An independent body is needed to deal with shocking sex abuse cover-up culture in Australian mines, say the Western Mineworkers Alliance union following a survey of workers.
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The survey found a majority of female workers on mine sites in WA have experienced sexual harassment, and most are wary of reporting abuse to management.
The union says it's because of a deeply embedded culture of cover-up that discourages reporting and accountability.
It found one in five women had been offered improved conditions of employment or career advancement dependent on sexual favours, either explicitly or implicitly.
Physical acts of sexual assault were experienced by one in five of the women surveyed, while a third experienced unwanted touching or physical contact.
Over half experienced leering that made them feel intimidated, and two thirds reported verbal harassment of a sexual nature, including jokes referring to sexual acts or sexual orientation.
The survey follows a landmark Australian Human Rights Commission report published last year into sexual harassment in the mining sector.
Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins called for a "positive duty" for employers to ensure measures are in place to prevent sexual discrimination and harassment, similar to workplace safety laws.
That measure was supported by the Minerals Council of Australia, which represents major players including Rio Tinto and BHP, and the Morrison government.
However, the measure was left out of the draft version of the amendments to sex discrimination laws introduced to parliament by the federal government last week.
The Australian Workers Union national secretary Daniel Walton said the need for change was urgent.
"While it's shocking so many workers have been sexually abused at mine sites, what's more shocking still is the mine management culture of cover-up and victim-punishment," Mr Walton said.
"The fact women believe they'll be blacklisted as troublemakers if they come forward is a shameful indictment on the culture created by the big miners."
He said the big miners could not be trusted to do the right thing, and an independent body was the only way to ensure victims could speak up and know they wouldn't be punished and blacklisted.
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Tony Maher, president of the Mining and Energy Union, said the society-wide problem of sexual harassment and abuse was grotesquely amplified by mining employers.
"We know there's an all-powerful culture of 'get on with job or get out' on these sites," Mr Maher said.
"Mining giants are very happy to feature smiling women in the PR and marketing materials, but as soon as it becomes mildly inconvenient to protect their safety at work they head for the hills."
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