This week Brisbane will host the G20 Summit.
It’s the most important meeting ever held in Australia.
It won’t be a talkfest. It’s an economic summit – so it will focus on what can be done to create jobs, identify tax cheats and improve the world economy.
As this year’s President of the G20, Australia has set an agenda based on three themes:
First, to promote economic growth and jobs growth by strengthening the private sector.
Second, to make the global economy more resilient to future shocks.
And third, to strengthen global institutions because in uncertain times, strong institutions make all the difference.
Our focus is on the economy, because G20 members account for 85 per cent of the world economy and 75 per cent of world trade.
We have a very clear goal: to boost global economic growth by two per cent above what is currently expected over the next five years.
All the countries of the G20, including Australia, will be detailing their growth strategies at this summit.
Our plan reflects this Government’s Economic Action Strategy.
It focuses on the fundamentals: lowering tax, cutting red tape, investing in infrastructure, encouraging competition and increasing productivity.
Australia’s message to the world is that we are ‘open for business’.
I thank everyone who has worked so hard to ensure that Brisbane is ready for the summit.
It will be a big week for Brisbane with thousands of delegates and the international spotlight.
It will also be a big week for Australia – and I am confident that the G20 Summit will make a real difference to the lives of people right around the world.
9 November 2014