Posted
December 01, 2013 15:26:57
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Mr Abbott, with Queensland Premier Campbell Newman, says next year’s summit in Brisbane will be the most important gathering of leaders ever held in Australia. (AAP: Aman Sharma)
Australia has assumed the presidency of the G20 and invited Singapore and New Zealand to attend the leaders’ summit in Brisbane next year.
The host nation can invite two countries in addition to those who make up the group of the world’s major economies.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott says Australia has made its choice after officially taking over the year-long presidency.
Speaking at a press conference with Queensland Premier Campbell Newman, Mr Abbott said the summit would be the most important gathering of leaders ever held in Australia.
“The G20 brings together the leaders of 85 per cent of the world’s GDP, 75 per cent of the world’s trade, 65 per cent of the world’s population,” he said.
“The G20 is a good opportunity to contribute to the economic leadership of the world.
“It is a splendid opportunity to showcase our country and in particular, to showcase the great city of Brisbane.”
Singapore would be invited to the summit because it is “a key member of the global economic system”, Mr Abbott said.
“We’ll also be inviting New Zealand,” he said.
“New Zealand is Australia’s closest friend and we ought to give New Zealand this opportunity to stand proud and tall on the world stage.”
Will Australia be spying on leaders?
Mr Abbott sidestepped a question about whether Australia would spy on world leaders when they arrived in Brisbane.
Media reports linked to leaks from fugitive Edward Snowden this week detailed claims Canada’s spy agency helped the US spy on world leaders at the 2010 G20 in Toronto.
“I can promise leaders around the world who are visiting Australia that I’m going to be absolutely candid with them,” Mr Abbott said in response to the question.
“I won’t be saying anything in private that I don’t say in public.
“That’s my commitment to the leaders of the world and I want to build the best possible G20.
“Apart from that, I don’t comment on intelligence matters, never have, never will.”
Mr Abbott also says his Government’s decision to block the foreign takeover of Graincorp does not clash with his goals for the G20 meeting.
“We are one of the world’s most open economies and I doubt that there would be any other G20 economy where a large foreign business would have been able to purchase an effective monopoly of a major industry here in Australia,” he said.
Australia to show ‘practical leadership’, Abbott says
Mr Abbott says the summit should result in real economic outcomes.
“It is very important that we draw the right results from our G20 presidency, that it isn’t just a meeting but it is a year in which to show practical leadership to build stronger economies around the world and ultimately, to build a stronger economy and a better Australia,” he said.
Mr Abbott says the summit will deal with trade, banking and the governance of international bodies.
“We want international organisations, such as the IMF (International Monetary Fund), to better reflect modern economic realities,” he said.
“We want to ensure that our big banks right around the world are as safe as possible and we want to be promoting freer trade, not just trying to avoid new bouts of protectionism.”
Topics:
world-politics,
government-and-politics,
federal-government,
foreign-affairs,
brisbane-4000,
qld,
australia
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stories from Queensland
Australia assumes G20 presidency, invites Singapore, NZ
