The National Post is Canada’s second largest national paper.
“Unhindered by the foreign funded environmental coalition
that is attempting to destroy a large part of Canada’s
economic future by preventing pipelines linked to Alberta’s
oil sands, the terminals at Darwin will collect gas
harvested from the Timor Sea and shipped via a 890-
kilometre underwater pipeline.”(Matthew Fisher-Nationa Post)
DARWIN, AUSTRALIA – Exports of iron ore, gold, bauxite and liquefied natural gas to Asia are fuelling a phenomenal wave of economic expansion for Australia.
Keeping accurate tabs on the number of mega-projects is as difficult as it is to figure out the exact size of its economy because it is expanding so quickly.
The iron ore industry is expected to increase exports five-fold by the end of the decade. Figures for the growth in gas exports are projected to be much bigger. The high price of gold has also been a boon.
While most of the West frets about tomorrow, at least $300 billion will be spent soon on mills, drilling rigs, pipelines, heavy machinery, port dredging, marine supply bases and railways for projects that have been approved for Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
The marine collection terminal that is the final link in one of the larger developments which got the green light last month – the $37-billion Ichthys natural gas field – will be built near Darwin Harbour.
Unhindered by the foreign funded environmental coalition that is attempting to destroy a large part of Canada’s economic future by preventing pipelines linked to Alberta’s oil sands, the terminals at Darwin will collect gas harvested from the Timor Sea and shipped via a 890-kilometre underwater pipeline.
That deal and others are set to transform Darwin. The median price for a house here is already more than $600,000, and prices are expected to soar when up to 40,000 highly paid jobs are created, attracting workers from the heavily populated southeast who will become truck drivers, welders, metal fitters, electricians, mechanics and carpenters.
Similar trends can be seen in Brisbane, on the Pacific Ocean coast, and Perth on the Indian Ocean coast, the two other gateways to Australia’s colossal underground and underwater wealth.
One of the big reasons such developments are happening faster in Australia than in Canada is because getting environmental approvals only takes 12 to 18 months. Some of that difference may be made up when the Harper government implements urgently needed reforms to the review processes.
For the rest of this article, please go to the National Post website: http://www.nationalpost.com/Australia+experiences+huge+wave+expansion/6130787/story.html