Mining cities concerned census fails to count FIFO 'ghost population'

As Australia prepares for the 2026 Census, mining communities are raising concerns that the national count will fail to accurately capture the significant number of fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workers. This is particularly critical for cities like Kalgoorlie-Boulder, which is currently experiencing one of its biggest economic booms.

Mayor Glenn Wilson of Kalgoorlie-Boulder highlighted the issue, noting that the city's airport is now one of the busiest in regional Western Australia, handling over half a million passenger movements annually. Wilson has been actively lobbying the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to ensure these "ghost populations" are included in the census data. He explained that the FIFO workforce significantly increases the population, placing additional strain on local infrastructure and services.

“

What we've continually done through lobbying of the ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) is to make sure our ghost populations are included. We have got a baseline population, and then with the mining activities, those populations increase and put added strain on our infrastructure and our services.

Wilson estimates that Kalgoorlie-Boulder may host as many as 10,000 FIFO workers during the current boom. He expressed concern that if the census data indicates a population decline, it would misrepresent the reality and negatively impact the city's ability to secure necessary funding. "Funding opportunities at a state and federal level rely on up-to-date population figures," Wilson stated, emphasizing that an increased population count directly translates to greater access to grants.

The Australian Mining Cities Alliance, which includes several prominent mining councils, supports Kalgoorlie-Boulder's advocacy. The alliance aims to ensure that the census reflects the true demographic impact of the FIFO workforce on these resource-dependent communities.

“

Why is it important? Because funding opportunities at a state and federal level rely on up-to-date population figures. An increase in population gives us more opportunity to get more funding. It's as simple as that, because many of the grant mechanisms take your population into account.