The world's top economies have embraced a goal of generating more than $2 trillion in additional global output during the next five years, which they say will generate tens of millions of new jobs.
The goal is seen as indicating the end of the worst of the crisis-era austerity, and a belief the goals of global economic growth of 3.75% this year, rising to 4% or above next year, are achievable.
Australia has taken over the presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) nations. Russia was the chair in 2013 and Turkey takes over next year.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has given New Zealand unprecedented access to G20 meetings across the Tasman, with Finance Minister Bill English attending the finance ministers and central bankers meeting in Sydney at the weekend.
Although used to rubbing shoulders with some of the world's leading financiers, Mr English had a chance at the weekend to see first-hand new Federal Reserve chairwoman Janet Yellen, European Central Bank president Mario Draghi and International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde in action.
These three people have an enormous impact on the global economy and New Zealand, despite weathering the global financial crisis better than most, has been affected by the actions of the three top central bankers.
The growth plans borrow wholesale from an IMF paper prepared for the G20 meeting, which estimates structural reforms will raise world growth by about 0.5% per year over the next five years, boosting global output by about $2.25 trillion.
The target remains vague, with no road map on how nations intend to get there or repercussions if they never arrive.
The aim was to come up with a goal now, then have each country develop an action plan and a growth strategy for delivery at a November summit of G20 leaders in Brisbane.
Agreeing to any goal is a step forward for the group, which has failed in the past to agree on fiscal and current account targets.
Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said the growth goal will be framed as aspiration, rather than a hard target.
The deal is something of win for Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey, who hosted the meeting, and who spearheaded the push for growth in the face of some scepticism, notably from Germany.
One of the major economic issues facing emerging economies is the speed of tapering adopted by the Fed.
There has never been a suggestion the Fed will step back from its programme of reducing the amount of bonds and other financial instruments its buys each month.
As the United States economy improves, the Fed sees less need for its financial support.
However, the tapering has led to bouts of capital flight from some of the more vulnerable markets.
The G20 acknowledged concerns around these actions by saying all of its central banks maintain their commitment monetary policy settings will be carefully calibrated and clearly communicated, in the context of ongoing exchange of impacts on the global economy.
The G20 also stated it deeply regretted the lack of progress on giving emerging nations more say in the IMF.
Several issues from the G20 meeting at the weekend will resonate in New Zealand, particularly the progressing of plans to make sure multinational companies pay their fair share of tax.
Big budget deficits - and revelations companies such as Apple and Google use structures that lawmakers have labelled ''contrived'' to avoid billions of dollars of taxes - have led to growing calls to close corporate tax loopholes.
Setting an aspirational goal is progress in itself, but it behoves global finance ministers and central bankers to ensure they explain clearly the direction in which they plan to monitor and manage global growth.
Lifting economic growth among the top 20 economies does not necessarily mean the next 20 down feel the gains.
For growth to become truly global, aspirations must be turned into accessible goals so as not to leave behind emerging economies which will play a major role in the future.
