* Germany pushes back at US calls for more fiscal stimulus
* Goal of faster global growth more distant as forecasts cut
* G20 seeking billions in lost tax revenue from multinationals
* Host Australia expects Russia to be at leaders' summit in Nov
By Lincoln Feast and Gernot Heller
CAIRNS, Australia, Sept 20 (Reuters) - As the Group of 20 leading economies meet to change no less than the "destiny" of the global economy, members remain divided on how to get there with Germany pushing back at U.S. calls for more government stimulus.
Opening the meeting of finance ministers and central bankers, Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey outlined an ambitious agenda of boosting world growth, fireproofing the global banking system and closing tax loopholes for giant multi-nationals.
"We have the opportunity to change the destiny of the global economy," said Hockey, who back in February launched a campaign to add 2 percentage points to world growth by 2018 as part of Australia's presidency of the G20.
That goal has seemed ever more distant as members from China to Japan, Germany and Russia have all stumbled in recent months. Just this week, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) slashed its growth forecasts for most major economies.
A call from U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew for the euro zone and Japan to do more to boost demand and revive activity, signalling out Germany as having scope to do much more thanks to its burgeoning trade surplus, drew a cool response.
"We will not agree on short-sighted stimuli," a German G20 delegate said, arguing that in most countries debt was still too high to allow for increased spending.
Berlin has been under intense pressure to allow the euro zone to ease back on fiscal austerity and to stimulate its economy through more government spending or tax cuts.
GEOPOLITICS A THORN
The outlook for growth has not been helped by geopolitical tensions, from fighting in the Middle East to the strife between Russia and Ukraine.
Hockey said Australia, as the G20 host this year, had sought feedback from other G20 members on whether Russia should attend the meeting of leaders in Brisbane in November.
There had been calls from some quarters to block President Vladimir Putin from attending the summit given Russia's actions in Ukraine and the downing of airliner MH17.
The overwhelming consensus was that the door be left open to continue engagement with Russia, said Hockey.
Geopolitical tensions were also high on the agenda when financial policymakers of Japan, China and South Korea held their first trilateral meeting in more than two years in Cairns on Friday.