Open letter to Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard
The Robin Hood Tax Coalition has just sent a copy of our open letter to Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard to all Australian federal Members of Parliament and Senators.
We wrote:
“As nations seek to provide for citizens and avoid another devastating financial crisis, we need action now to raise funds for real social needs in developed and developing countries, and to reduce speculation. As Australia builds its profile as a financial hub, we will need a stable and strong global economy in which to participate. As the developed world grapples with how to source the billions of dollars they are legally obligated to raise to support developing countries dealing with climate change, new sources of revenue are needed. All these ambitions are interconnected. Members of the Eurozone are proposing to implement a regional FTT to contribute to these ambitions of market stability and revenue raising. The G20 is the appropriate forum to debate how this initiative can benefit the global economy.
We concur with your call for the leaders of the G20 to step up to the ambitious agenda of creating collective solutions. You reminded the leaders’ that their “task is to deliver for the people of the countries that have elected us to represent them”. We agree that political leaders must give priority to protecting the interests of all citizens, and in particular to generating new revenue streams and reducing incentives for the hyper-speculative and risky market behaviour that led to the GFC.
We therefore urge you and the Australian Government to enable debate and forward movement on the FTT concept at the G20 in this year.”
The letter was signed by 54 Australian and international organisations, seven coalitions and four Australian economic experts. You can download a copy of the Letter to Australia Prime Minister 23 June 2011.
