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While many developed economies have recently dipped into recession, Australia is enjoying a record 22nd straight year of growth. Thanks to a resources boom driven by demand from China, the global economic downturn barely registered in the ‘lucky country’. But China’s growth is now stuttering, resource prices have fallen, and mining companies are laying off thousands of workers.

How to deal with the downturn has been a key issue in Australia’s election. James Fletcher travels to Mackay in Queensland’s coal country to find out about the town’s boom and see how it is dealing with the current bust.

(Image: A worker building mine equipment at Team Engineering. Â鶹Éç Copyright)