Feds to foot bill for $370m Brisbane G20 summit
The Australian government will pay most of the costs for the G20 summit to be hosted in Brisbane in 2014.
Queensland premier Campbell Newman has told parliament Queensland could not afford to contribute a significant amount to costs of the meeting of world leaders.
“As this event is clearly a Government Commonwealth responsibility, an agreement has been reached that the Commonwealth government will pay a majority of the cost, as it has with similar events in other states,” he said.
Mr Newman said the community would not lack police services while attention was focused on the G20.
“The Prime Minister has agreed to the Queensland Government’s request for funding, including additional police costs,” he said.
“At my request, the Australian government has also given the undertaking that no Queensland community will be left with inadequate police resources due to the summit.”
The summit will be held on November 14-15, 2014. With a cost estimated at $370 million, there will be 4000 delegates and 3000 media.
Mr Newman said the federal government had agreed to provide funding to upgrade Queensland’s communication network from analogue to digital, especially for police.
“This is a measure for ensuring important public security during this event and will provide a much-needed resource for Queensland police ahead of the planned schedule,” he said.