NO.058

COMMONWEALTH FINANCE MINISTERS MEETING, AND THE IMF AND WORLD BANK ANNUAL

MEETINGS

The Treasurer will represent Australia at a series of important meetings in

London, Washington and New York beginning early next week.

The Treasurer will attend the annual Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting

in London on 25-26 September where he will lead discussion on the world economic

situation. The meeting will discuss issues relating to sustainable economic

development, including follow-up actions from the United Nations Conference

on Financing for Development held in March 2002 in Monterrey, Mexico. In addition

the Treasurer will address business leaders and investors with an interest in

Australia on 23 and 24 September.

In Washington, the Treasurer will attend the Annual Meetings of the International

Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank on 28 and 29 September. The meetings

will provide an opportunity to discuss the outlook, risks and policy responses

to the global economy and roles of the IMF and its members in preventing and

resolving financial crises and combating the financing of terrorism. Discussions

will include progress in implementation of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries

Initiative.

In New York, the Treasurer will participate in the panel discussion on Asian

economic integration during the US Foreign Policy Association’s 2002 World Leadership

Forum, and he will give the keynote address at the Merrill Lynch 2002 Australasian

Investment Conference.

The Treasurer will also undertake a series of bilateral meetings with senior

government officials and financial and business leaders.

CANBERRA

19 September 2002

Contact: David Alexander

02 6277 7340