Australia and Timor-Leste: a brawl between neighbours or rules-based international order?

The debate about Australia's border dispute with Timor-Leste continues to entice bloggers, reporters, experts and others to put forward emotional positions.

These are based on imagination and occasionally rational thought and sometimes (very rarely) on principles of international law.  

Australia says it is committed to rules-based international order, according to Prime Minister Turnbull.  Unilateral actions are in nobody’s interest. They are a threat to the peace and good order of the region on which the economic growth and national security of all our neighbours depend. These differences should be resolved by international law.  

He might have been talking about the border dispute with Timor-Leste.

Allastar Cox says that Australia's treaties with Timor-Leste in fact form part of the Government's commitment to a rules-based international system.