Last week Morrison told Fairfax Media he would take no part in any weakening of the G20's pro-trade stance - but that's just what happened. The G20 was right royally Trumped, its public free-trade commitment blown out of the water.

The mealy-mouthed platitudes of the final communique mean nothing. That's why the US was prepared to go along with it. Instead of the previous pledge to resist protectionism, members only say they'll be "working to strengthen the contribution of trade to our economies" - which could mean anything at all - and that they would "strive to reduce excessive global imbalances, promote greater inclusiveness and fairness and reduce inequality in our pursuit of economic growth".

That bit sounds ominous as Trumpland believes it's the victim of excessive trade imbalances and has been treated unfairly by unequal treaties. This G20 communique could be waved as approval for Trump to disregard the World Trade Organisation, tear up agreements and dubiously insist on "America first".

"I don't expect to see any change in the disposition of members of the G20, broadly speaking, from anything they've said before, which has been a pro-trade, pro-growth position," Morrison said last week. "I suspect the United States will come in a very constructive frame of mind and I think the new Treasury secretary will be looking forward to the opportunity to hear and listen to what the views are of the other member countries of the G20."

Ah, no. That prediction has left Morrison scrambling after the event with alt-facts.

"I was pleased to see the support for trade in the G20 communique," he said in a statement on Sunday. Journalists seem to have been fed the line that the communique's meaningless mouthings were personal triumph of Scott Morrison's diplomatic skills.

The best that can be said about Morrison's "win" is that G20 communiques don't end up mattering much anyway, despite the fevered negotiating that goes into them. Anyone remember all the work and hoopla of "Putin shirt-front" 2014 Brisbane meeting that pledged to increase the G20's GDP growth "by at least an additional two per cent by 2018", adding more than $US2 trillion ($2.6 trillion) to the global economy and creating millions of jobs? No - with a bit over nine months to go, it's not happening.

There is a worrying aspect though to 2017's communique, that sad thing fished out from among the used BandAids of Baden-Baden spa's skimmer box. It suggests the US Treasury Secretary - Steven Mnuchin, fresh off the Goldman Sachs assembly line - is down with Trump on trade, talking the "fair and balanced" talk. With no shortage of loony individuals in Trump's inner circle, it was hoped Mnuchin might have been a voice of reason.