Brandis pleased with East Timor ruling

An International Court of Justice ruling that Australia doesn't have to hand back to East Timor sensitive documents relating to a $40 billion oil and gas treaty is a good outcome, the government says.

Attorney-General George Brandis says Australia will comply with court orders to keep the documents under lock and key until further notice.

The documents in question were seized last December when ASIO agents raided the office of Canberra lawyer Bernard Collaery.

He is part of the East Timorese legal team challenging the bilateral Treaty on Certain Maritime Arrangements in the Timor Sea.

East Timor launched a bid to get the documents back but the ICJ ruled overnight that while Australia didn't have to hand them over, it couldn't use them in the court case either.

The court further banned Canberra from spying on any communications between Dili and its lawyers regarding the ongoing dispute.

"The Australian government is pleased with the decision of the International Court of Justice," Senator Brandis said in a statement.

"The order of the court extended, until the final hearing of the case, undertakings which were offered by Australia during the course of the hearing.

"These orders will, of course, be complied with."