The Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister today launched a key dialogue with 27 business leaders to ensure Australian business is in the box seat to take advantage of Australia's G20 Presidency in 2014.
The Australian Business 20 (B20) Leadership Group met for the first time today, bringing together senior businessmen and women ahead of next year's G20 summit in Australia.
Hosting the G20 – which accounts for 85 per cent of the world economy - next year will be an unprecedented opportunity for Australia to drive an ambitious global economic agenda that is focused on growth and jobs.
The Australian economy continues to outperform our peers and the eyes of the world will be on us as we promote our country as one of the most attractive destinations to invest in the world.
We will work with leaders in business, unions, civil society, youth and public policy to add their unique experiences, ideas and knowledge into this new dialogue.
The G20 summit will be held in Brisbane in November next year bringing together the leaders of the most important economies to Australia. We want to ensure that Australians are engaged in the lead up to the summit.
Business will play a central role in addressing the global economic challenges facing the G20 over this year and next – finding new sources of growth, creating jobs and building confidence.
That is why the Australian B20 Leadership Group led by Wesfarmers CEO Richard Goyder was announced in February to advise the Australian Government on priorities for next year's summit.
This group brings together Chairs and CEOs from some of Australia's largest companies to share their views and to organise the B20 summit to be held next year. The B20 itself will bring to Australia, the heads of the largest and most significant companies from across the world.
At today's meeting B20 Chair, Mr Goyder, observed that the group would work with the wider international business community to bring their perspectives to the G20 agenda.
Mr Goyder also noted that given the significance of trade and investment within the Asian region to Australia the B20 group will deeply engage with Asian business and explore issues critical to strengthening and deepening economic relationships between Australia and Asia.
Australia's engagement through the B20 will allow our business relationships and people-to-people links with the growing Asian region to flourish fostering greater economic cooperation through the region.
The Government remains committed to working with all partners in our economy given the shared responsibility and common interest in achieving strong and balanced growth with more jobs.
The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister also welcomed Mr Goyder's appointment of Robert Milliner as his B20 sherpa.
Mr Milliner brings great experience to the role including a long and distinguished career at leading law firm King & Wood Mallesons and six years as a director of the Business Council of Australia.
SYDNEY