- SPEAK UP,
REPORT IT campaign to help
workplace sexual harassment victims
- 24/7 hotline upgraded to stamp out
unacceptable behaviour in resources sector
- Respect
in Mining pilot launched today to create safer workplaces for women
- 12-month pilot delivered in partnership
with mining company Gold Fields Australia
The Cook Government has today launched two programs as part of a strategy
to create safer workplaces and drive cultural change within Western Australia's
resources sector.
The SPEAK UP, REPORT ITcampaign will reinforce the message
that harassment and bullying in the resources sector is unacceptable.
SPEAK UP, REPORT ITwill remind senior executives, mine operators
and workers of their responsibility to report workplace sexual harassment and
other inappropriate behaviours towards women to WorkSafe.The campaign is one ofmany
actions the Cook Government is taking to help tackle workplace sexual harassment,
in response to recommendations from the Parliamentary Inquiry into the fly-in,
fly-out mining industry.
WorkSafe WA's 24/7 hotline, where callers can remain anonymous, has also
been bolstered for victims and bystanders of workplace harassment or bullying.
The number, 1800 678 198, is also used for reporting other mines safety incidents
to WorkSafe WA.
Two additional staff have been employed to triage incoming calls and
WorkSafe has delivered specialised training to ensure the service is provided
in a trauma-informed manner.
The hotline and campaign forms part of the Government's Mental Awareness,
Respect and Safety program that boosts responses to mental health, workplace culture
and mine safety.
For more information, visit: http://www.worksafe.wa.gov.au
Today also marks the launch of the Respect in Mining program.
The program aims to increase awareness and knowledge of the impact of
gender inequality on women's safety and the impact of gendered division in leadership
within the resources sector.
Mining company Gold Fields Australia will participate in a 12-month
pilot of the program across its WA operations, scheduled to begin in early 2024.
Research
and development of the program has been undertaken by Curtin University's
Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, which has
created a suite of tools and resources for use in the pilot.
These
tools provide supporting guidance on how to review the new policies and procedures
and monitor the overall shift in workplace culture to improve practice.
The Respect in Mining program is based on the
principles of the Department of Communities' Respectful Relationships programs and is an initiative under
the Mental Awareness, Respect and Safety program.
For more information on the Respect in Mining
program, visit: https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/department-of-communities/respect-mining
Comments attributed to
Industrial Relations Minister Bill Johnston:
"The SPEAK UP, REPORT IT
campaign highlights the Cook Government's ongoing commitment to promote workplace
cultures that support inclusivity, respect and safety.
"We all have a responsibility to speak out against sexual harassment and
other unacceptable workplace behaviours.
"It is vital there is a clear point of contact for those that experience
sexual harassment at work. Sexual harassment is a work health and safety issue
and we must confront it.
"This campaign is one of the wide-ranging actions we are taking to
remind mine operators of their mandatory workplace reporting obligations."
Comments attributed to Women's
Interests Minister Sue Ellery:
"Everyone has a
right to feel safe and supported at work. 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.
"I
am pleased that Gold Fields Australia have agreed to pilot the Respect in
Mining program and work with us to drive cultural change and help stamp out
unacceptable behaviour.
"The
program is one of many initiatives being undertaken by the Cook Government that
demonstrate our commitment to ensuring the Western Australian resources sector
offers a safe and empowering workplace for all staff."
Comments
attributed to Gold Fields Australia Executive Vice President Stuart Mathews:
"Gold Fields has committed to its people, business partners and the
wider community to making changes that deliver safe, inclusive, and respectful
workplaces for all of our people.
"Partnering
with the Cook Government to pilot the Respect in Mining program will continue
to build on the Respectful Workplaces program we have developed and started
rolling out with the Gold Fields workforce, our business partners and the
broader industry."
