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By Malcolm Presor t Member for Wannon.
ros
In the past Portland has lia u notable history and even now I believe the growing town is proud of its early asaociatious with
Victoria's first pioneers. For Low A years it loeked as though eortland might remain relatively undeveloped but in the early years uncle the war and in the beginning or this decade especially men et vision begaa to shape Portland's destiny. This vision was a deep-sea harbour, safe from any storm, capable of berthing the largeat snips and only one hour
sailing from the main shipping route. , This harbour was to have the most up-to-date facilities for exporting the primary produce from the hinterland and it was hoped that significant development would also take place in the growth of secondary industries.
Thia vision, that for many yuars was little more than a
dream about which man would tulk, has now very nearly come to full reality.
It is true that industries have not yet establimed themselves in kottland but the harbour te to all intents and purposes an accomplished fact.
Nothing can now stop its completion. The main breakwater has reached its full length and contractors ere building the wharves. 1;ew railways
bridges and canals have been built in the programme to connect the lort to the State railway system.
In the last few years Australie has gone through an
unequalled period of growth and expansion, greater even than that of the U.S.A. in her most rapid period of development. in certain areas tL
face of Australia has been changed, great new factories have been con- structed, electric power and irrigatioe water supplies have ben vastly increased, Was ::,noemy Mountains scheme is already returning benefits to teestralie in the output of hrdro—eleotricity and water for irrigation.
Ln the north new mining enterprises have brought new towns into being and greatly to the wealth and population of eustralias Oil refineries and steel works have been built or expanded
The key words in Australia today are expension and develop- moat and the Australian people have caught the spirit of this greet
adventure,upon the puocess of which our future survival as an independent nation depends.
The people of western Victoria have not been apart from this
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grit movement forward. We have been a part of it and have made our contribution to it. The output from farms end properties has been
greatly increased and mare peo,le haVe been settled on the land through soldier and closea settlement. nevertheless in terms of the future it there were 0A0 thing to which people could point end say "What la tee most significant development bei ug undertaken in Viceolia", they would say without hesitetion, the development of ioreland Harbor. iortland in somethine that might not have happened had it not been for the energy and initiative of certain people in eortland, that it has happenedis to their credit and to the everlasting benefit of eastern Victoria and South Eastern South eustralia.
In view of the greatdevelopsee/ tint place, I am mo
pleased that iortland is t. be visited by our eriaa einister on July 18th accompanied by Dame eattio. It is the first time a erime Minister has visited the eort and the national publicity that seould follow the visit should do much to make ull eustralie realise the significance of eortlend Harbor.
The :rthe Minister and Dame Pattie will fly to Warrnambool Airport where they will be met by earrnambool Cite and Shire authorities.
They will then drive to lortlend. The Prima Minister will visit
Borthwicks before lunch whileDeme iattle
lirnsiniliaZSJUDZIMILlin
willattend a women's function. The Mayor, Cr. Mabel Hedditch,will be hostess to the crime Minister and Dame eattie olvr lunch and in the afternoon
the inspection of the Harbor will take place.
In the last two months the Irian MinisLer has been visiting those areas of ustealia that have been exparienci the greatest develop- ment such es the mining areas of eueenalend or that have the greatest potential for future development puce as tho Kimberley*. I an particular pleased that koreLen. ranks in his mind of real significance ana that it is included in the kind of tour of Australia that he has undertnken.
Lo-one tries to pretend that Governments are responsible for all the development ana expunsion Omit thkes place but quite clearly they can create coneitions that well be favourable to development, that will encourage people to use their initiative. It is to our erime Mlniste 's very real credit that despite wide fluctuation in our overseas earniugs he has been able to maintain vigour ad active development throughout Australia.
a
Library Digitised Collections
Author/s:
Fraser, Malcolm Title:
Prime Minister's visit to Portland Date:
6 July 1958 Persistent Link:
http://hdl.handle.net/11343/40356 Terms and Conditions:
Copyright courtesy of Malcolm Fraser. Contact the University of Melbourne Archives for permission requests.
