PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Western Australian government on Friday launched an online resource to support fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers and their families.
The ‘This FIFO Life’ website was developed by the Mental Illness Fellowship of Western Australia (MIFWA), and Mental Health Minister Helen Morton said it highlighted the challenges of the FIFO lifestyle and the strengths and resilience of FIFO workers and their families.
The launch of the online resource comes amid a Parliamentary committee investigation into mental health in the FIFO community following a spate of suicides. The state has reported nine suicides among FIFO workers over the past year.
“The state government is committed to reducing Western Australia’s suicide rate, which unfortunately stands at around one person losing their life to suicide every day,” she said.
Morton added that part of that commitment includes the allocation of small grants through the State Suicide Prevention Strategy and the provision of funds to nongovernment organisations such as MIFWA to develop resources such as the online resource.
“FIFO workers have unique needs and they will be recognised as a priority group in the new multi-year suicide prevention strategy currently under development.”