"'No place for a woman': Mining supplier sued for sexual harassment," 5 Jul 2020

A major supplier to Australia’s mining industry has been accused of ignoring the repeated sexual harassment and discrimination of an apprentice, including being told her workplace was "no place for a woman".

The allegations levelled against haulage supplier Komatsu in a lawsuit before the Federal Court comes at a time when the industry grapples with gender diversity in the wake of stark revelations about sexual harassment in Australia's most male-dominated workforce.

“This case shows the mining industry remains a boys' club where sexual harassment is endemic,” Maurice Blackburn Lawyers senior associate Mia Pantechis said...

Komatsu wouldn't comment on the allegations because the matter was before the court, saying the company was in the process of preparing its legal response.

A spokeswoman said the company does not tolerate sexual discrimination or harassment and any such allegations were taken seriously.

"As a global organisation, we continually work towards providing inclusive workplaces for employees, so that we may advance together through greater diversity of thought," she said.

"It is important that all of our employees feel welcome and safe in their workplace."

Data from the federal government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency this year showed women hold just 17 per cent of the 200,000 mining jobs nationally, making it the most male-dominated industry in Australia...

The allegations in the lawsuit echo disclosures made to the Australian Human Rights Commission during its national inquiry into sexual harassment in the workplace.

The report, commissioned amid the #MeToo movement in 2018, found the mining sector was one of the worst workplaces for harassment, rating below media and telecommunications, the arts, energy and retail.