McGowan Government Responds To Sexual Harassment Inquiry
On 21 September, Premier Mark McGowan released a statement on the WA Government’s response to the inquiry on sexual harassment in the mining industry. The recommendations from Enough is Enough will all be implemented alongside those from the Respect@Work report. Notably, a code of practice will be created for mining and construction industries. Further legal services will be available for workers. The last notable change is that WorkSafe will undergo development to introduce an expert team that will respond to sexual harassment reporting.
WA Chief Justice Peter Quinlan Says All Have Role To Play In Combating Workplace Sexual Harassment
Supreme Court Chief Justice, Peter Quinlan, spoke at the Women in Mining and Resources WA Summit. He spoke on sexual harassment, calling out a culture of blindness in all workplaces. He claimed that this culture of “wilful blindness” has perpetuated an “us” and “them” attitude, whereby a small group are identified as offenders and everyone else is on the other side. He doesn’t think it is that simple and that all of us have to understand the “ordinariness of our own failings and complicity in poor workplace culture” in order to achieve real change. He said, “Because cultivating an enriching workplace culture, characterised by trust, respect and inclusion is not simply the responsibility of a few in management, but is the responsibility of the workplace as a whole.”
Elizabeth Broderick To Lead EY Culture Review
Sex discrimination commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, has been appointed by EY to conduct a review of the firm’s workplace culture. The review is a direct response to a staff member from the Sydney office taking their own life last month. The staff member was a 27 year old woman. The review will focus on the workplace culture, practices and mental health. Ms Broderick has been specifically assigned because of her ability to thoroughly investigate culture and discrimination issues.
PM Says AFL ‘No Place For Discrimination’ Amid Fallout From Revelations At Hawthorn Football Club
The AFL will establish a four-person panel to investigate claims of racism at the Hawthorn Football Club. Former and current Indigenous club players have accused coach Chris Fagan and ex-coach Alastair Clarkson of racism. It includes an incident in which the alleged perpetrators told a player and his partner to terminate their pregnancy so that the player could focus on sport. The Prime Minister has said that discrimination does not have a place in sport or our broader community. This news came out just prior to the 2022 Grand Final.