Emma Tweedie, a former fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) worker, has spoken out about alleged sexual harassment she experienced at the Roy Hill mine in Western Australia's Pilbara region. Tweedie, who was employed by a contractor to Roy Hill, said a male colleague addressed her as “sweetie,” “baby,” and “honey,” and sometimes growled or barked at her. She also claimed that during a breathalyser test, the man held the device near his groin and made inappropriate comments, including telling her to “assume the position” and commenting on her lips.
Tweedie reported the incidents to a colleague, who she said laughed in her face. She later received a call from her employer informing her she was no longer needed at Roy Hill. Her case is now being conciliated in the Human Rights Commission, where she is claiming sexual discrimination and unfair dismissal.
Roy Hill declined an interview but stated in a statement that it takes sexual harassment seriously. The company said Tweedie's contract was not extended due to inadequate job performance, including a safety breach, and that its investigation did not substantiate her harassment claims. Roy Hill added it would investigate new details Tweedie provided to the ABC.
The mining industry is facing scrutiny following a report by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins, which found that 74% of women and 34% of men experienced poor treatment or sexual harassment in the sector. Jenkins described the situation as urgent, citing a culture based on masculine values where women often tolerate sexism to survive.
