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Inpex gas plant on schedule
MATT CUNNINGHAM

January 21st, 2009


THE Northern Territory Resources Council has welcomed the progression of the Inpex gas project.

Inpex executives last week announced the group had moved to the next planning stage for its $12 billion gas plant, which is to be built in Darwin harbour.

NTRC chief executive Scott Perkins said the fact the project had progressed so smoothly to this stage gave a great amount of confidence that the plant would be built as scheduled.

"When added to other infrastructure projects on the planning board, Inpex construction should go some way towards providing a buffer against the worst of the recessionary pressures that are hammering the economy at the moment," he said.

There were some concerns the global financial crisis could put Inpex's Darwin project in doubt.

But the company said last week it was committed to proceeding with the project in the Northern Territory.

It will represent Australia's biggest ever infrastructure project and is expected to create more than 3000 jobs during the construction phase.

Mr Perkins said while Inpex would provide good insurance against the global economic crisis, the Northern Territory would still not be immune from some downturn.

"I think we are still going to see a continuation of the general downturn in our industry while commodity prices remain low, so the great times of high activity of the past few years are unlikely to return quickly," he said.

Last week NT Treasurer Delia Lawrie said sacked miners should look for work in the Top End construction industry.

But Mr Perkins said former mining jobs would not translate directly into the construction industry and the government needed ot provide incentives for exploration and to look for new ways to retain jobs.

"We see tremendous enthusiasm generated for Inpex and we call on all players, government and non-government not to relax because Inpex is under way,

http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/01/21/28675_nt-business.html