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Giving a voice to diversity

lle Farris is wisely using her time in speech and telling me they wish they had guilty of wrongdoing.
Ethe spotlight to give marginalised the courage when they were growing up to Farris, who has been in the resources
members of the resources industry a say certain things. industry for just over three years, is al-
voice. “I’ve had a lot of lot people from single ready witnessing positive responses to
The corporate counsel from Newmont parent backgrounds, or have maybe had combat negative behaviour.
Australia Ltd last month was named the domestic violence in their lifestyle, come “I’m definitely starting to see some
Exceptional Young Woman in Austral- up to me and connected. It’s incredibly change,” she said. “For example, New-
ian Resources Award at the prestigious touching to know you’re impacting people mont recently appointed a very senior
2022 BHP Women in Resources National in a positive way.” member of the business into a vice-pres-
Awards, having also been crowned Out- The Enough is Enough Parliamentary ident role for workplace responsibilities.
standing Young Woman in Resources at inquiry into WA’s mining sector earlier “That role is designed for that person
the Chamber of Minerals & Energy West- this year saw hundreds of women bravely to look at all of our operations and ensure
ern Australia Women in Mining awards share stories of sexual assault, abuse, mi- we have a safe workplace for everyone, in
earlier this year. sogyny and in some cases, rape, at min- terms of psycho-social safety and espe-
Farris has now become an unofficial ing camps across the State. It has since cially with a focus on sexual harassment
spokesperson for women in the mining kicked off conversations around mitigating and bullying.
sector at a time when gender imbalance negative behaviour and how to deal with “A few years ago, I don’t think that’s
and inappropriate workplace behaviour instigators. something a big mining company would
are dominating conversations. Some policies which have been floated have done. I think there’s a lot more aware-
“After winning the CME award, I almost include keeping a sector-wide register of ness now, you’re seeing policies being im-
got flooded with people coming up to me workers with negative records or implor- plemented and more reporting. There are
and telling me it was inspiring,” Farris told ing a zero-tolerance policy to immediately definitely changes we’re seeing.”
Paydirt. “I’ve had people crying after my terminate workers who have been found Over two decades ago, the resources

Newmont’s Elle Farris speaking at the 2022 BHP Women in Resources National Awards

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