G20 summit to focus on economic growth, jobs: Australian PM Tony Abbott

NEW DELHI: In what could be music to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ears, his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott has said jobs and economic growth, and not climate change, will top the agenda at the upcoming G20 summit.

India and other fast developing economies are keen to keep the focus on boosting employment-led economic growth so that rich industrialised nations do not pin them down with targets on climate change that could cripple growth.

Ahead of the two-day summit in Brisbane, Abbott said, in a statement that could irk Australia’s close ally US that has agreed to a climate change deal with China, “For Australia, I’m focusing not on what might happen in 16 years’ time, I’m focusing on what we’re doing now and we’re not talking, we’re acting”.

Abbott made this statement in Myanmar, where representatives of several members of the G20 including India were present, highlighting the grouping’s agenda on worldwide economic growth and job creation. Modi is also likely to focus on global growth that will lead to creation of jobs in the country, officials said.