Aust 'low priority on G20 list'
Posted
It appears the British Government has relegated Australia to a second tier of nations at G20 meetings on saving the global economy.
An embarrassing confidential paper was leaked just as the finance ministers of the 20 leading industrialised and developing nations kicked off their two-day meeting to devise an action plan to tackle the financial crisis.
Apparently, the British Government nominated a group of "high-priority states" led by the US, Japan, France and Germany.
The others, including Australia, do not warrant diplomatic lobbying.
Russia and Canada are also on the b-list.
British diplomats quickly insisted the document is not "a firm hierarchy of the most important states".
The conservative opposition criticised the Government arguing that "in particular it's wrong for Commonwealth countries like Australia and Canada to be put into the so-called second tier".
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