Europe’s plan for world dominationWith the European Union set to elect its first president and foreign minister, Europe is gearing up to flex its muscles as a genuine global superpower — and it will use the “Trojan Horse” of the G20 to do it, says Gideon Rachman.
G20
VIDEO: Kevin PM says, “look what I brought home from Pittsburgh”
The Prime Minister put this video out today, explaining why an invigorated G20 is important for the world’s economic future — and Australia. And especially the suburbs.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: The UN: messy, slow, absurd… important
Crikey readers weigh in on the G20, Ian Macfarlane, Centrelink, Zen and Respectember.
Henderson: The media sings along to Rudd’s G20 tune
There’s no doubt Rudd played an important role in the recent expansion of the G20’s power — but he certainly didn’t do it alone. So why is the media happily churning along with the ALP spin cycle by painting him as a lone visionary? asks Gerard Henderson.
Mungo MacCallum: Make no mistake, this is a new world order
The acceptance of the G20 as a rule-maker for the conduct of the world’s financial systems quite literally ushers in a new world economic order: a genuine democratisation that directly includes two-thirds of the world’s population and indirectly gives a voice to the rest.
Crikey Says: The lingering absurdity of the UN
This week we’ve had the world powers of the G20 and the UN General Assembly hitting the headlines. Except, only one of these two institutions is making any sense.
Your Say: Daily Mail readers' feedback: Sugar not so simple
The internet will kill off local booksellers more than large booksellers will, writes the CEO of Dymocks. Plus, Crikey readers weigh in on climate aid and the differences in sugar.
G20: present at the Ruddation
It won’t get any better than this for Rudd: he may have inherited the G20 from his predecessor, but it will now forever be linked to his name in Australian foreign policy.
G20: decoding the leaders’ communiqué
The official G20 Leaders’ communiqué was released this morning, assessing the policies released in April to fix the world’s economy. Bernard Keane breaks it down for us mere mortals.
Kevin Rudd’s big G20 win
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s key focus while in the United States was pushing for the G20 to become a “driving force” for economic cooperation. He got his way. The G20 summit has agreed the body will supersede the G8.
Carney: Rudd picks up where Costello left off on G20
In some ways, getting the G20 front and centre for global economic decision-making was a bipartisan Australian effort. It started with Peter Costello as Treasurer, backed up by Kevin Rudd, with some help from Barack Obama, says Shaun Carney.
Kevin Rudd spruiks the G20; let’s hope it’s not another APEC
Kevin Rudd’s priority has been to sell the American foreign policy establishment on the benefits of the G20 as the “driving centre” of a new global framework. But will it become just another pointless talkfest?
G20 Summit too late to be useful
The Group of 20 Summit in Pittsburgh is probably three to four months too late for the politicians to make much of an impact. The recovery in financial markets has drained much of the impetus for re-regulation and change.
Crikey Says: Rudd puts G20 front and centre
Rudd’s Foreign Policy Association speech – once you get past the obsequious praise of the United States – is an almost blunt demand that the G20 become the critical instrument of world economic regulation.
Rudd’s radical global reforms
Pals Kevin Rudd and Barack Obama may be due for their first rumble. Rudd’s major NY speech calls on the US for global leadership, while Obama tells the UN the US can’t fix the world’s problems.
CPRS polluter haggling crushes our national interest
You can’t drive the economy forward while looking in the rear-view mirror, and as the low carbon competitiveness report highlights, the longer we delay “the more costly the eventual transition will be”, writes John Connor .
Why the GFC will happen again
At the nadir of the GFC, few ideas seemed too extreme for consideration to overhaul the regulation of banks, write Theo Francis and Peter Coy. But the G20’s weakened reform plan won’t give the system the kick in the pants it needs.
GFC: Australia’s chance to shine
The GFC has meant a new global hierarchy is emerging and Australia’s relationships with emerging economies, such as Brazil and India, should not be underestimated for future negotiating power, writes Dennis Shanahan.
G20: home of the real economic
debate
Did the stimulus package work? That’s the only economic debate the Opposition and much of Australia’s media are mired in. But a lot more went down at G20 over the weekend. Like the Rudd government’s vindication.
How G20 unity prevented (more) economic disaster
Forget squabbling about minor issues, the G20 nations have stuck to very similar economic approaches to avert a GFC catastrophe — from stimuluses to bank guarantees. And it’s worked, says Anatole Kaletsky.
Political economy: costs of economic stimulus
As Wayne Swan heads for London to talk to less successful finance ministers with a positive GDP for the last quarter under his belt, some economists are questioning whether the number is fair dinkum, writes Henry Thornton.
G20: a watcher’s guide
Will you be glued to the news this weekend to catch every thrill and spill as finance ministers and central bankers from G20 nations get together for conversation and good times? Forbes has a guide to all the big issues you can expect to see emerge.
G20 leaders back Swan on stimulus
The world’s finance ministers at this weekend’s G20 meeting are expected to support Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan’s claim that it is too soon for countries to stop stimulating their economies to alleviate to world’s GFC woes.
The G20 circus is back in town
Finance ministers from around the globe are descending on London for the latest G20 meeting, where there are some serious talks to be had on exit strategies, the IMF and financial regulation.
IMF needs to up its credit limit
A truly global crisis calls out for a global response, but the IMF desperately needs to back up its talk with cash money.
