Australia was complicit in crimes against humanity committed by Indonesia during an anti-communist purge after   October 1, 1965, according to a civil society initiative held in a church in The Hague. 
The International People's Tribunal, which was held in The Hague over four days last   November, is not a criminal court and has no power of enforcement.
The tribunal said the murder of about 500,000 people was aimed at annihilating a section of the population and could be categorised as genocide.
Seven international judges found Australia, Britain and the US were all complicit to differing degrees in the commission of these crimes.
They found the US supplied lists of the names of officials from the now defunct Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI), when there was a strong presumption this would lead to their arrest and/or execution.
"The UK and Australia conducted a sustained campaign repeating false propaganda from the Indonesian army, and that they continued with this policy even after it had become abundantly clear that killings and other crimes against humanity were taking place on a mass and indiscriminate basis," the tribunal's findings, released on   July 20, said.
It said the propaganda against those accused of being linked to the PKI helped to justify the extra-legal persecution, detention and killing of alleged suspects, and to legitimise sexual violence and other inhumane conduct.
The judges said it was regrettable Indonesia did not accept the invitation to take part in the tribunal, noting the US, Britain and Australia also failed to do so.
They recommended the Indonesian government apologise to the victims, survivors and their families and investigate the crimes against humanity. "The Indonesian genocide must be included among the major genocides of the 20th century," the tribunal said.
Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla said last   November that Indonesia would not respond to the findings of the tribunal.