Minute with Synnott

WITH TONY SYNNOTT

Meet... Kevin Rogers Who tells us his story of the fly-in, fly-out hard working men and women who want to get on quick and live longer.

Q, It’s so hard to interview FIFO workers as they are busy even when they come down to Perth, why is that? A. Probably because we are just off for one week and a lot of people tend to travel overseas, so it can be hard to catch up. Q. What do you get up to when you are on leave? A. I catch up on lost sleep and I do a good bit of socialising and relaxing for the rest of the time. Q. I know you come from County Monaghan, tell us about your home town ? A. I come from a small village called Inniskeen, it’s famous for ‘wash diesel’, and the poet Patrick

Kavanagh, who wrote the song “On Raglan Road” - one of your favourites Tony! Q. Was Perth always on your radar to settle down and to work up North, yes or no ? A. No, I first worked 3 hours north of Melbourne driving combines for 4 months back in 2010, then myself and a few friends ended up going to Perth and got working in mines. I liked Perth because its not too busy and handy to get around. Q. Why do you think suicide is prevalent with FIFO workers, it is loneliness for family? A. I think people get trapped into a FIFO lifestyle when they are buying big houses, it puts a lot of strain on families. They have to stay working away 3 and 4 weeks at a time. On the other side though, every site has lots of mental health facilities and people to talk to if needed. I find that FIFO is more suited to a single person’s lifestyle. Q. Have you got a hobby to pass your time in the donga, or just your phone ? A. Yeah we have a gym, swimming pools, entertainment rooms. I like to play pool in the evenings and have a few beers with the crew. We also have got TV’s and movie channels to pass the time.

Q. What sport do you follow or are you interested in any? A. I follow most sports, GAA, AFL and rugby, anything other than soccer and cricket. Q. Do you go back to visit your family often, or just to rest? A. I normally go home once a year and catch up with family. I have a sister and nieces living in Perth so I spend quite a bit of time with them. Q. I find some FIFO workers stick together when they come down, others stay indoors and save, why? A. Yes that’s probably because we are off during the week days and its easier to catch up with each other than it is to catch up with mates who work full time in the city. Q. Do you read the Irish Scene to keep up with what’s going on in the world ? A. Yeah I like to read the Irish Scene to see where the good bands are playing and any events that are going on while I am on break. Q. Do you think women are slowly taking over the world on tv ? A. That is a raw enough question Tony �� I haven’t really noticed on TV but there seems to be a lot more women working in the mining and construction sectors at the minute, which is a good thing, a lot easier on the eye. Q. Is pub life dying or are prices far too high for drinks and food ? A. I think pubs are still going strong even though the price of drink has increased. Q. It’s great to speak to you and listen to your side work-wise. What do you see happening to things in the near future ? A. I reckon in another 2 to 3 years the mining and construction work in Western Australia will be quiet again. THE IRISH SCENE | 76