C20 launches online consultations with civil society

Post date: Nov 25, 2013 11:35:50 PM

Please find attached details for the C20 policy consultation website www.C20.org.au as part of the larger preparations for the G20 in Brisbane, Australia next November 2014. If you could circulate to your constituents and interested colleagues, the C20 in Australia would be grateful.

C20 launches online consultations with civil society

Consultations with civil society ahead of next year’s G20 summit to be held in Australia commenced today with the launch of the C20 website.

Purpose built to allow civil society groups throughout the world the chance to help shape the 2014 G20 agenda, the website, www.C20.org.au, will be open for online voting for a month till 20 December.

The C20 is a group of civil society organisations that have been tasked with ensuring that community-level views help shape the agenda for the G20’s discussions and outcomes.

Head of the C20 Steering Committee, Tim Costello, today urged individuals as well as civil society groups throughout the world to take advantage of the opportunity to put their views forward.

“This is an important day for civil society, as we prepare well in advance for our participation at the 2014 G20,” Mr Costello said.

“All civil society members are welcome to participate in these consultations and we are urging groups across the globe to visit our website www.C20.org.au, so you can vote on those policy matters that are most important to you,”.

Mr Costello said that the final tally of votes from the online consultations would be used to shape the C20s list of priority issues to take to the G20 Leaders’ Summit to be held in Brisbane in November 2014.

“Once votes are counted we will set our agenda around the four key issues that our members have identified as the greatest priority.

The C20 which enjoyed unprecedented access at this year’s G20 Summit in Russia has now been established as a formal component of the ongoing G20 dialogue.

“The hard work we undertook in Russia last year to advance the economic reform issues that are important to civil society has paid off,” Mr Costello said. “We are also pleased that the Australian Government has sought the views of civil society in its own G20 agenda.

“The C20 consultation process is designed to make sure we can contribute thoughtfully to the G20 agenda”.

The G20 is the group of 20 nations which meets annually to progress economic reform. The Australian Government which assumes the presidency of the G20 on 1 December is hosting the G20, in Brisbane in November 2014.

For Further information about the C20 please contact Joanne Yates: +61 409 473 377

For an interview with Tim Costello please contact Mary-Louise O’Callaghan: +61 427 413 816

Background

On 1 December 2014, the Australian Government will assume the Presidency of the G20. The G20 is its leaders’ premier forum for discussing and fostering cooperation about important international economic reforms. One of the G20’s key priorities is to bring about ongoing, sustainable growth and job creation.

Recently, the G20 has recognised the need to engage with communities of interest on these issues including with unions, business, and civil society.

The C20 is the platform by which political leaders and civil society organisations will engage. The goal of the C20 is to advance important matters of public policy to the G20 where such matters will positively impact on the G20’s economic agenda.

The Australian C20 Steering Committee, appointed by the Government in June 2013, is keen to begin consulting on the key issues and has prepared a list of relevant issues which are highlighted on the website and include:

· Anti-Corruption

· Climate Finance

· Education

· Employment

· Energy and Sustainability

· Financial Inclusion and remittances

· Food Security

· Inequality

· Infrastructure

· Post MDGs

· Tax transparency

· Trade

It is these issues that the Australian C20 Steering Committee is keen to hear your views about. It now invites all civil society and non-government organisations, located here and internationally, to provide feedback on those issues that might be prioritised in the C20’s advocacy to the G20 Leaders’ Summit in November 2014. Please distribute the site to your members and to other peak groups. Your feedback is important to us.

The site will be open from 20 November to 21 December 2013.

If you have received this email more than once, it means you are a member of more than one organisation. Please note that the website will only register your vote once.

To participate in the consultation, please visit the C20 website http://www.c20.org.au/

Information regarding the Government’s approach to G20 can be found at: http://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/g20/

All the best

Marc

Marc Purcell

Executive Director

Australian Council for International Development