Federal Attorney-General George Brandis has moved to block the release of secret archives that would reveal the Australian government's knowledge of Indonesian war crimes in East Timor.

Senator Brandis has issued a public interest certificate that will prevent Associate Professor Clinton Fernandes of the University of NSW from being present at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on Tuesday. It is the day the government will argue that Justice Duncan Kerr should reject Dr Fernandes' application for access to Australian diplomatic papers and intelligence on Indonesian military operations in East Timor more than 32 years ago.

Stumbling block: Attorney-General George Brandis has issued a public interest certificate. Credit:Andrew Meares

Consequently, Dr Fernandes will be unable to read, hear or directly challenge the government's arguments for continuing secrecy.

In the latest round in a six-year bureaucratic and legal struggle to secure declassification of records relating to Indonesia's invasion and occupation of East Timor, Dr Fernandes is seeking full access to two Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade files that contain reports about a major military offensive across the island in late 1981 and early 1982.