backpacking extreme traveller who’ve been drawn to the country for its unspoiled beauty and genuine cultural experiences.
Read the article from The Observer
Doctor making a difference
August 16, 2009
Dr. Daniel Murphy has been in East Timor for 11 years, helping the country with its healthcare needs, setting up the Bairo Pite Clinic. When he can he trains the local women as midwives to enable them to contribute to their communities.
Read the article from The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
Order of Australia petition
August 12, 2009
The Mary MacKillop East Timor Mission has organised a petition calling for the nomination of an Order of Australia. The award will recognise the assistance the East Timorese gave to Australian soldiers during World War II.
Read the article from CathNews
A punk-rocker’s connection to East Timor
August 8, 2009
Paul Stewart has long had a connection to East Timor. From family tragedy as a teenager to meeting President Ramos-Horta this year, East Timor has always played a part in his life.
Read the article from The Age
East Timor’s bid to boost tourism
August 6, 2009
This month marks ten years of independence for East Timor and the young nation is looking forward, to tourism. In a bid to boost visitor numbers East Timor will host its first international sporting event in September.
Read the full 7.30 report transcript.
Immerse yourself in culture
August 6, 2009
East Timor Prime Minister Gusmão believes that East Timor will attract tourists of a different kind.
Read the full article from news.com.au
UN World Food Programme aids students
July 30, 2009
One-third of the population of East Timor regularly suffers from food shortage and many of these are children. The UN World Food Programme are working with the East Timorese government to provide meals at schools for students.
Read the article from The Examiner
Charity bike ride through East Timor
July 27, 2009
Paul Piaia, a founder of Australian Aid International, sets off for a 350Km cycle tour through East Timor to raise awareness of the country’s poverty-related social issues.
Read the full article from Diamond Valley Leader
For ANZ, Timor is going places
July 27, 2009
ANZ’s Dili branch is one of the group’s fastest growing outlets in the world. Customer foot traffic has been increasing by 2 per cent a week for over a year, new accounts are up 80 per cent over the past year, while lending has doubled.
Read the full article from the Herald Sun.
Indonesia to give concessions
July 16, 2009
Indonesia has agreed to various proposals from a report by the Indonesia-Timor Leste Commission of Truth and Friendship (CTF) to grant concessions to East Timor. These include permits for students, culture and tourism partnerships and a family reunification program.
Read the article from The Jakarta Post
Female candidates in local elections
July 8, 2009
Workshops run by the UN are encouraging women to participate in upcoming local council elections in order to raise gender awareness and political empowerment.
Read the article from IPS News
More than one type of learning
June, 2009
Palms Australia volunteer Monica Morrison is helping East Timor students with their education Masters degrees. But the lessons are not a one way street as she learns the ways of a different culture.
Read the article from Palms Australia newsletter
East Timor with Caroline Pemberton
October 9, 2008
There are many people involved in restoring hope and dignity to the people of East Timor – one of those being Australia’s 2007 Miss World entrant, Caroline Pemberton.
Getaway accompanied Caroline on a visit to East Timor, where she worked as a volunteer at an orphanage way off the beaten track.
Watch the video and read the article.
Teaching for the future
September 28, 2008
Ellie Virgona, a Victorian schoolteacher, is volunteering in the East Timorese district of Ermera helping to establish a better education system through the training of local teachers.
Read the article from Star News Group
East Timor Parts I and II – Getaway video and fact sheet
November 17, 2005
Three years ago, Getaway was the first travel show to visit East Timor after it gained independence. The show was recently invited to pay a return visit, and the Getaway team joined an Orion Expeditions Cruise as part of a 10-day journey from Darwin.
Watch the video and read the full fact sheet from Getaway
East Timor – Getaway fact sheet
October 10, 2002
“East Timor is not a holiday hotspot just yet, but with its beaches, excellent diving and snorkelling and people keen and anxious to make an honest living, it is slowly heading in that direction.”
Read the full fact sheet from Getaway