G20 nations split on Russian leader Vladimir Putin's visit to Brisbane, Julie Bishop says
G20 nations are divided on whether to ban Russian president Vladimir Putin from the leaders' summit in Brisbane later this year, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says.
The Federal Government and Opposition have been highly critical of Russia's response to the MH17 plane crash as well as its behaviour towards Ukraine.
Treasurer Joe Hockey, who has been in Cairns for this weekend's G20 finance ministers' meeting, yesterday said Mr Putin was welcome to attend the Leaders' Summit in November and it was not Australia's role as host to exclude anyone.
Ms Bishop today said she "sounded out" other nations about the possibility of barring Mr Putin from the November meeting.
She said the view was that Mr Putin should attend the forum to face international condemnation of Russia's actions.
"I've taken soundings and countries are determined to ensure that the G20 remains the premier economic forum for global issues and there is a view that president Putin should turn up and face the international condemnation for its behaviour in relation to Ukraine," she said.
"The case of the G20, Australia is the host but we don't have the right to rescind invitations that have been sent. That would have to be a consensus view within the G20 and there isn't that consensus."
The world's most powerful finance ministers and central bankers have been meeting in the far north Queensland city this weekend ahead of the leaders summit in Brisbane later this year.
Mr Hockey said G20 nations were making "excellent progress" towards lifting global growth.
He said member nations have submitted more than 900 initiatives, including infrastructure investment and a crackdown on tax evasion, to meet a target to boost growth by 2 per cent over five years.
"We are 90 per cent of the way there to meet our 2 per cent growth goal, but I want to emphasise that there's a lot more for us to do, particularly off a lower base," he said.
"We showed a unanimous resolve to improve the effort."
Protesters call for sustainable future
Meanwhile, about 150 people marched through Cairns to protest against the G20's lack of action against climate change.
Police escorted the peaceful protesters and made a barricade when they reached the exclusion zone near the Convention Centre, where the event is being held.
The group then rallied at a park, a few blocks away from Convention Centre.
People's Climate March organiser Zelda Grimshaw said not enough was being done by the world's wealthiest nations to help the environment.
"Scientists are telling us climate action is urgent," she said.
"Business as usual means burning coal like there is no tomorrow. We want a sustainable future with air we breathe."
