PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd jetted into Geraldton yesterday and found a port in a storm, both physically and economically.
Mr Rudd's visit to the region was the first by the nation's leader since Robert Menzies in 1954.
It was instigated by last week's $339 million Federal Budget commitment to the $4 billion Oakajee port project, matching dollar-by-dollar a State pledge.
It was also prompted by a decision to declare Geraldton's HMAS Sydney II Memorial as a national memorial, on the back of the discovery in March last year of the Sydney wreckage about 150km offshore from Shark Bay.
The Prime Minister flew into the rain and wind-swept city aboard his VIP RAAF Boeing 737 jet in the morning to inspect first-hand plans for the Oakajee site.
He said the project had the potential to write the next chapter in Australia's economic vision.
He likened the port and industrial development to Gladstone in Queensland and WA's major economic vision.
He likened the port and industrial development to Gladstone in Queensland and WA's major economic history.
"We are here today to talk about the nation's future," he said from the Geraldton Port Authority office. This is a most significant proposal - we are dealing with a major new economic project for the nation. How do we take this new development and turn it into the next chapter of Australia's economic vision?".
"We need to think about where this project will take Australia in decades to come."
Mr Rudd acknowledged Mr Barnett's dedication to the project as well as the people in the Mid West who had been involved since the idea of a deepwater port north of Geraldton was conceived 30 years ago.
Mr Barnett, who has been involved with the project for the past 10 years, said WA had been a "dig it up and ship it out" economy for too long, but he believed the Oakajee industrial estate would encourage companies to set up processing facilities in the area.
"This represents a great example of a truly joint project between Australia, Japan and China," he said.
"Thank you, Prime Minister, for your commitment to support this project."
Greeted by torrential rain and strong winds on his 9.30am arrival at Geraldton Airport, Mr Rudd was ushered straight to the Geraldton Port Authority where he was shown the finer details of the project by OPR regional manager Peter Spalding.
The development agreement for the long-awaited Oakajee Port and Industrial estate was signed by the State Government and private company Oakajee Port and Rail in March.
After the briefing Mr Rudd visited the HMAS Sydney II Memorial where he announced its change in status to a national memorial - and departed Geraldton at 11.45am for Perth.