John Ando Anderson talks all things Western Australia, and what not to talk about
DON’T, whatever you do, say “West Australia” to a Western Australian…if you do, expect an eyeroll or two, writes John Anderson.
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DON’T whatever you do say “West Australia” to a Western Australian…if you do expect an eyeroll or two.
They prefer “Western Australia”. Don’t ask me why but they do have their ways. Another thing that will get you an eye roll is to pronounce the old whaling town of Albany, All-bany. Shivers will travel all the way down the spine of a true-blue Sandgroper if you say ALL-bany and not Al-bany, the “Al” being the same as in Al Capone. West Australians… sorry Western Australians who hear it, even those not part of the convo, will glance at you and shake their heads as if saying “ignorant bloody easterner”. For us tenderfoot easterners in Western Australia there is nothing more degrading than being called “an easterner”. They quietly think we are wankers because they know their iron ore is what feeds the nation and that we just happily bludge along on the sidelines with some coal, sugarcane and cattle. Truth is: we do.
In WA you can smell the confidence. It’s in the air. It’s the smell coming from dust blown from the Pilbara; dust from rock that has lain dormant for millions of years and is now being used to build everything from ships to cars to girders for buildings. It’s the smell of iron ore. Nothing can crush this confidence, not even the hyped-up talk of a China slow-down caused by Trump’s tariffs. “Media beat-up,” Sandgropers say as they lean over the bar and order another schooner of Bush Chook.
Sandgropers. They have their own terms such as the Northbridge Handshake. Northbridge is a gritty suburb slap bang up against the Perth CBD. Lots of nightclubs, Asian restaurants and food joints. Fire bombings are not unheard of and there is a good chance you’ll see a bit of biffo if you’re hanging around the streets after midnight. The Northbridge Handshake is the name given to being hit from behind, most often in the back of the head. “He’s in hospital. Copped a Northbridge Handshake,” someone might say.
You might also be asked if you want to meet up for a couple of Bush Chooks. No, it has nothing to do with barbecued chickens. Bush Chook is the nickname given to the very palatable Emu Export beer brewed in WA. Emus over here are called bush chooks.
And just as we called Mt Isa, the Isa, Cloncurry the Curry and Charters Towers, the Towers they have shortened names for towns like Busselton to Busso, Fremantle is Freo, Cottesloe is Cotto or Cott, Rottnest Island is Rotto, Margaret River is Margs, Gero for Geraldton or sometimes, with some justification, Derro Gero.
It’s a state awash with money. Senior operators, very senior operators out on the off-shore gas rigs are pulling in $380,000 a year for basically what amounts to six months work. These are highly sought after roles and tend to be held by long-termers. Still, there is an abundance of work for all trades; for example a dual-trade instrumentation electrician can earn upwards of $230,000 a year working a three week on, three week off roster on the rigs.
Some of them live at Margaret River where for their three weeks off, if they aren’t working a side-gig, you might find them surfing, fishing or camping in the region known as the Great Southern. You’ll find them riding the big waves at breaks called The Box off Margaret River and at The Right three kilometres out in the Southern Ocean from Walpole. Surfer Kerby Brown’s docco called Facing Monsters was made here at these big breaks. Brown, when he’s not being pulled onto monster waves by his brother, works on the gas rigs.
WA is all about mining and building. The state’s Cook government over here has just extended its $10,000 offer for trade-qualified people to move here. A story in the West Australian newspaper this week said the scheme pays tradies from the east coast and New Zealand to head to WA to help build more homes. Cook was quoted saying “beware the east coast and Kiwi cousins - we want your tradies – and we’re pulling out all stops to bring them here”. The government is also extending its visa subsidy program which throws businesses $10,000 to help ease the financial pain of bringing skilled migrants to WA.
Mining in WA is a generational thing. Young blokes and women here in their 20s who have grown up with fathers, uncles, cousins, brothers and grandfathers working in the industry. They know it inside out which is something that has enabled them to use it to better their own lives. Many leave school, do a trade and get into the mines. They start working shifts which gives them six months off a year. They get an ABN, start their own side-gig which they work in their six months off to make a pile of extra dough. They are living the dream.
The number of young females now working in the mines in Western Australia is staggering. The days when girls leaving school who weren’t going on to uni looked at the hair dressing and hospitality industries for a career are over. The mines now offer young women a gateway to a whole new frontier, one that offers financial independence and strong career prospects.
And there are loads and loads of transpeople working out in the mines. Who would have thought that Western Australian iron ore mines would be the breakthrough workplace for Australia’s transgender population? The signs on toilets scattered around the crib rooms up in the Pilbara are ladies, gents and non-binary. I’m told that watching the crusty old timers adjusting to this seismic shift in social order out on the mines can be at times hilarious. Think of the movie Red Dog set in the Pilbara in the 1970s and think now 2025 out on the mines and you are viewing two different civilisations.
Some of the big mining companies offer job share arrangements which allow an employee to work a minimal amount of time on-site. Some might start their own business. Job share typically operates on an eight days on, 20 days off roster. This is becoming popular with employees developing their own businesses. They can still pull in $80,000 to $90,000 a year working on-site for 105 days a year, leaving them 260 days to go fishing or to develop their own business…and while they are kicking back the company super is still rolling in.
Job sharing is popular with employees who retire, but many keep working the eight day roster to pull in that juicy extra income. Long term company employees of course have their savings, super and shares. An employee who puts $7000 into shares in his/her first year will have that amount matched by the company every year of their employment after their first three years of service.
The state’s Skills and TAFE Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said “Western Australia’s economy is booming and we need a skilled workforce to meet demand across a range of sectors including building and construction”.
There are plenty of backpackers working in the mines. They can’t believe their good fortune, coming here, having no idea what to expect and then landing unskilled jobs paying north of $150,000 a year while being put up in serviced, ensuited dongas and being fed three meals every day. Most have never had it so good. The demand for labour is insatiable, so-much-so that labour hire companies are continually scouting overseas and advertising on social media for workers. It really is the land of opportunity.
New mines are opening constantly which means the demand for labour is not likely to ease for a long time. And then we have the Brisbane Olympics’. This hunger for workers over here in the west along with job demand for people in the building industries in the eastern states will make finding a highly skilled workforce to prepare for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, harder and harder.
Is it any wonder Western Australia is a land of opportunity.
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JOKE of the Week.
Man: “Hello”.
WOMAN: Darling it’s me . Are you at the golf club?
MAN: “Yes.”
WOMAN: “I am at the shopping centre and found this beautiful dress . It’s only $1500. Is it okay if I buy it?”
MAN: “If you really like it, go for it.”
WOMAN: “I also stopped by the Ferrari dealership and they have this gorgeous red 2025 model on special for $350,000. Can I buy it?”
MAN: “Sounds like a good deal. See if they’ll knock $60,000 off the price. No worries if they don’t. It’s still a good buy.”
WOMAN: “Thanks, darling. Oh, and that house that was on the market last year I wanted is listed again for $1.1 million.”
MAN: “Is it, boy-o-boy. See if they’ll knock $200,000 off the price, but if they won’t, buy it because I know how much it means to you.”
WOMAN: “Oh, I love you so much. See you later darling.”
MAN: “See you later. Love you.”
The man hangs up. The other golfers in the room are looking him, mouths agape.
He grins, holds up the phone and asks, “anyone know who owns this?”
Originally published as John Ando Anderson talks all things Western Australia, and what not to talk about
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