❓ Ms. Davies questions the Minister about the government's response to a report on sexual harassment in the FIFO mining industry, specifically regarding implementation timelines and oversight. The Minister acknowledges the report and ongoing work related to national recommendations but avoids committing to specific timelines.
AnsweredQoN 425Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
'ENOUGH IS ENOUGH': SEXUAL HARASSMENT
AGAINST WOMEN IN THEFIFO MINING INDUSTRY REPORT — GOVERNMENT
RESPONSE
425. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
I refer to the 'Enough is
enough': Sexual harassment against women in the FIFO mining industry report tabled today by the Community Development and Justice Standing
Committee.
(1) Noting that
more than 50 per cent of the recommendations are for government to address as a
result of deficiencies of the regulator,
will the minister table a time line of implementation for the recommendations the government is directly responsible for?
(2) What
oversight role, if any, will the minister's department have to ensure
that the recommendations for industry are met and reported on?
AGAINST WOMEN IN THEFIFO MINING INDUSTRY REPORT — GOVERNMENT
RESPONSE
425. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
I refer to the 'Enough is
enough': Sexual harassment against women in the FIFO mining industry report tabled today by the Community Development and Justice Standing
Committee.
(1) Noting that
more than 50 per cent of the recommendations are for government to address as a
result of deficiencies of the regulator,
will the minister table a time line of implementation for the recommendations the government is directly responsible for?
(2) What
oversight role, if any, will the minister's department have to ensure
that the recommendations for industry are met and reported on?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Firstly,
I want to thank the committee for the enormous effort that it has gone to in
order to put this report together. I know the hard work that the committee did
and I know it must have been very trying to listen to the victims who have
suffered so greatly. Having to retell their story once again to the committee
must have been traumatic for the victims, so I thank the victims who came
forward and put to the committee the experience they had.
The
second thing I want to say is that I note the Respect@Work: Sexual harassment
national inquiry report that was done by the commonwealth government
and the recommendations for amendments, including amendments to the model work
health and safety legislation. The government has already committed to implement the recommendations arising out of Respect@Work .
I note that Safe Work Australia is working on the amendments that will be required to the uniform legislation. We
look forward to Safe Work Australia finishing that work and coming up
with the amendments that are required to the work health and safety legislation
so that we can implement that here in Western Australia.
In respect of the report, it was
handed down only this morning; we will comply with the standing orders and
respond in accordance with the standing orders, so, of course, it is not
possible for me to give the member a time line. I just want to emphasise,
exactly as I said yesterday, there is only one organisation responsible for
health and safety in each workplace in this state—that is, the
employer. It has been the case in Western Australia since 1986, with the
implementation of the former Occupational Safety and Health Act, and it is the
case today with the Work Health and Safety Act. I do not want to give anybody
the idea that somehow it is somebody else's responsibility and that
somehow a lack of guidance notes or something such as that stops employers
meeting their legal obligations. I have not read every single word of the
report, but if the Leader of the Opposition is suggesting to me that the report
says that employers are not responsible for their own behaviour, I do not agree
—
Ms M.J. Davies : Don't
put words in my mouth. That's not what I said.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I am not
quite sure what the member is trying to drive at.
Let me make it clear: I have said I welcome
the report. I have complimented the members of the committee for working so
hard. I have paid respect to the victims and I have made it clear that we are
already on a pathway for legislative change, based on the Respect@Work report because we have uniform legislation in Western Australia with the Work Health and Safety Act. I cannot tell
the member anything more in respect of the report that was tabled a bit
over an hour and a half ago, and we will comply with the standing orders in
responding to the report.
I want to thank the committee for the enormous effort that it has gone to in
order to put this report together. I know the hard work that the committee did
and I know it must have been very trying to listen to the victims who have
suffered so greatly. Having to retell their story once again to the committee
must have been traumatic for the victims, so I thank the victims who came
forward and put to the committee the experience they had.
The
second thing I want to say is that I note the Respect@Work: Sexual harassment
national inquiry report that was done by the commonwealth government
and the recommendations for amendments, including amendments to the model work
health and safety legislation. The government has already committed to implement the recommendations arising out of Respect@Work .
I note that Safe Work Australia is working on the amendments that will be required to the uniform legislation. We
look forward to Safe Work Australia finishing that work and coming up
with the amendments that are required to the work health and safety legislation
so that we can implement that here in Western Australia.
In respect of the report, it was
handed down only this morning; we will comply with the standing orders and
respond in accordance with the standing orders, so, of course, it is not
possible for me to give the member a time line. I just want to emphasise,
exactly as I said yesterday, there is only one organisation responsible for
health and safety in each workplace in this state—that is, the
employer. It has been the case in Western Australia since 1986, with the
implementation of the former Occupational Safety and Health Act, and it is the
case today with the Work Health and Safety Act. I do not want to give anybody
the idea that somehow it is somebody else's responsibility and that
somehow a lack of guidance notes or something such as that stops employers
meeting their legal obligations. I have not read every single word of the
report, but if the Leader of the Opposition is suggesting to me that the report
says that employers are not responsible for their own behaviour, I do not agree
—
Ms M.J. Davies : Don't
put words in my mouth. That's not what I said.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I am not
quite sure what the member is trying to drive at.
Let me make it clear: I have said I welcome
the report. I have complimented the members of the committee for working so
hard. I have paid respect to the victims and I have made it clear that we are
already on a pathway for legislative change, based on the Respect@Work report because we have uniform legislation in Western Australia with the Work Health and Safety Act. I cannot tell
the member anything more in respect of the report that was tabled a bit
over an hour and a half ago, and we will comply with the standing orders in
responding to the report.
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