Fresh data revealed at ‘Building Respect’ Mining Industry Summit sparked by shocking sexual harassment cases

Promising signs are emerging after shocking cases of mine site sexual harassment prompted a parliamentary inquiry, but experts warn the numbers may spike before real change is measured. The 2021 probe — sparked by bombshell exposes by The West Australian — uncovered not only horror accounts such as women being urged to perform sexual favours to secure work roles they wanted, but also rape allegations. The State Government’s ensuing Driving Respect summit returned for the second time on Thursday, when Curtin University’s Sharon Parker revealed encouraging fresh data, including 59 per cent of survey respondents in various management roles believing there was now an improved “culture of respect”. That compared to survey results in 2023, when 41 per cent of women reported being frequently subjected to disrespectful behaviours like being put down or condescended to. Professor Parker said this big “iceberg” of harassment - more common than physical abuse such as groping - had “quite devastating” impacts. She gave the example of a woman with two degrees who was encouraged by her manager to apply for a superintendent role and was told by a co-worker “they’re only asking you to apply because they want more women”. The “litmus test” was a continuation of the research later this year, when worker surveys would reveal the reality of women’s experience on the ground. “It’s really good to have a look at the policies and practices, but ultimately it really has to flow down to affect workers’ experience,” Prof Parker said. Edith Cown University’s Tim Bentley said resources companies had in recent years demonstrated a commitment to change “but it’s slow”. “It’ll only happen as more women are encouraged and recruited in the industry, and their experience of work within the industry is one of being respected and treated with equity,” Prof Bentley told The West Australian. “To feel safe to go to work, to speak up if they experience something or see something that they don’t think is right. “We know that businesses that are led ethically have workers that are happier, they stay - they’re not leaving looking for places where they feel safer - they’re more productive. “So it’s good for the workers, it’s good for the organisations as well.” With greater awareness of the problem - which was not unique to the resources sector - there would likely be more reporting of incidents, Prof Bentley warned. “Sometimes progress means that the numbers go up at first,” he said. Former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins said that when she was an employment lawyer, she would have a “spike” in work every time banks had a regional managers conference. “I got all of these complaints about sexual harassment, about alcohol, about fighting, about drugs, about so many things,” she said. “It was the first time I went ‘this isn’t about a few bad people, there is an environment, a context where you’re bringing these people together’. “I always have said ‘anywhere there’s a sleepover, there’s heightened risk’.” 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Sexual Assault Counselling Australia: 1800 211 028 Lifeline: 13 11 14 Sexual Assault Resource Centre: 1800 199 888