Do you agree that ‘‘everything is bigger in Texas’’? Based on my latest first-hand observations, I would say that is quite true.

From the State Parliament building's Lady Liberty, which is the tallest in the country, to their steaks, the size of their statues and the gargantuan proportions of the new Dallas Fort Worth airport, which is now the third busiest in the world, they certainly like proportions to be big.

Just a decade ago, the Dallas Fort Worth airport had two runways: one North-South and one East-West. Today it has seven: five North-South and two East-West servicing 1,900 operations per day, amounting to over 67 million passengers per annum. This makes it the 3rd busiest airport in the world with 2,100 developed acres, generating over $37 billion in revenue and employing 1,800 people. The most incredible achievement, to my mind, is the speed in which they did it. They extended their entire airport in the same time it took us to approve and build our third runway! It is difficult not to admire our cousins across the Pacific, at least for the way they "simply get things done".

There are 165 gates over 2,100 developed acres, with the airport owning its own sewer, water, power and firefighting facilities. Set on some 17,000 acres of land, with a 24/7 operation, the achievements of the Texans here are admirable. The Texans have managed to make their new aviation hub a true air-rail intermodal and a world hub for American Airlines, the world's largest airline (bigger in Texas than anywhere else). Best of all however, must be the fact that you can park at the airport all day for only $24.

I wonder if we can import the "Texan model" to Charles Kingsford Smith, Tullamarine or the proposed Western Sydney Airport?