How a tax-free zone could revive northern Australia

The article argues that creating a tax-free zone could help revive northern Australia, centered on the remote town of Carnarvon and the wider Gascoyne region. It describes the area’s economy as driven by horticulture, fishing, and regional pastoral industries, including irrigated farms along the Gascoyne River that supply much of Western Australia’s bananas, mangoes, and vegetables. It also references the high volume of tourism—nearly 200,000 overnight visitors annually—and notes defense-related American facilities as jobs and food-security supports. The piece criticizes what it calls rising compliance costs from tax-paid roles and points to public debt reaching 35% of GDP, alongside electricity price increases. It concludes that lower-cost, reliable electricity is fundamental for agriculture and small business viability, warning that more than 1,000 small Australian businesses close each day.