It is the table that will bring together Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his diplomatic sparring partner, Russian President Vladimir Putin.
But the G20 conference table is also playing host to a very domestic political dispute, with the Coalition and Labor pointing the finger at each other over "frivolous spending" on the global talkfest in Brisbane next month.
A raft of Commonwealth contract documents reveal some of the eye-watering costs involved in hosting the G20, including $150,000 on getting the table to Brisbane.
A further $36,000 has been spent extending the table, purchased by former treasurer Peter Costello in 2006 for about $70,000, to accommodate eight extra international delegates.
Treasury engaged Canberra furniture maker Designcraft to extend the table, store and transport it to a number of lead-up G20 meetings before the Leaders' Summit.
The company filled a separate contract for $68,000 to supply chairs for the table.
Contacted by Fairfax Media, Designcraft manager Bob Fenderson said he was unable to comment in any way after signing a confidentiality agreement with Treasury.
Away from the conference table, contract documents reveal G20 spending includes:
- $150,000 to supply delegates with digital tablet devices
- $120,000 for "advice" on leasing armoured vehicles
- $127,000 for taxis
- $10 million–plus for hotels in Brisbane
- $34 million for security guards
Another Canberra company, Swell Design, which describes itself as "passionate, creative types", has been paid $1 million to create the signage for the G20 meetings during Australia's presidency.
Sydney company Tour Hosts has been paid $1.3 million for hosting duties.
Mr Abbott has been at pains to stress that he has actively reined in the "frivolous" plans of former prime minister Kevin Rudd. He recently told The Daily Telegraph that he had personally cut $8 million allocated for limousines for world leaders and $40,000 for "showbags".
He has also cancelled plans for temporary accommodation refits, insisting Mr Putin and others can slum it in five-star hotel suites instead.
But the Opposition said the latest contract documents were signed by the Coalition.
Labor's Pat Conroy MP, who heads the ALP's WasteWatch Committee, said: "The government has trying to spin that it is cutting costs, but this exposes that as a massive lie – these exorbitant contracts were released and awarded under Joe Hockey."
A Treasury spokeswoman said the contentious conference table had "done a lot of miles".
"It was built in 2006 for the G20 Finance Ministers' meeting in Melbourne and we have used it to host six different meetings throughout the year. It will also be used at the Leaders' Summit next month," she said.
"Treasury was given $44.5 million over three years as part of Australia's G20 host year to deliver the policy development, coordination and logistical arrangements for the G20 Finance Ministers' and Central Bank Governors' meetings.
"All of our meetings have come in under budget. We have worked very hard to keep costs down while delivering world-class events befitting Australia's position as host to the world's most influential economic leaders.
The table will take six workers eight hours to install at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre for the two-day meeting.
