LONG-DISTANCE COMMUTING IN RESOURCE INDUSTRIES - IMPLICATIONS FOR NATIVE PEOPLES IN AUSTRALIA AND CANADA

During the last fifteen years a fundamental change has occurred in the settlement patterns associated with resource projects in remote regions of Australia and Canada. The earlier practice of establishing new mine townships has virtually ceased. Most new projects rely on a ''rotational'' workforce which is regularly transported between the work site and scheduled pick-up points. These are typically major population centers, where the workers' families continue to reside. This shift to Long Distance Commuting (LDC) has profound implications for native peoples, but as yet these implications are poorly understood. The information which is available indicates that while LDC allows some native people to reconcile their need to earn cash incomes with their desire to maintain elements of a traditional lifestyle, it can also have negative effects both on individuals and on native societies. A number of areas are identified where additional research is needed if native peoples are to be in a position to make informed decisions in relation to LDC.