The National Council of Women Australia president Margaret Findlater-Smith said the high cost of living in regional towns with a mining operation was affecting a local community's ability to continue living in the area.

"The towns are stagnant, they are not growing as the FIFO workers are not contributing," she said.

"They fly into the [mining] camp and they fly out again."

These regional towns needed to be developed with alternate growth and employment opportunities so they were not reliant on just the mining sector, Findlater-Smith said.

Findlater-Smith also highlighted the stress FIFO/DIDO rosters placed on families, family structures, workloads and mental health.

Meanwhile, the Police Federation of Australia highlighted the high cost of living for officers near FIFO/DIDO operations.

The federation also commented on the difficulties of implementing community policing initiatives on towns and regions which have a temporary population.

The inquiry was launched by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Australia in August.

"The committee recognises that the use of the FIFO and DIDO workforces in the mining sector raises a number of significant challenges and opportunities for individuals and their families, communities and employers," committee chair Tony Windsor said.

"We are interested in exploring all of those issues and hope to also hear from mining companies who are utilising FIFO/DIDO for their employees."

Regional Development and Local Government Minister Simon Crean has asked the committee to look at the extent and projected growth of FIFO/DIDO work practices and its impact on individuals, communities and companies.

In addition, long-term economic diversification in towns with large FIFO/DIDO workforces and the provision of infrastructure and housing availability to these employees, Crean said.

The committee will be travelling throughout regional Australia to hold public hearings and meet with people involved with FIFO/DIDO work.