FIFO, FIFO, and off to work we woe

Contrary to the stereotype, remote mining and construction workers in Australia experience high levels of psychological distress

The usual stereotype of those who work in mining and construction in remote parts of Australia is a blokey male; easy-going, stoic, practical, denying any worries (“No problems, mate!”, “Too easy!”) and dismissing anxiety and depression as something for wusses. A Jimmy Barnes-style Working Class Man with blue denim in his veins, who ain’t worried about tomorrow and takes one day at a time. But the reality is different! Firstly, not all these workers are men. More importantly, as reported by Bowers and her co-authors in this issue of the MJA,1 remote workers have a markedly higher level of psychological distress than the general Australian population.