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　　Mining giant BHP Billiton is cutting more than 3,000 jobs in Australia and will close a major nickel mine, because of poor profitability prospects¹.
由于赢利前景不佳，矿业巨头必和必拓在澳大利亚裁减3千份工作，并将关闭一个大型镍矿。
The engine room of Australia's economy is showing unmistakable signs of faltering², as corporate³ leaders and trade unions in the resources-rich west report a collapse⁴ in business and consumer confidence, amid the international slowdown.
澳大利亚的经济引擎正在显示出明确的不稳定迹象，资源丰富的西部地区的商界和工会领导人纷纷表示，在全球经济衰退的影响下，公司赢利和消费者信心都在急剧下降。
Major mining projects in Western Australia have been shelved, with the loss of thousands of jobs, while other expansion projects have been put on hold, as the country's boom state feels the financial chill brought on by a fall in demand from key markets such as China.
西澳大利亚州的大型矿业开发项目已经被搁置，数千份工作化为乌有。与此同时，中国等主要市场的需求下降使经济繁荣的西澳大利亚州感受到金融危机的影响，另外一些扩建项目也已经叫停。
BHP Billiton is shedding 3,400 jobs in Australia. Another 2,000 posts will go in Chile and 550 at the Pinto Valley copper⁵ mine in the United States.
必和比拓集团将在澳大利亚裁减3千4百份工作，在智利裁员2千人，在美国的平托谷铜矿裁员550人。
The cuts represent six percent of BHP's international work force and highlight a dramatic decline in the fortunes of mining companies.
这些裁员占必和必拓全球雇员的百分之6，凸显了这些矿业公司的财务状况急剧下降。
Amid the worldwide slump⁶, Australia's once mighty⁷ mining sector⁸ faces what is likely to be more downward pressure on commodity prices and demand.
在全球范围出现经济衰退的形势下，澳大利亚一度不可一世的采矿业可能因大宗商品价格和需求下降而面临更大的下行压力。
Western Australian trade union representative Simone McGurk says the speed of the slowdown has come as a shock.
西澳大利亚洲的工会代表西摩恩·麦泽克说，经济放缓的速度令人震撼。
"People have been surprised at how quickly the global situation has started to come home to us in WA. In Western Australia, we lead a very charmed existence," said McGurk. "It's not only our coastline and our weather, but we have enormous natural resources that we've been able to exploit. The challenge for our government is to make sure that the community can withstand these changes."
“人们对于全球局势迅速传导到国内，影响到我们西澳大利亚州的速度感到惊讶。在西澳大利亚州，我们享有得天独厚的自然条件，我这里所说的不仅是海岸线和气候，而且我们拥有巨大的、便于开采的自然资源。我们的政府面临的挑战是确保这个地区能够经得起国际局势变化的考验。”
A recent survey has shown that business confidence in Western Australia is at a ten-year low.
一项最近的调查结果显示，西澳大利亚的商业信心指数降到10年来的最低水平。
But, despite the gloom, there is optimism.
尽管前景黯淡，但是也有人仍保持乐观。
James Pearson, the chief executive of the state's Chamber⁹ of Commerce and Industry, says the local economy is robust¹⁰ enough to eventually bounce back strongly...
这个州的商工会主席詹姆斯·比尔森表示，地区经济运行良好，足以最终实现反弹。
"The evidence is that, even though China and India and other emerging economies in Asia are being hit by the global financial crisis, long-term demand will return and the prospects for this state, which is more exposed than any other in Australia to the international economy, are very good," said Pearson.
“有证据显示，即使中国、印度和其他亚洲新兴经济体受到全球金融危机的打击，长期的需求终将得到恢复。我们这个州比澳大利亚的任何其他地区都更容易受到全球经济的影响，但它的前景还是很好的。”
Although senior corporate figures have stated that WA's mining boom was enduring a "temporary set-back", some academics believe that, for now, the good times are over.
虽然一些公司的高级官员曾表示，西澳大利亚州的矿业繁荣将会遇到“暂时的挫折”，但是一些专业人士认为，现在，好时候已经过去。
There are predictions that unemployment will rise steeply and along with the mining industry, the housing sector will also suffer.
有人预计，失业率将急剧上升，并且伴随矿业不景气，房地产业也将受到打击。
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has warned that economic conditions will worsen this year.
澳大利亚总理陆克文警告说，今年的经济形势将进一步恶化。