City lights go out after gas explosion (Perth)

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THE Rudd Government is preparing for lower-than-expected national economic growth as the lights have begun to go out in Perth because of the disastrous West Australian gas explosion two weeks ago.

From today, Perth's skyscrapers and shops will shut down lifts and turn off lights in an effort to save energy as the mining-boom state enters its third week of severe gas shortages.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23876702-662,00.html

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1. Don't know the source.

As the Royal Australian Navy agreed to hand over 16 million litres of diesel for emergency electricity generation to keep business going, federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson told parliament that "disruption to economic activity is likely to flowon to reduced exports in the near term".