Locals flee Brisbane before G20 summit

The mayor of the G20 host city "welcomed the world" on Friday and said Brisbane was ready to hold the biggest event in its history.

At a special news conference, Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the influx of international visitors has seen the majority of hotels in the region sold out.

But Quirk was concerned that many local residents of Brisbane were staying away from the city, and that this was hurting local businesses.