It is strong in international tourism (likely to be further boosted by the Olympic Games) and services. NSW falls in the middle in terms of industry structure. Queensland is now becoming a net creditor. Rust-belt states have higher debt levels, lower public investment, lower credit ratings, higher tax levels and less efficient public sectors. Queensland also has lifestyle advantages that attract migrants and lead to rapid population growth. The sun-belt states are strong in mining, resource-processing and international tourism. Tasmania has been focused on agriculture and a few resource projects, but green pressures are now limiting growth in resources. Western Australia and Queensland had only 10% of manufacturing employment in highly protected sectors. In 1990-91, each had about 25% of manufacturing employment in sectors with effective tariff levels above 20%. The long-term trends reflect the focus of Victoria and South Australia on slow-growing, inward-looking, highly protected manufacturing. A Price Waterhouse poll of 34 economic forecasters finds them believing the sun-belt states will grow at a higher rate than the national average over the next five years. In Victoria, the Kennett Government has improved perceptions: a year ago, 48% of Victorians believed their state was falling behind now the figure is 30%, with 19% believing the state is progressing faster than other states. This is not a new development they have been underperforming for a century.Ī recent Morgan poll suggests most people in SA and Tasmania believe their state is falling behind the others while most people in Western Australia and Queensland believe their state is progressing faster. Because all suffer from net interstate migration, their population growth is at a crawl. As a result, they now have higher levels of unemployment, underemployment and long-term unemployment. The rust belt states suffered most in the recession due to financial collapses in Victoria and SA and an investment drought in Tasmania as resource projects dried up. New South Wales'share has remained almost stable, at one-third.
By comparison, the sun-belt population (Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory) has nearly doubled. The share of the rust-belt states (Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania)in the nation's population - and economy - has been shrinking since Federation.
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