FRIENDSHIP RELATIONSHIPSBETWEEN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN

AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND TIMOR-LESTE

Abel GuterresConsul General of Timor-Leste

Friendship

Paddy Kenneally and his mate Rufino ww2

Developing friendship,

support and cross-cultural understanding at a grass-roots

level.

Early in 2000, the now President of Timor-Leste,

H. E. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of Timor-Leste with:

• Victorian Local Governance Association,

• Municipal Association of Victoria, &

• Minister for Local Government in Victoria.

Parliament of Timor-Leste sitting in Dili.

RDTL Constitution:

Local Government

1. Local government is constituted by corporate bodies vested with representative organs, with the objective of organising the participation by citizens in solving the problems of their own community and promoting local development without prejudice to the participation by the State.

2. The organisation, competence, functioning and composition of the organs of local government shall be defined by law.

RUINS OF 1999 MILITIA DESTRUCTION

49% OF THE POPULATION IS UNDER 19 YEARS OF AGE

• Population: 924,642 (July 2004 census).

• Area: 14.609.39 km2

• Official Languages: Portuguese & Tetum.

• Working Languages: English & Indonesian.

• Climate: Tropical (Dry & Wet)

Shopping for traditional tais in Los Palos market.

Coffee in Maubisse.

Oil well in Suai – south coast of Timor-Leste.

Traditional celebration in Ainaro District.

Jaco Island – pristine wilderness, eastern tip of Timor-Leste.

Sailing across the Wetar Straits to Atauro Island.

Tua Koin Ecotourism project Atauro Island. Gabrielle Samson, Australian volunteer, with local friends.

Areia Branca, (white sand beach) east of Dili, view from the foot of the Jesus statute.

Friendship Schools Program

Nursery project with high school students, Los Palos supported by Mornington Peninsula Shire.

City of Port

Phillip projects in Suai.

Kevin Breen, General Manager, City of Darebin and Lino Torrezão, Director of State Administration (inc Local Government) at the opening of Buka Hatene Learning Centre in Baucau, July 2004.

Ballarat, Vic

City of Brisbane, QLD

City of Boroondara, Vic

City of Canberra ACT City of Darwin NT

Shire of Caloola Gympie, QLD

Cities of Yarra & Darebin, Vic

Whitehorse Friends of Oecessi, Vic

City of Leichhardt, NSW

City of Mooney Valley, Vic

City of Port Phillip, Vic

City of Casey, Vic

SSROC - Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils NSW

Mornington Peninsula Shire, Vic

City of Greater Geelong, Vic

Shire of Leeton, NSW

Shire of Hepburn Spring, Vic

City of Wangaratta, Vic

Shire of Bega Valley

Cities of Moreland and Hume, Vic

City of Kingston, Vic

Shire of Mansfield, Vic City of Stonington Vic

Shire of Melville,WA