The Australian government supported the 1969 Act of Free Choice and continues to uphold the fiction that the sham referendum was a legitimate act of self-determination. Reversing earlier support for West Papuan self-determination and the possibility of a unified island of New Guinea, the Australian government did what it could to ensure the Act of Free Choice lead to integration with Indonesia. The Australian military collected evidence of Indonesian atrocities directed towards West Papuan civilians, including evidence of rapes, beatings, lootings and torching of villages. The Federal Government concealed this information from the Australian public.

Declassified United States government and United Nations documents given to Australia before the Act of Free Choice took place estimated that 95% of West Papuan people supported independence. Despite this Australia continued to support the Act of Free Choice and gave their support to Indonesia's proposal to scrap a 'one person one vote' system.

When West Papuans resisted, the Australian government helped ensure their voices would not be heard. In May 1969, at the request of the Indonesian government Australian officials arrested and detained Willem Zonggonau and Clemens Runawery, two West Papuans who tried to travel to New York to protest against the conduct of the United Nations. The men were prohibited from leaving Manus Island when their plane stopped there to re-fuel. When the Indonesian military got wind of the men's departure they were furious and started to seek retribution. Terrified, Willem Zonggonau's younger sister fled across the border with thousands of other refugees where Australian officials detained her. During this time Australia shared intelligence with the Indonesia military. This close relationship continues to this day. Australian intelligence on border movements is still shared with the Indonesian military.

Australia played an active role in ensuring that the UN General Assembly accepted the result of the Act of Free Choice without debate. Australia lobbied countries that were concerned about the conduct of the vote, including Malta and several West African countries that supported self-determination for West Papua.

In early 1999, Australian government documents relating to the period surrounding the Act of Free Choice were released under the 30-year rule. These documents are held in the National Archives of Australia in Canberra, and formed the basis for Mark Worth's excellent documentary 'Act of No Choice', screened on SBS Dateline in 1999.

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