Yes though iirc the author probed at that a bit and while not directly contradicting them points to this being more a matter of social cohesion, justified by that one specific policy when pressed in this instance. But others gave more prosaic answers about industry and employment.

Re the christian thing though, it was unsettling to read about their understanding of right relationship between humans and creation being essentially (and uncharitably) "god put us in charge of it to do what we want with it." Which is maybe a natural extension of historical european/north american christian doctrine on the subject but that still I had never really heard a contemporary christian state clearly and proudly like that. I'm also christian and it's pretty foreign to my tradition.