Who Cares about Care in Non-metropolitan Western Australia?

Professor Fiona Haslam McKenzieDr Aileen Hoath

Recent Research• CSIRO Minerals Down Under program,

Regions in Transition, part of the Minerals Futures Flagship

• Co-operative Research Centre - Remote Economic Participation, Remote Economies research agenda

• Commonwealth Department of Regional Australia, Local government, Arts & Sport

The efficiency/equity dilemma• 1983 --> the push towards user pay public policies had a profound

effect on non-metropolitan Western Australia – Agricultural reform– Industrial reform– Public service delivery

• The provision of services, or lack thereof, has had significant implications for rural communities. With the rationalisation of employment opportunities out of rural areas …, resulting in a pull of people out of rural areas, the ability of the rural community to retain and attract residents and future investment is impaired. As services are withdrawn from rural areas, the quality of life, measured in terms of access to essential and higher value goods and services, declines.

(Collits 1999)

Care and services in the bush The level of care/services largely depends upon:– Your employer – Your location– Housing status

Farming and Mining

• The farm sector has experienced a range of challenges over the last 50 years – Neo-liberal economic market environment– Depopulation and ageing demographic profiles– Low salaries, high costs– Family-based business– Contraction and centralisation of services

Farming and Mining (2)

• The mining sector has experienced exponential growth

• 9% of WA’s workforce is employed by mining (114,800 people) (ABS 2012)– Peripatetic workforce– Separation of workforce from home for extended

periods– High salaries, high costs– Individual work agreements in a corporatised work

environment

Farming and Mining (3)

– Source: ABS census data 2013

Western Australia 2001 2006 2011Agriculture, forestry and fishing 36,674 31,003 26,594Mining 28,771 40,226 68,672Manufacturing 80,898 88,457 90,997Electricity, gas, water and waste services 8,517 9,617 12,646Construction 60,546 85,538 113,549Wholesale trade 40,542 37,126 39,140Retail trade 92,974 103,977 110,530Accommodation and food services 52,887 54,635 64,966Transport, postal and warehousing 35,375 39,822 50,373Information media and telecommunications 14,441 12,472 11,802Financial and insurance services 24,121 27,268 27,977Rental, hiring and real estate services 16,441 18,401 19,143Professional, scientific and technical services 51,507 59,143 79,582Administrative and support services 29,605 29,775 34,445Public administration and safety 48,613 60,191 69,026Education and training 63,141 71,988 88,216Health care and social assistance 77,900 95,280 114,259Arts and recreation services 11,263 11,634 14,809Other services 34,037 35,733 42,911Inadequately described/Not stated 20,528 25,597 24,512Total 828,781 937,883 1,104,149

Long distance commuting (LDC) (cont-d)

• 2001-2006 intercensul period fourfold increase# • 2006-2011 intercensul period twofold increase# • in Western Australia, ~52% of WA mining

workforce*• Projected to increase in 2013*

• * Chamber of Minerals and Energy, 2012• # ABS Census data

Recent Research • Karratha• Kalgoorlie• Boddington• Busselton

CASE STUDY: Issue of Domestic Violence (1)‘Where there is a problem, it tends to be exacerbated by LDC…’• Anecdotal evidence of increased demand on women’s

support services• Inadequate data collection at all levels:

– LDC workforce a higher % of local population, or higher incidence of dv in LDC families?

• Flash points- starting and ending ‘swings’• Gender defined roles- female dependency, ‘…mining has

taken relationships back to the 50s’

CASE STUDY: Issue of Domestic Violence (2)

• Relationships Australia, Men’s Domestic Violence Course contracted to Dept of Corrective Services– rehabilitation rather than penalty. Mandated 24 weeks/2hrs per week.

• Courts reluctant to refer LDC workers to programme- compliance issues

• Industry wide issue. We are now talking to service providers at state level.

LDC in non-metropolitan communities – a cost or benefit?

Costs:

• Counselling• Children’s behaviour/school

issues• Substance abuse• Relationship management• Financial management• Decrease in volunteering

Benefits • Increase/maintaining

population• Large income flows• Maintaining services/local

businesses• Lowering (in some cases)

local median age

LDC – Busselton Social Issues

• The ‘golden handcuffs’• Poor financial management conflicts • Motivation for LDC changes over time• Relationship conflicts can be exacerbated by LDC• Loneliness for both partners• Substance abuse• Lack of Busselton-specific support services

Source: ABS 2001 2006 2011 Census data

Perceived Service GapsIdentified Service Gaps Responsible agency? Child care Local government authority,

planning, SMEMental health State government

Women’s refuge State/local government

Financial planning Individual , company induction

Community centre Local government authority

Substance abuse management State government

Relationship management State/local government, Company induction

Affordable housing State/local government, community housing providers

Youth services Local government

LDC – Busselton Social Issues (2) • Busselton not always a friendly community • Busselton could do more to capture the benefits

of LDC• A growing and often manufactured gulf between

the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’• Too much expected of mining companies and

their employees• BUT …. LDC is not all bad, in fact many people

enjoy the lifestyle and there are benefits.Source: ABS 2001 2006 2011 Census data

Further information ...• The final report will go to the Federal Minister

in June 2013• Professor Fiona Haslam McKenzie– Principal research leader at Co-operative Research Centre -

Remote Economic Participation and professorial fellow at Curtin Graduate School of Business

– F.mckenzie@curtin.edu.au 0417 09 8880

• Dr Aileen Hoath– CSIRO research fellow Curtin Graduate School of Business– A.hoath@curtin.edu.au 0439 474 269