FED: PM says Australia must maintain gas contract standards

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FED: PM says Australia must maintain gas contract standards

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD says Australia must maintain the high standard that allowedit to win a contract to supply liquefied natural gas to China.

Strong lobbying by Mr HOWARD helped secure Australia's largest-ever export deal yesterday-- a $25 billion contract to supply LNG to China from Australia's North West Shelf.

Mr HOWARD says Australia won the contract because it offered the better product and reliability.

He's told Sydney radio 2GB that politically and economically stable countries havean enormous amount to offer.

The deal is expected to create thousands of jobs in the north-west of Western Australia.

It will supply over three million tonnes of LNG a year for 25 years, earning between$700 million and $1 billion a year.

AAP RTV mk/kp/dl/ge

KEYWORD: GAS HOWARD (SYDNEY)