Thursday, 16 October 2025

 Ryan BATCHELOR (Southern Metropolitan) (09:45): Fifty years ago this morning, five Australian-based journalists were murdered by the Indonesian military in the town of Balibo, Timor-Leste. Greg Shackleton, Gary Cunningham, Tony Stewart, Malcolm Rennie and Brian Peters, working for Channel 7 and Channel 9, were in Balibo seeking to report the truth of the pending Indonesian invasion of the former Portuguese colony that had just declared its independence, staying in a house that Greg had famously adorned with the Australian flag to try and keep them safe. They were taken from that flag house, marched down the street and executed, and their bodies were burnt. Another journalist, Roger East, came looking for them months later, and he was murdered too. They were there to report the truth, and they gave their lives for their journalism. Now Balibo is a beautiful town 10 kilometres from the Indonesian border. The old Portuguese fort has unparalleled views of the surrounding areas and the Savu Sea – deadly views, it turns out, if you have got a camera and can see an invasion being prepared.

I had the great honour of getting to know the story of the Balibo Five, of getting to know their families and their struggle for truth during the time I spent living in Timor-Leste in 2013 and 2014 and whilst working for Balibo House Trust, a trust established by the Victorian government for the families of the Balibo Five to purchase and restore the flag house, which is now a community centre and museum. I want to pay particular tribute to the late Shirley Shackleton, who did more than anyone in her lifelong pursuit of the truth. I have stood in the shell of the house where the Balibo Five were murdered. Their memory will not be forgotten and their truth will be told.