The G20 is the new the G8

[Jovial Monk]

Rudd one of the main movers for this.

The Group of 20 developed and developing nations -- which Australia is a member of -- is to become the world's main economic forum, the White House announced today as leaders attended a summit in Pittsburgh.

"Today, leaders endorsed the G20 as the premier forum for their international economic cooperation," a statement said.

"This decision brings to the table the countries needed to build a stronger, more balanced global economy, reform the financial system, and lift the lives of the poorest."

The G8 has served as the premier economic forum and held annual summits.

Australia is a member of the G20, but not of the G8, which comprises Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the United States.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/g20--its-th ... -g5u5.html

What is good about this? It is no longer a club just for the very richest countries. G20 includes developing economies like Brazil

[Ethnic]

That is good news - it will mean diverse opinions from both developed and developing economies. India and Turkey input will be very valuable although China would be concerning.

[Jovial Monk]

And we have a voice.

China, concerning or not, is becoming an economic powerhouse and will not be ignored.

[Jovial Monk]

Excellent article by Peter Hartcher this morning:

Australia is one of the world's most globally interconnected nations. It ranks eighth on the AT Kearney globalisation index published by Foreign Policy magazine in the US. Given the country's geography, this is quite amazing. One in five Australian jobs depends on international trade, according to Austrade's chief economist, Tim Harcourt.

Yet the moment the country's leader steps on to a plane to deal with any of these vital national interests, he is derided as an irresponsible hedonist, deaf to the cries of his needy people as he seeks exotic pleasures on the taxpayer tab.
...

The head of the Lowy Institute for International Policy, Michael Wesley, remarks: "Rudd put a lot of ideas out there, they raised a lot of eyebrows, and nobody really expected them to go anywhere. But they stirred people up, almost as if they were stirring people out of their complacency.

"They are starting to look a lot more credible. Rudd is starting to look like a bit like a visionary. He has taken foreign policy activism to a supercharged level. He's prepared to be bold and take a risk where others might be inclined not to.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/ ... -g68d.html

And Howard spent a lot of his time overseas watching cricket.

[Jovial Monk]

From PB:

Kevin Rudd floated three big ideas very early in his PMship. He was universally scorned, derided and laughed at. These were:

1. G20 to replace G8 – now is done. Remember Dubya immortal line: “What is G20?”.

2. Ban on nuke weapons – this week “the U.N. Security Council on Thursday unanimously endorsed a sweeping strategy aimed at halting the spread of nuclear weapons and ultimately eliminating them, to usher in a world with “undiminished security for all.”

Australia can help ban nukes: Evans - June 10, 2008 - Kevin Rudd yesterday announced Australia would kick-start the anti-nuclear weapons push by establishing a new commission on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. Critics have queried why Australia was taking on such an ambitious role.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 02,00.html

3. The new Asia Community – this was the one that he was universally laughed at. But many countries have now warmed to this new community. It’s a working progress.

Internationally he is without peer. Domestically, as long as, he got good support from Gillard, Swan and Tanner, the Gang of Four will rule.

Who is the pretty boy now?

[Ethnic]

And Howard spent a lot of his time overseas watching cricket.

Now, now Jovial Monk. For all you know, he was using telepathy to get his brilliant ideas to the powers-that-be while watching Ricky Ponting get bowled for a duck.

[Jovial Monk]

hehehehehe couldn't resist putting that bit in

[LeftofCentre]

Australia is becoming a more significant player on the world stage.

Howard contributed to this in his time, but for the wrong reasons - directly involving us in Dubya's dirty oil war.

Fittingly, it was Howard who got bowled for a duck

[deepthought]

Deleted

[Rainbow Moonlight]

Interesting question. I think it probably benefits Australia because it allows us to treat China and other countries as significant economically as they actually are, and encourages the US and other countries to do likewise. It also gives us and many other countries a voice that was not listened to before- it remains to be seen how much thsi will work in practice rather than just principle, but it sounds good to me for everyone.

I am an exixtentialist from way back. Make the forms of reality resemble closer the truth of reality and you have made progress in the right direction. That needs to be taken with a small pinch of salt in particualr individual cases- ie in the case of would be murderers, dictators etc, but as a general principle for making change that is meaningful it isn't bad.