Today I will commence an official visit to Washington D.C. and New York to attend the G20 Finance Ministers' and Central Bank Governors' Meeting and the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Annual Meetings.
The meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors is of pivotal importance as Australia takes the presidency of the organisation from 1 December 2013.
I will also be holding a number of bi-lateral meetings with my colleagues, including the Finance Ministers of India, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Turkey, France and the Eurogroup.
Further to these meetings, the trip will provide the opportunity to meet with a number of other key international decision makers including the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, the Managing Director of the IMF, Christine Lagarde, and the President of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim.
In New York, I will deliver a keynote address to the American Australian Association titled 'Australia: Open for Business', as well as meeting with a number of key international business leaders and rating agencies.
This trip will build on the relationships fostered during my time as a Minister in the previous Coalition Government and my time as Shadow Treasurer.
The trip will also improve Australia's understanding of the range of risks facing the global economic recovery including the impact of the United States Government Budget shutdown and the US debt ceiling debate.
From 1 December this year Australia will be chairing the G20. World leaders will meet in Brisbane and G20 Finance Ministers will meet in Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns.