Mining towns push for FIFO workers to be counted in 2026 Census

A coalition of regional mining councils is urging the Australian Bureau of Statistics to better capture fly-in-fly-out workers in the upcoming census, warning that current methods may miss a large “ghost” population.

Representing six local governments, the Australian Mining Cities Alliance is campaigning for the 2026 Census to more accurately record fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) employees in regional mining hubs. Mayor Glenn Wilson of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, a city experiencing a historic boom and record airport traffic, estimates the FIFO population could reach 10,000, a number that would influence state and federal grant formulas tied to population size.

Councils in the Pilbara echo these worries, noting that infrastructure such as wastewater treatment is being overloaded by workers who are not counted as residents. The ABS has assigned a specialist team to work with mining sites, treating FIFO staff similarly to seasonal agricultural workers and using a "usual residence" definition based on six-month occupancy. Psychologist Cheryl Yam highlights the personal dimension, noting that workers often feel a sense of belonging to the camps where they spend most of their time. The bureau plans to publish the census findings in June 2027, which will determine future funding and service provision for these regions.