As reported in the media today, a letter signed by a powerful group of Australians has been sent to the Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, to urge the federal government to take action on diverting more than AU$9 billion in russian assets held in Australia to Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction.
The Supporters of Ukraine Network (SUN) considers that Australia should join other nations, such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Belgium and the EU, who are leading global action on how frozen russian assets can be used to support Ukraine.
They rightly contend that Australia could ‘punch well above its weight at no cost to the Australian taxpayer’ and that by taking its own action to divert AU$9 billion in russian assets, could make an enormous difference to Ukraine’s recovery.
Signatories to the letter include former Prime Ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott, former defence minister Marise Payne, business, trade union, religious and community leaders, former diplomats and prominent members of the Ukrainian-Australian community.
The AFUO agrees it is time for this dirty money to be used to pay for the devastation russia has inflicted on Ukraine.
We strongly urge the federal government to support international efforts to divert russian assets, and ensure Australia’s legislative framework allows russian assets in Australia to be used for Ukraine’s recovery.
As stated by the Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko today, ‘it is just for an aggressor to pay for the immense damage they have done to an innocent nation.”
Read the SUN letter here
Read the Sydney Morning Herald/The Age story here
