Mining

Why is the AHRC targeting the mining sector?

Sex discrimination in mining

Mining has long been a male-dominated industry and women have struggled to make inroads.

In 2022, female participation in the mining industry globally sat around 14% of the total workforce. In Australia, the figure for 2023-2023 was around 16%.

According to data from the S&P Global Commodity Insights in 2023, around the world in mining, women hold only:

• 12.3% of board positions
• 12.1% of C-suite positions
• 14% of executive positions and 12.3% of board positions.

In Australia, according to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), in 2022-2023, women hold only:

• 12.7% of Board positions
• 8.1% of CEOs positions
• 15.2% of Head of Business positions.

Interestingly, 72.1% of clerical and administrative workers are women.

The gender pay gap in the mining industry is 12.7%.

Sexual harassment in mining

In Australia, according to the Australian Human Rights Commission’s 2022 Survey, mining has the fifth highest incidence of workplace sexual harassment with almost a third (32%) of mining workers experiencing sexual harassment. This includes an estimated 62% of women and 25% of men.

Yet, only 2% of people were likely to make a report.

In 2022, the Western Australian Parliament conducted an inquiry into the mining industry in Western Australia. The mining industry is an enormous part of the Western Australian economy. It brings in hundreds of billions of dollars into the state each year. The industry, which includes minerals, oil and gas, involves companies ranging from single operators to some of the largest multi-nationals in the world. The industry employs thousands of people across many sites.

The Enough is Enough Report that came out of the inquiry revealed ‘abhorrent and systemic’ patterns of workplace behaviour and sexual harassment against women in the fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) mining industry.

Women in the mining industry frequently have to deal with sexual harassment and sexual assault.

In addition, women often felt intimidated and fearful and this would be constant throughout their workplace stay.

Some suffered severe trauma and long-term adverse impacts from their experience.

Why should you retain Dr Genevieve Burnett to help your mining company

I first became interested in the mining industry, especially the experience of fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workers, when I lived in regional Queensland. On one hand, I could see the financial benefits of a career in mining. On the other, I kept hearing scarifying stories of life in mining camps, especially from women. I could also see how a FIFO job disrupted family life.

The AHRC Guidelines take a multi-disciplinary approach to eliminate sex discrimination and sexual harassment from workplaces.

Like the AHRC Guidelines, I draw on a multi-disciplinary background, which means I have the perfect set of analytical tools that will help your company implement them.

I am extremely good at distilling complex concepts into clear and plain language, which makes me an excellent communicator.

However, I am acutely aware that complying with the Positive Duty will be a major challenge for an industry as male dominated as the mining sector.

Finally, I’m keen to work with leaders in firms to help make mining companies safer, as well as more respectful and inclusive.