Education is up and employment is growing in the nation’s mining and resource regions thanks to the activity of mining companies and their mobile workforce, according to a new report released by the Minerals Council of Australia.

The study, prepared by KPMG, for the MCA and Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association, compiled basic demographic profiles of the resident population of Australia’s nine main mining and resource regions for the first time.

The MCA claims that the findings of the report ‘debunk a number of myths and anecdotal claims’, namely that mining is hollowing out regions in which it operates.

The study shows that mining, including natural gas production, has driven a ‘substantial increase’ in high-income earners. In 2006, five per cent of the resident population in mining regions earned $2000 per week or more, but by 2011 this had increased to 13 per cent of the population. This compares with five per cent across regional Australia.

KPMG also found that in the five years to 2011, the population of Australia’s mining regions had grown at 1.5 per cent per year. This was the same as the national average but greater than the 0.8 per cent for regional Australia more generally.

KPMG also found that: 

  • There is higher full-time employment in mining regions – 66 per cent compared with 58 per cent across regional Australia;
  • All but two mining regions recorded an unemployment rate below the national unemployment rate (5.2 per cent) and the regional Australian unemployment rate (5.4 per cent);
  • There is a higher proportion of families in mining regions than non-mining regions. 33 per cent of resident households are made up of parents and children in mining regions, compared to 29 per cent across regional Australia;
  • There are higher rates of Year 12 completions in mining regions – 41 per cent compared with the regional Australian average of 37 per cent;
  •  Home ownership in mining regions lower at 61 per cent compared with 70 per cent across regional Australia;
  • Mining regions tend to have a higher working age population (people aged between 15-64) than other regional areas.

The report can be found here