Re your post which included; "... For the Labor party to dismiss this vision and rubbish it before the full schemeis presented shows how small minded they are."
I'm not poo-hooing plans for the development of Northern Australia and I most certainly do not speak for the ALP.
IMO Tony Abbott should be leading a public debate about what sort of sustainable development of Northern Australia would be best for our future.
That said, I readily admit that I'm unaware of any training or expertise that Abbott has in areas such as climatology, hydrology, drainage basin management, agriculture, environmental sustainability etc. I guess that partly explains his reluctance to be involved in anything other than flying the kite.
As for Labor; I seem to recall that it was the Whitlam Govt. that oversaw the rebuilding of Darwin following Cyclone Tracy, Labor Govt's at both federal and state levels that attracted mineral resource industries to the North and which promoted tourism therein.
I do recall Joh Bjelke-Peterson Govt.s approving the removal of precious rainforest and the decimation of the GBR. I also note the current conflicts under Col Barnard's watch between Aborigines and major resource developments.
