A progress report – following the recent Parliamentary Inquiry into the fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) mining industry – has been tabled in Parliament by the Western Australian Government, highlighting its commitment to tackle violence, harassment and discrimination against women in the industry.
The report details the actions being taken across key areas such as primary prevention, data and research, refocused regulatory framework, and better support and advocacy for victims of workplace sexual harassment.
Western Australian Mines and Petroleum and Industrial Relations Minister, Bill Johnston, said the report highlights the State Government’s commitment to building a workplace culture of inclusivity, respect and safety for women, and that while progress has been made, there is more work to be done.
“We will continue to collaborate with industry and the community to create workplaces that proactively prevent inappropriate behaviour.
“All organisations, industry leaders, employers and individuals have a responsibility to speak out against this behaviour, to hold perpetrators to account.”
Regulatory amendments to the Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022 and Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations 2022 are already underway, which will clearly mandate the requirement for companies to address psychosocial hazards such as sexual harassment and other inappropriate behaviours in the workplace.
Improvements introduced through the Western Australian Government’s Mental Awareness, Respect and Safety (MARS) Program are funding critical support for victim-survivors and developing resources to support individuals and employers to prevent and respond to workplace violence, including training to upskill mining industry personnel to respond and support victims of sexual harassment incidents.
Circle Green Community Legal has been funded to provide legal triage and non-legal social services to those working in the state’s mining sector who have been affected by workplace sexual harassment.
Other ongoing initiatives include an e-Learning program delivered by the Sexual Assault Resource Centre, a Respect in Mining pilot initiative to engage workers about gendered drivers of violence, an independent Regulatory Capability Review (RCR) and the development of a Code of Practice for accommodation facilities.
A Leadership Summit will also be hosted in the first half of 2023 to drive cultural change across Western Australia’s mining industry by bringing together company boards, mine management, supervisors, health and safety representatives, and safety professionals.
The existing code of practice for mentally healthy workplaces for FIFO workers in the resources and construction sectors is being reviewed by the Department of Mining, Industry Regulation and Safety, and will be delivered to the Mining and Petroleum Advisory Committee and the Work Health and Safety Commission.
Western Australian Women’s Interests Minister, Simone McGurk, said, “The McGowan Government is doing important and nation-leading work to stamp out sexual violence in the workplace. Everyone has a right to feel safe and supported at work.
“Workplace sexual harassment is not a women’s issue; it a societal issue which all organisations, employers and individuals have a responsibility to address.
“The message is clear. We need more women to work in this sector and we need them to be treated with respect.”
