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Brisbanites adjust to a town turned quiet by G-20

In this Thursday Nov. 13, 2014 photo, taxi driver Jimmy Khattra stands by his cab in the central business district ahead of the G-20 conference in Brisbane, Australia. Khatta said, "At this point of time it's quite quiet for us but we don't know what it will be like on Friday and Saturday, It might get busy, with so many delegates and maybe 20,000 people. So probably it gets busy." (AP Photo/Mark Baker) In this Thursday Nov. 13, 2014 photo, taxi driver Jimmy Khattra stands by his cab in the central business district ahead of the G-20 conference in Brisbane, Australia. Khatta said, "At this point of time it's quite quiet for us but we don't know what it will be like on Friday and Saturday, It might get busy, with so many delegates and maybe 20,000 people. So probably it gets busy." (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

By Associated Press November 14, 2014 1 min read

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) – Life can be pretty quiet in the international spotlight for ordinary Brisbanites as their city hosts this year’s G-20 summit of the world’s biggest economies. “Ghost town” is a phrase some used as they watched locals leave town. Many shop owners saw business evaporate, while others closer to the action have gotten a better and more lucrative taste of global diplomacy.

Here are portraits of several Brisbane residents, and their thoughts on the summit, by Associated Press photographers Mark Baker, Tertius Pickard and Rob Griffith.