ABSTRACT
Political power in Australia is largely under the sway of powerful business groups and this has major implications for Australia's population size and distribution. Foreign companies which dominate corporate Australia also prefer an empty north for its mining, energy and pastoral developments. Geopolitical realities will pose a challenge to Australia because of the continent's size, its status as a world resource basket and major supplier of food, energy and minerals to Asia's industrialization. Northern Australia is one of the world's main resource baskets and provides large quantities of food, energy and minerals to fuel Asia's industrialization. A new coalition government has emerged led by the Australian People's Action Party (APAP). The development of northern Australia is one such response to the challenge of globalization. It offers the opportunity to create a vibrant urban culture which will help to include more Australians in the benefits of a more open world.
