Balibó Five: 50 years on
Timor Leste President José Ramos-Horta is tonight delivering the annual Victoria University (VU) Jean McLean Oration, marking 50 years since the deaths of the Balibó Five and reflecting on the legacy.
It’s been half a century since five Australian-based journalists were killed in Balibó on 16 October 1975. Their deaths remain a defining moment in Australia’s relationship with Timor Leste, and their story continues to resonate across generations.
Held in collaboration with the Balibó House Trust, which is chaired by VU Chancellor the Honourable Steve Bracks, the Oration will be both a commemoration of the past and a reaffirmation of the ongoing work of the Trust to honour the Balibó Five through practical support and partnership in Timor Leste.
The fundraising event for the Trust is sold out, however it will be livestreamed:
Zoom: https://victoriauniversity.zoom.us/j/89488723753?pwd=6BIDO70YB1PbTaFEcNkgNP2LDOAHS6.1
Passcode: 422654
About The Balibó House Trust
The Balibó House Trust was established in memory of the Balibó Five: Greg Shackleton, Gary Cunningham, Brian Peters, Malcolm Rennie and Anthony Stewart, and has worked for more than two decades with the people of Balibó to support health, education and local development.
About the Jean McLean Oration
The Oration honours the long and distinguished career of The Honourable Jean McLean AM as a politician and activist, and the significant contribution she has made to public life, in particular to Timor Leste.
