In contrast to the economic development goals of successive Liberal governments, the Labor administrations of Albert Hawke, John Tonkin and Brian Burke focused more on the development of education and social services infrastructure. In particular the Hawke government commenced a mass expansion of the state high school system, while the Tonkin government funded the opening of a second state university in 1973–74. The development of regional centres was also encouraged as government funding was directed towards the upgrading of the port of Cockburn, the Stirling Naval base and the mining communities of Newman and Meekatharra.