SPEAK UP, REPORT IT campaign to help workplace sexual harassment victims
| Date: | Tuesday, 01 August 2023 |
|---|
- 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 IT campaign will reinforce the message that harassment and bullying in the resources sector is unacceptable.
SPEAK UP, REPORT IT will 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 of many 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.”
