FIFO probe: WA parliamentary inquiry to examine spate of suicides among fly-in, fly-out workers

Updated

A Western Australian parliamentary committee will examine a spate of suicides among fly-in, fly-out workers, after the idea received unanimous support by MPs.

The Legislative Assembly backed Labor's motion to examine the reasons behind the deaths in the state's north of workers on resources projects.

In the past 12 months, nine workers in the Pilbara have taken their own lives while living away from home.

The most recent death was earlier this month on the Barrow Island gas project.

The Government has been under mounting pressure to launch an enquiry.

Earlier this month, the Greens' Robin Chapple called on the Government to act after the latest death.

This week, the family of mining supervisor Steven Migas, 36, spoke publicly about the need for an inquiry into the stresses faced by workers living away on the job.

Mr Migas took his own life in November, while working on a Fortescue Metals Group project near Port Hedland.

The Education and Health Parliamentary Standing Committees will examine the issue.

Committee chairman and Liberal MP Graham Jacobs said the inquiry will focus on "systemic issues".

"It won't necessarily be an easy inquiry but it's important we put our energies to it immediately," he said.

"It's important we look at the current initiatives employed by Government and by industry ... what responsibility employees have and what responsibility employers have.

"This is a bipartisan issue, it's not one we're going to make politics out of and it's important we recognise we want to make a difference."

Labor's mental health spokesman, Stephen Dawson, said he believes the inquiry will make a big difference.

"I've been contacted by a range of families over recent months and it's clear there's a real issue with the FIFO workforce," he said.

"People work long hours, they're away from their families for long hours, they have poor communications on the islands or at mine sites.

"Those tragic deaths need to be looked into and we need to look into why so many people in this sector are taking their lives, we owe it to their families to get to the bottom of this."

Committee chairman Graham Jacobs said a preliminary report should be received by Parliament by the end of this year.

Topics: suicide, mining-industry, wa

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