1. ROBIN HOOD gains momentum in Australia as G20 meetings begin

From a small handful of groups who began the campaign with Jubilee Australia end March, the Robin Hood Tax coalition in Australia has already grown to include 22 Development organisations, Unions, Green Groups and Faith communities around the country.

This weekend, Treasurer Wayne Swan will attend the G20 Finance Ministers’ Meeting in Washington where the Robin Hood Tax will be discussed. This tiny fee on financial trading is a real chance to improve the finance sector and make a genuine change to peoples’ lives in this lifetime. It will bolster public services, reduce global poverty and help tackle climate change.

SIGN UP on the website, if you haven’t already, or tell your friends: www.robinhoodtax.org.au

WRITE TO TREASURER TODAY (G20 meeting begins Friday 23 April). There is a letter prepared for you, or you can add your own words. Wayne Swan has already received 2000 emails from Australian supporters: LETTER TO TREASURER

Professor Frank Stilwell, University of Sydney “As a professional economist, I support this proposal. The ‘Tobin tax’ has been advocated by leading economists for over a quarter of a century, as a means of curbing speculation in currency markets. This more general application of a similar principle to financial transactions is appropriate and timely, especially in the wake of the global financial crisis. Taxes either raise revenue or deter the taxed behavior. In the case of the proposed Robin Hood tax the likely outcome would be a bit of both – revenue for progressive purposes and less financial speculation.That would be a step forward in making the economy serve, rather than frustrate, social needs.”

2. JUBILEE In Action

– MARCH Jubilee coordinated the public launch of the Robin Hood Tax campaign, with Australian profiles including Peter Singer, Julian Morrow, Professor Ross Buckley and Tim Costello uniting as spokespeople for the new initiative. See the Robin Hood Tax website for details of the media coverage.

– APRIL Jubilee, along with other NGOs, met with government representatives at the Multilateral Development Bank roundtable; Jubilee spoke about Climate Justice and the need for reform of the policies and practices of institutions like the World Bank, before they are given any role in administering funding for climate change adaptation.

– Also this month Jubilee made a detailed submission to EFIC (Export Finance and Insurance Corporation) outlining social and environmental concerns regarding their proposed financial support of extension of the Lihir mine in Papua New Guinea.

– Jubilee has also this month been preparing the framework for further research into the social and economic impacts of the PNG LNG project, to be undertaken over the next year.

3. COMING UP: Jubilee Sunday May 16

Jubilee invites those of our supporters involved in faith communities to take the opportunity, on Sunday May 16, to remember the prophetic Law of Jubilee in the Old Testament, and to reflect on how we can bring the spirit of the Jubilee Law (in its care for the environment and humanity, and in its desire to restructure systems and relationships legally) into our world today.

Ecumenical Resources for use on May 16, plus an accompanying Fact Sheet on Haiti, are ow available from our website.
http://www.jubileeaustralia.org/jubilee-sunday-2010