WA’s resources sector has been put on notice mandates will be on the cards should the industry fail to crack down on workplace behaviour through guidelines and best practice measures introduced in the wake of a damning FIFO sexual harassment probe.
WA’s resources sector has been put on notice mandates will be on the cards should the industry fail to crack down on workplace behaviour through guidelines and best practice measures introduced in the wake of a damning FIFO sexual harassment probe.
Speaking ahead of addressing a 1000-strong forum on respect in the mining sector on Tuesday, Industrial Relations Minister Bill Johnston said the government would have to act if there was no evidence of performance improvement.
His comments came amid the launch of a new awareness campaign, respect in mining pilot program, and the bolstering of a 24/7 Worksafe hotline via employment of two more call centre operators.
“Our view is that the industry is ready to change and we want to work… with the entire industry to see improvement,” Mr Johnston said.
“We need to work with the mining industry to improve and if we have to go further on regulations will always look to that.
“We're pleased that so many companies are now making commitments, we now need to see improved performance, we need to see better outcomes.”
Mr Johnston said respect needed to be embedded in the wider community, not just the mining industry.
The pilot program, to be trialed with Gold Fields Australia in 2024, aims to provide support for small and mid-tier miners which don’t have the human resources scale of large companies to review and monitor workplace culture and policy.
Women’s Interest Minister Sue Ellery said templates and human resources materials for matters such as auditing sexual harassment and managing resistance to workplace change would be tested and made available to the industry.
“There is a template… that helps put in place an audit and to do it in a sensitive way… to say these are the steps that you need to take, here's how to do it in a way that allows people to make disclosures but in a way where they feel safe to do that,” she said.
“The point of the pilot is to test it, is it easy for the company to use, does it work for the workforce, and we'll learn from that.
“Workplace sexual harassment is not a women's issue - it is a societal issue that all organisations, employers and individuals have a responsibility to address.”
Gold Fields Australia executive vice president Stuart Mathews said taking part in the trial was a commitment to operating a respectful workplace.
The new campaign, named Speak Up, Report It, will remind executives, mine operators and workers of the need to report inappropriate behaviour towards women to Worksafe.
