Fly-in, fly-out culture 'destroys' towns

One of Australia's main providers of remote support services has blasted WA's fly-in, fly-out culture, saying the practice has destroyed communities and is unhealthy for fly-in, fly-out employees.

In a submission to a parliamentary inquiry into fly-in fly-out, the Uniting Church's Frontier Services argued that the portable workforce meant community groups struggled for numbers, small businesses in the Pilbara closed because they could not find staff and young people put off education to work in mines.

Frontier Services national director Rosemary Young said she did not know towns such as Karratha could be called communities.

"The connection between people is lost," she said.

"People fly in and out of those places . . they simply arrive, do their job and fly back out again. They make no contribution to anything you could call community."

Ms Young said organisations such as Rotary, Apex, Lions, scout groups and sporting clubs had been severely affected. "In the country they used to be really strong, now they've just faded away," she said.

Support networks such as women's groups, migrant services and help for young mothers no longer existed in some towns.

Frontier Services also highlighted mental health issues among fly-in, fly-out workers with a vastly increased demand for services and support for families who are split.