Conflict has been the daily lot of West Papuans for forty-five years. But this week Australian business magnate Ian Melrose is putting the pressure on the Federal Government to amend an Australian-Indonesian treaty in a bid to lift the ban on journalists and human rights monitors in the province. Senior Lecturer for the University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy Dr Clinton Fernandes explains how the conflict started.

A new report looking into the killings of two US civilians and one Indonesian near the Timika Freeport mine in West Papua in 2002 presents strong evidence of involvement by the Indonesian military in the killings. Seven West Papuans were convicted last November for the murders. But University of California academic Eben Kirksey and Indonesian journalist and author Andreas Harsono, are raising concerns about not only the rule of law in Indonesia but also the continued power of the military to act with impunity. They provide fresh insights from Freeport mine employees and human rights workers involved in the case plus new evidence that the Indonesian military may have known about a planned attack near the Freeport mine a year before the deaths. Their views will undoubtedly put pressure on the Indonesian government to reopen the case. This exclusive report by Erica Vowles begins with former US political secretary to the US Embassy in Jakarta, Edmund McWilliams, who now works within the NGO community.

Click here to listen to part 2 of Erica Vowles' exclusive story on the Timika killings.

A formal charge has finally been announced for Australian detainee David Hicks - with the US government accusing him of "material support for terrorism". A second possible charge of attempted murder was dismissed, but the one remaining charge still carries a hefty weight - potential life imprisonment. Prime Minister John Howard is taking credit for the speed of proceedings now, but David's father - Terry - accused the PM of playing political games when he ambushed Mr Howard on talk back radio this morning. Terry Hicks accused the law of being retrospectively applied. Amnesty International's Katie Wood explains the problems with retrospective law. Shadow Attorney General Kelvin Thomson and constitutional law and human rights academic Professor Sarah Joseph question the system in place.

The Prime Minister continues to oppose same sex unions, twice rejecting attempts by the ACT government to make gay marriage legal in the territory. Mr Howard has responded to pressure from within his party and a report by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. Liberal MPS - including Warren Entsch, Peter Lindsay, Greg Hunt and Malcolm Turnball have been campaigning for legal changes to end discrimination. Last year, a HREOC inquiry revealed the enormous financial and emotional strain on gay and lesbian couples, with more than 60 pieces of federal legislation that specifically denied financial and work-related benefits to same-sex couples. Kelly Sheema says being in a lesbian relationship can be a legal nightmare. She believes the change of heart by the Prime Minister reflects a change of heart by the whole of Australian society.

Human Rights Commissioner Graeme Innes welcomes any moves towards equal rights under law and says it's a federal government responsibility.