Women managers curb mine harassment risk

The more women in management, the more likely Australian mining companies will prioritise stamping out sexual harassment, a new report suggests.

Sexual harassment in the mining industry has been in the spotlight after reports of rapes and assaults and a parliamentary committee finding that women weren’t being protected from predatory sexual behaviour.

The damning inquiry revealed “abhorrent and systemic” sexual harassment against women in mining, where many fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) workers travel to remote worksites for weeks at a time.

Now, an analysis into the policies and procedures of companies large and small has found stark differences in culture based on how many women were in management.

“This analysis shows that companies with above-average representation of women in management are more likely to prioritise employee mental health and well-being, physical health and safety, and workplace culture and sexual harassment relative to companies with a below-average representation of women in management,” the report released late on Friday said.

Large differences were not observed between companies with above or below-average shares of women employees.

Poorer workplace culture and sexual harassment were observed in companies with fewer than 5000 employees, in comparison to the larger miners.

The Curtin University Centre for Transformative Work Design report notes Australia is lagging behind other countries in preventing and responding to workplace sexual harassment.

The mining industry is among the worst industries for sexual harassment, with 40 per cent of workers and three-in-four women workers reporting having experienced sexual harassment in the past five years.

But it excels when it comes to the share of workers reporting excellent or very good physical health.

Based on the report authors’ index, non-mining companies were more likely to prioritise issues of mental health.

“Issues concerning workplace culture and sexual harassment might be relatively under-prioritised,” the report said.

The report makes up part of the West Australian government’s Mental Awareness, Respect and Safety program launched in late 2021.

Women’s Interests Minister Simone McGurk said it was better for business and the community when women were safe and supported at work.

“We know that changing entrenched attitudes won’t be easy but it must be done,” she said in a statement on Saturday.

“Women working in this industry have put up with too much for too long and it shouldn’t just be up to them to call out bad behaviour.”

The year-long parliamentary inquiry was launched after a number of women came forward to police detailing claims of sexual assaults at major WA mines.

The committee’s report criticised the performance of the WA Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety.

The department said it had only received 22 reports of sexual assaults on mine sites in seven years but WA Police reported having investigated 23 incidents in two years.

A Labor backbencher has suggested a royal-commission-style probe is needed to expose predators and explore opportunities for redress, such as formal apologies and compensation.