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Who Cares about Care in Non-metropolitan Western Australia?

Who Cares about Care in Non-metropolitan Western Australia?. Professor Fiona Haslam McKenzie Dr Aileen Hoath. Recent Research. CSIRO Minerals Down Under program, Regions in Transition, part of the Minerals Futures Flagship

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Who Cares about Care in Non-metropolitan Western Australia?

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  1. Who Cares about Care in Non-metropolitan Western Australia? Professor Fiona Haslam McKenzie Dr Aileen Hoath

  2. 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

  3. 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 As services are withdrawn from rural areas, the quality of life, measured in terms of access to essential and higher value goods and services, declines.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)

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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. Farming and Mining (3) • Source: ABS census data 2013

  8. 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

  9. Recent Research • Karratha • Kalgoorlie • Boddington • Busselton

  10. 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’

  11. 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.

  12. LDC in non-metropolitan communities – a cost or benefit? Costs: Benefits Increase/maintaining population Large income flows Maintaining services/local businesses Lowering (in some cases) local median age • Counselling • Children’s behaviour/school issues • Substance abuse • Relationship management • Financial management • Decrease in volunteering

  13. 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

  14. Perceived Service Gaps

  15. 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

  16. 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

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