WOMEN AT THE COALFACE

In the wake of harassment claims and a parliamentary inquiry, The Weekly meets four women stepping boldly into what they hope will be a new era in Australian mining.

- GENEVIEVE GANNON

A brilliant blue sky, the vast red earth, pits and trucks and workers in yellow hi-vis. This scene has been the picture of Australian prosperity for decades. But despite our wealth of coal, gold and diamonds putting Australia at the forefront of mining innovation, the number of women in the industry has remained stubbornly low. A push to increase female participation has only managed to lift it from 14 per cent in the 1990s to 18 per cent today.

The masculine workplace culture has been blamed for this trend. More recently, allegations of rampant sexual harassment have revealed a darker side to the problem. Insiders say the industry is headed for a reckoning.

The inquiry into sexual harassment in the Western Australia FIFO (fly-in, fly-out) industry has uncovered things that are “absolutely heart-wrenching,” says mining board director Susie Corlett. “They can’t be explained away as a few bad eggs. It speaks to systemic structural and cultural issues in the industry that need to be addressed with urgent action.”

But Susie and a new generation of female miners are leading a charge towards a more inclusive, vibrant industry. “It is no coincidence that we have seen a shift in the culture of the mining businesses as we’ve seen the step-up in female directors sitting on boards,” Susie says. And as a woman who has worked in mining for 30 years, she adds, “I’m loving that this conversation is now happening.”

ANNA LEE WINMAR

Trainee Operator on Dump Trucks