As reported in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, B4Ukraine, an international coalition of nearly 100 civil society organisations, has written to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urging the Australian Government to act on the August Senate report into the effectiveness of sanctions against russia, and ban imports of fuel refined from russian crude in third countries.
Thank you to our colleagues at B4Ukraine for this important advocacy, which echoes the calls the AFUO has been making.
Almost 3 months after the report was tabled, we have yet to see action from the Government. Yet every day the refining loophole stays open, russia earns money to fund its illegal and genocidal war on Ukraine.
According to figures cited by B4Ukraine, Australia imported an estimated $480 million worth of fuel made from russian crude in the first seven months of this year alone.
As our Chair Kateryna Argyrou told the paper, with Europe and the UK closed to this fuel, Australia is becoming a “dumping ground for blood oil.” And relying on russian oil doesn’t provide fuel security.
Australia has stood firmly with Ukraine, and we are grateful. But sanctions must be more than a statement. If Australia doesn’t need or want russian fuel — as the Government has said — that must include fuel refined from russian oil in third countries. It’s time to make that enforceable.
Read Rob Harris’ article here.
About B4Ukraine: an international coalition working to block russia’s access to the financial resources enabling its aggression.
#StandWithUkraine #Sanctions #BloodOil #StopFuellingrussiasWar
