MID West Development Commission chief executive Steve Douglas said the Federal Budget provided many positives for the region, in addition to the benefits of the commitment to the Oakajee Port project.
He said the $80 million to build an Australian national centre of the Square Kilometre Array project in Perth would add considerable weight to Australia's bid for the international project and enjance Geraldton's status as a 'smart city'.
"There are likely to be synergies and links with the Perth-based facility with Geraldton and the Mid West, and the commission will work with its partners including CSIRO to identify and pursue these opportunities," he said.
Mr Douglas said the Budget provided some opportunities to advance the commission's SMART Mid West policy apart from teh SKA link, including improving the region's broadband network by tapping into the roll-out of the national broadband network.
"The establishment of a back-haul Perth-Geraldton optic fibre line will also considerably advance Australia's SKA bid," he said.
Another 'smart opportunity' was the funding allocated to clean energy initiatives."Funding support for carbon capture and storage will support Aviva's Coolimba power project near Eneabba and is welcomed, as is the funding allocated to solar power generation," Mr Douglas said.
The commission would look deeper in the Budget to determine what other funding would be available for other key infrastructure such as power and rail.
"We will also be looking to indentify education, research and innovation programs which would further develop the Geraldton Universities Centre and Separation Point marine precinct," he said.
Mr Douglas said the Budget provided increased tax breaks for new equipment and assets put in place by small business, and this could be timely should construction of Oakajee proceed as planned by late 2010-early 2011.
Finally, he said the extension of the first home owners grant would keep the housing sector ticking over.