Thursday, March 29

Pilbara miners 'causing havoc' in communities

Large numbers of short-term mining industry workers in Western Australia's Pilbara region are causing havoc in some communities, leading to fights in overcrowded taverns, public urination and more rubbish on the streets, an inquiry has heard.

The federal parliamentary committee looking into the impact of so-called fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers on local communities on Wednesday held its first WA hearing in Karratha, 1535 kilometres north of Perth.

Point Samson Community Association representative John Graham, who has lived in the Pilbara for 16 years, told the House standing committee on regional Australia that transient workers hired for oil, gas and mining projects were having a detrimental impact.

Many lived in mining camps but were bussed into Point Samson community, 60km from Karratha, on weekends.

"They were falling out of the buses and urinating in public," Mr Graham told the inquiry.

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SMH

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