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MINISTER 164/
JOINT STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON Pd KEATING MP,
AND THE TREASURER, THE HON RALPH WILLIS MP
COMMITTEE ON DARWIN REPORT
The Committee on Darwin, chaired by the Hon. Neville Wran AC QC, today
delivered its report to the Commonwealth and Northern Territory
Governments. The Committee reported on the feasibility and potential of
developing Darwin as Australia's northern link to East Asia.
The approach adopted by the Committee is realistic and practical, and will
make a valuable contribution to Darwin's future development.
An important conclusion of the report was that while proximity to East Asia
was an advantage for Darwin, it was not in itself enough to guarantee
success. Nevertheless, the Committee considered that-as Australia's only
capital city in the tropics and with its already extensive commercial and
official links with countries to its near north-Darwin has considerable
potential to further develop as an important centre and that it can continue to
make an important contribution to Australia's overall relationship with the
region. To do this the report says that Darwin must expand its economic base, but
that this will depend primarily on private sector investment. An objective of
policy, therefore, must be for Darwin to convince investors that the city is a
competitive business location. The Committee has made a number of
constructive suggestions to achieve this.
The Committee's 77 recommendations range across a number of portfolio
interests' Obviously these shall need to be considered by relevant Ministers
both in Canberra and Darwin.
Released with the report are the findings of the 18 separate studies
commissioned by the Committee. These stud ies-coveri ng Darwin's
transport infrastructure, health and education services, business services,
tourism, defence, cost of living, business perceptions and development
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prospects in East Asia-will provide valuable information for private investors
and government.
Of major interest is the Committee's conclusion that the Alice Springs
Darwin railway may become economically viable early next century.
Importantly, however, the Committee has also recognised that even then
considerable public investment would be required and that funding of this
project would need to be compared with other possible public sector
infrastructure projects.
The Government thanks Mr Wran and his Committee for its hard work in the
preparation of its report.
CANBERRA 29 June 1995