ABSTRACT

Originally published in 1984. Australia is a resource-rich country deriving a significant proportion of its export earnings from trade in these resources. At the same time, the country is young, sparsely populated beyond the coastal fringe, particularly in the resource-rich areas, and environmentally fragile. The consequences of resource exploitation in these areas have far-reaching policy implications. A range of these concerns is canvassed in this volume, encompassing the views of policy-makers, planners and academics. Five chapters address social and economic impacts ranging over manufacturing and tertiary industry, immigration and labour markets, employment and population and the provision of educational facilities. Many of these are seen in microcosm in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. Two contributions offer an international perspective, one in another federal system – Canada – and one where Australian interests are participating in resource extraction – Papua New Guinea. The issues raised are fundamental to Australia's development in the 1980's and of importance to everyone connected with the development and planning of Australia's future.