Risky drinking persists in rural WA despite culture shift

Alcohol culture in rural Western Australia is changing, but risky drinking remains high In short: Research shows rates of hazardous drinking remain high in Western Australia's north. Stress and isolation are some of the key factors driving alcohol use in rural and remote populations. But a Pilbara station manager says the next generation of workers seem to have a healthier approach to drinking. If Australians are thought to be heavy drinkers, the stereotype is even stronger for rural station and farm workers. The cliche is supported by public health data showing higher rates of risky drinking in isolated regions, including Western Australia's north. The Pilbara region, around 1,100km north of Perth, found 51 per cent of adults drank more than 10 standard drinks a week in 2024. This is compared to 49.2 per cent further north in the Kimberley and 35.5 per cent across all of WA. Alcohol use on cattle stations Mark Bettini was 21 when his family took over De Grey Station near Port Hedland, about 1,700km north of Perth, in 1996. He said factors like long days and social influence contributed to excessive alcohol consumption at the time. "I think in the early days, alcohol was quite a big problem in our crew, and I won't pretend that I wasn't taking part in it," Mr Bettini said. "When you are working long hours and you come back and you're tired, sometimes a beer becomes a real attraction. "I think when you're using alcohol to relax, it's very hard to get out of that habit." Remote workers more likely to drink heavily National Drug Research Institute professor Nyanda McBride said rural and farming areas often had higher rates of hazardous drinking due to factors like stress and isolation. "Some of the risk factors around that increase is being male, lower socio-economic status, and psychological problems such as depression," she said. "But there's also financial stressors, seasonal stressors that come with farming, work-life balance, physical health, and disconnection." Ms McBride said drinking alcohol was commonly used as a coping strategy. Coupled with this were barriers to accessing mental healthcare, such as physical distance, a lack of knowledge about treatment options, and traditional stoicism — the belief men must shoulder burdens alone. Farmer Shanna Whan, who began her life on the land as a "baby jillaroo", said drinking culture in the bush was deeply ingrained. At the station she worked after school, alcohol was the centrepiece of social life. Ms Whan said this led to a "horrifying" experience. "I was not in a safe environment, and alcohol was very prevalent," she said. "By the end of my first year out of boarding school, I'd been sexually assaulted six different times … and alcohol was involved. "It's a really sad story and I'm very sad to say also it's a very common story." Ms Whan's consumption of alcohol increased while working in the agriculture sector and she believed the only way to do deals, make friends, or "fit in" was over a beer. After two years of personal recovery, Ms Whan launched charity Sober in the Country with a goal to normalise saying no to alcohol in rural Australia. She said the charity's advocacy over the past 12 years had contributed to "huge change" in rural and remote communities, particularly in how young people viewed alcohol — but there remained more work to be done. Change is afoot As manager of De Grey Station, Mr Bettini said there had been instances where crew members' alcohol use went too far. "I've seen people drinking too much then trying to turn up for work still drunk and you have to stand them down," he said. "We've had damage to the quarters and that sort of thing because people have drunk too many spirits. "We had to ban spirits for a time or two because it's got out of hand — but in the last few years, we've not had to do that at all, which is fantastic." Mr Bettini said he had recently noticed a "dramatic improvement" in the drinking habits of his new and young staff members, and their ability to say no to a drink. "We just want to promote a safe workplace," he said. "For me, the last 10 years, I've seen a dramatic improvement in young 17, 18, 19-year-olds coming into the workforce and having good habits to start with. "Whatever's happening out there is great and it gives me a lot of hope and enthusiasm that the industry is going to be safe and strong. "Probably we'll have a lot better leadership from those guys coming through." [Image text:] CHAMBERILAN