Regional Australia Can Hardly Retain Staff Amid Rising Expenses

‘Primarily that’s because we can’t compete with the wages, but it’s also about the cost of living in regional and remote areas,’ said Andrew Bryan.

BHP worker Jimmy Clothier at the BHP Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter in Feysville, Western Australia, Sept. 22, 2023. AAP Image/Marion Rae

A parliament hearing has highlighted the ongoing challenges for regional Australia to retain skilled workers, prompting calls for fair and sustainable federal funding.

Andrew Bryan, CEO of Kalgoorlie-Boulder City—one of Western Australia’s largest regional governments—shared concerns about the high turnover of local government staff in his area, located 600 km east of Perth.