2014 G-20 Brisbane summit
| 2014 G-20 Australia summit | |
|---|---|
| Host country | Australia |
| Date | 15-16 November 2014 |
| Venue(s) | Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre |
| Cities | Brisbane |
| Participants | G-20 members |
| Follows | Russia summit, 2013 |
| Precedes | Turkey summit, 2015 |
| Website | G20 Australia 2014 |
The 2014 G-20 Australia summit will be the ninth meeting of the G-20 heads of government.[1] It will be held in Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, Australia, on 15 and 16 November 2014. The hosting venue will be the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.[2]
On 1 December 2013 Brisbane became the official host city for the G20.[3] The City of Brisbane will have a public holiday on 14 November 2014.[4]
Up to 4,000 delegates are expected to attend with around 2,500 media representatives.[5]
Agenda
Australian media says that Australia will have a significant effect on the agenda.[1]
Preparations
The Prime Minister of Australia at the time of the 2011 G-20 Cannes summit, Julia Gillard, was asked to have Australia host the 2014 summit.[1] Brisbane was selected over Sydney because the city was better equipped to cater for a significant increase in plane arrivals and the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre will be undertaking renovations at the time.[6]
The event will involve a complex security operation. Event organisers will need to ensure that appropriate security measures are in place to protect visitors, while minimising disruptions to inner-city residents and businesses.[7] Roads between the central business district and the Brisbane Airport will be temporarily closed. Around 1,500 security specialists including interstate and overseas personnel together with thousands of Queensland police will make patrols.[8] All public transport services traveling close to event venues will be cancelled.
A secure, government wireless network is required for public safety communications during the summit. Telstra will establish the network in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Cairns before the event and later continue rolling it out across South East Queensland.[9]
Criticism
Lock down of CBD area
The CBD is expected to go into a cordoned off, lock down area. This will be between the 14 and 17 of November - four days. Freedom of movement for ordinary citizens will be severely restricted. Citizens living within the cordoned area will be given passes and will have to undergo security checks - however the scope and nature of these checks have not been publicly announced. Residents not receiving a security clearance will be forced to leave the area, but will be paid accommodation expenses.
Media statements on Channel 7 and 9 in mid January 2014 now indicate that residents will be "locked into their homes" in the CBD and Southbank.
Suspension of civil liberties
The "G20 (SAFETY AND SECURITY) BILL 2013", (Qld) will suspend important civil liberties, including the absolute right to arrest without cause, in addition to the police powers act, 2000, to detain people without charge, to predispose the courts into not giving arrested individuals bail, extensive searches of the person without warrant, including strip searches, the banning of common household items carried in public. Officers have the backing of increased penalties when lawful directions are not followed.
Cancelled public transport services
Media statements from police indicate that public transport will likely be cancelled for the 2 days to South Bank, and most probably to the city as well.
Finance meetings
G20 finance ministers and central bank governors will meet several times in 2014. Sydney will host a meeting on 21-23 February [10] followed by a meeting in Cairns, Queensland in September 2014.
Canberra will host a meeting for G20 finance and central bank deputies in 2014.[11]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "World leaders ask Australia to host next G20 summit in 2014 " The Australian, 5 November 2011
- ↑ "Brisbane to shunned Sydney: 'Get used to it'". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ↑ Cameron Atfield (1 December 2013). "Brisbane takes centre stage with G20 handover". Brisbane Times (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 1 December 2013.
- ↑ "Brisbane to get G20 public holiday". The Courier Mail. 21 June 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
- ↑ "G20 - 2014". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 20 December 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
- ↑ "Gillard's G20 choice ruffles Sydney's feathers". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- ↑ "G20 challenge city milestone". The Courier Mail. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ↑ Thomas Chamberlin (19 January 2013). "CBD to become Fortress Brisbane for G20 lockdown, but ring of steel to be as 'low-key' as possible". The Australian (News Limited). Retrieved 20 January 2013.
- ↑ Sarah Vogler (3 September 2013). "Queensland Government to build secure $457 million digital radio network impregnable to eavesdroppers". The Courier Mail (Queensland Newspapers). Retrieved 10 September 2013.
- ↑ "Sydney to host G20 finance meeting in 2014". news.com.au. 20 March 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
- ↑ "Canberra cashes in on G20 meeting". ABC News. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
External links
Media related to G-20 major economies at Wikimedia Commons