During the immediate post-war period WA greatly benefited from the rapid expansion of federal involvement in the economy. The establishment of Trans Australia Airlines (TAA), the nationalisation of Qantas, and setting up of a national shipping line ensured that transport links with the other states were greatly strengthened. The launching of a mass migration program in 1946 under the slogan of "populate or perish" eased manpower shortages, and boosted the WA population. The federal housing agreement of 1947 allowed the state government to proceed with a program of public housing construction and expansion which saw the Perth metropolitan area double in size between 1945 and 1960. Finally the success of the government of Ross McLarty in attracting foreign investment culminated in the signing of an agreement with BP to establish an oil refinery at the new industrial area of Kwinana (south of Fremantle).