INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

G20 goes soft on Russia

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 20-Nov-24

The final declaration of the G20 leaders’ summit in Rio de Janeiro has failed to mention the 7 October 2023 terrorist attacks on Israel. The declaration merely stated "deep concern" regarding the "catastrophic humanitarian situation" in the Gaza Strip and the escalation of the conflict in Lebanon. It also emphasised the need for an "unwavering commitment" to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while not mentioning the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza or the roles of Hamas and Hezbollah in the current hostilities. The final declaration also did not specifically refer to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but noted the "human suffering and negative added impacts of the war" in Ukraine. The G20 leaders also did not commit to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

CORPORATES
GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20)

Tensions over China need global solution: Morrison

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 4 : 28-Aug-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the growing tensions between the US and China are an "inevitable consequence" of the latter’s success. He adds that it had been the intention to lift China out of poverty via a reconstruction plan after the Second World War, but the world is now confronted with the question of what to do now that China has become a success. Morrison also says the rise of China requires a new "global architecture", which must include China.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

PM calls for US-China calm

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 26-Jun-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will use his first foreign policy speech since the 18 May election to urge the US and China to resolve their trade dispute, stressing that they must act in the global interest rather than their own interests. Morrison’s speech on 26 June will also warn that the trade tensions are causing "collateral damage" in the Asia-Pacific region, and that Australia is prepared to act in its own economic and security interests if the dispute worsens.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20), WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION

Trade spat a global threat: PM

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 30-Nov-18

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned that the US-China trade war could undermine global economic growth. He has stressed the importance of the upcoming G20 leaders’ summit to the outlook for the global economy, and he has urged the US and China to use the summit to resolve their trade spat. Many world leaders regard the G20 summit in Buenos Aires as the most important one to be held since the global financial crisis.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20), UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION, ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH-EAST ASIAN NATIONS, INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND

Australia rises to 19th in IMD rank of competitiveness

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 24-May-18

Australia has risen from 21st to 19th in the International Institute for Management Development’s latest "World Competitiveness Yearbook". The IMD has attributed Australia’s improved global competitiveness to factors such as population growth, a stable exchange rate and a strong investment environment. However, Committee for Economic Development of Australia CEO Melinda Cilento notes that the nation is still underperforming with regard to metrics such as productivity and tax rates.

CORPORATES
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT, COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA

PM wins steel deal from Trump

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 10-Jul-17

The Group of 20 summit’s final communique included a commitment to free trade and combating protectionism, although it also featured a clause on tariffs at the request of the US. Meanwhile, Prime Malcolm Turnbull and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann pushed for Australian steel and aluminium to be exempt from proposed US import tariffs in a series of meetings with US officials, including President Donald Trump. Australia has also agreed to finalise free trade agreements with Indonesia and the European Union by the end of 2017 and 2018 respectively.

CORPORATES
GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20), AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, UNITED STATES. DEPT OF COMMERCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL, STEELSCAPE INCORPORATED, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

Turnbull tells China: rein in North Korea

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Original article by Simon Benson, Ean Higgins
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 10-Jul-17

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had a private meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Group of 20 summit in Germany. Turnbull urged China to exert its influence on North Korea amid growing tensions over its missile program. Meanwhile, Turnbull has expressed disappointment that the G20’s final communique did not include a statement on North Korea, despite "unanimous condemnation" of the North Korean regime among G20 member nations. US policy on climate change was also reflected in the communique, which did not have a unanimous position on the issue.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20), UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIAN STRATEGIC POLICY INSTITUTE LIMITED, GREAT BRITAIN. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DCNS SA

Labor to embrace free-trade agenda

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Original article by Greg Sheridan
The Australian – Page: 5 : 6-Jul-17

The Australian Labor Party’s foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong will warn against any push toward protectionist trade policies in a Lowy Institute speech on 6 July. Wong will stress Labor’s commitment to open trade and globalisation, arguing that trade barriers are not in the nation’s interests. She will also highlight the importance of Australia’s long-standing alliance with the US and the need to further strengthen the relationship between the two nations. Establishing closer ties with Asia will also be a feature of Labor’s foreign policy.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LOWY INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL POLICY

ATO leads global attack on Panama tax haven

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Original article by Neil Chenoweth
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 9 : 13-Apr-16

The Australian Taxation Office’s Mark Konza will chair a meeting of international tax officials in Paris. The meeting has been convened by Australia’s Tax Commissioner, Chris Jordan, in response to the leaking of the tax haven documents of Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca. Jordan will propose establishing a global investigation into tax evasion which would involve tax experts from 28 nations. The leaked documents include the names of about 800 Australians.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, MOSSACK FONSECA, INTERNATIONAL CONSORTIUM OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT, JOINT INTERNATIONAL TAX SHELTER INFORMATION AND COLLABORATION NETWORK, AUSTRALIAN CRIME COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT. AUSTRALIAN TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ANALYSIS CENTRE

‘Stepping stone to growth’

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 7-Oct-15

Australian businesses in a range of sectors will benefit from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which will account for about 40 per cent of the global economy. Trade Minister Andrew Robb is hopeful that other nations will sign up to the Pacific Rim trade deal, after 12 nations reached agreement on the TPP on 6 October 2015. However, the trade deal must still be ratified by each nation, and there are concerns that it could be rejected by the US and Canadian legislatures.

CORPORATES
TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABORATORY SERVICES PTY LTD, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, DEMOCRATIC PARTY (UNITED STATES), REPUBLICAN PARTY (UNITED STATES), AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, CHINA. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE