Northern Australia and Economic Prospects

: The prime minister on Thursday announced an additional $1.2 billion in spending to go with the $5 billion promised in the May budget to open up the economic prospects of northern Australia and continue to transform the region sleepy outposts."There only a little over a million people north of the Tropic of Capricorn but they are very dynamic people and it is a remarkably dynamic part of our country," he said as he launched a 192-page northern Australia white paper."If the north does well, our country does well."Policies include more spending on dams and roads, red tape cuts for business investors and easier access to foreign workers, according to Nine News Australia. But Mr Abbott has ruled out declaring the north a "special economic zone" with tax breaks and other concessions, saying it would be unconstitutional. AAPTony Abbott wants to make tropical topical around the world. Darwin, Townsville, Cairns and Mackay were no longer "sleepy outposts" and the challenge is to improve them further in the next two decades. Trade Minister Andrew Robb said there were enormous opportunities for new investment in resources and energy, agribusiness, technology, infrastructure and tourism. The prime minister also singled out Rockhampton, Broome and Karratha as significant areas for development. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.