Boosting economic growth should get top priority at G20 summit

JUST four weeks to go before the leaders of 20 economies meet in Australia at the annual G20 summit, the final gathering of the world's major powers on such a scale before the year ends.

While they should use the occasion to discuss the most pressing issues of the day, much of the talk in the build-up to the event in Brisbane has centred on what will transpire now that Canberra has confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the top-level meeting.

Australia and many other countries are still seething over the shooting down of a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet by Russian- backed separatists in Ukrainian airspace in July, killing all 298 people on board, including 38 Australian citizens and residents. It would be a pity if the Group of 20 meeting were to be overshadowed by any controversy surrounding Mr Putin's attendance.