Premier talks up economic state, outlook
WA Premier Colin Barnett last week sounded an upbeat note, citing long-term growth in China and India and State Government spending in the Pilbara as reasons to be optimistic about Port Hedland's future.
Addressing Hedland business leaders during a breakfast gathering at Wanangkura Stadium, the Premier said although China's high economic growth rates had slowed, the Asian giant would continue growing at a slower pace over the next decade.
He also tipped Port Hedland to play a growing role in the North West's natural gas industry as he forecast Australia would become the world's largest LNG producer by the end of this decade.
"This decade, we will see iron ore production double for Western Australia and we will see liquefied natural gas production treble," he said.
"(Western Australia) has been growing at over 5 per cent for the last 10 years, well above the national growth rate.
"And while it will dip a bit this year, that growth rate, I assure you, will return."
He said the greatest challenge was to see iron ore return to a "balanced" price, about $70 to $90 a tonne.
He also tipped Asian countries' desire for food safety as a growing opportunity for Pilbara pastoralists.
Mr Barnett said the Asian boom also came against a backdrop of unprecedented Government investment, with the State to spend $2.5 billion in the Pilbara by 2017.
He said there were few, if any, examples in Australian history of such large-scale investment in a region.
Mr Barnett also said his Government was considering measures to regulate the construction of fly-in, fly-out workers camps after his Coalition partners The Nationals had been calling for a State policy on the issue."
