THE Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) and Federal Government have held the Inaugural Women and Mining Symposium as part of a five year strategy to increase the participation of women in the minerals industry.
“The business case for increasing the numbers of women in the minerals industry is compelling at any time, let alone when there is an acute and prospective chronic people shortage in our industry,” MCA chief executive Mitchell Hooke said.
“In addition to the business case, the industry considers it is simply the right thing to do,” Hooke added.
Julie Bishop, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Women’s Issues, delivered the keynote address at the Symposium, launching a new report called Unearthing New Resources – attracting and retaining women in the Australian minerals industry.
The report was commissioned by the MCA and the Australian Government’s Office for Women and prepared by the Women in Social and Economic Research at Curtin University and the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining at the University of Queensland.