Fortescue class action: female workers claim sexual harassment at remote mine sites

Fortescue, chaired by billionaire Andrew Forrest, faces a class action lawsuit filed in Victoria’s federal court by female workers who allege systemic sexual harassment, violence and retaliation at its remote Western Australian iron ore sites. The claims, presented by law firm JGA Saddler with backing from UK litigation funder Aristata Capital, include allegations of a woman being pulled into a dark alley where a man “tried to stick his tongue down my throat”, another finding a male stranger in her accommodation, and being “howled” at by colleagues in a communal eating area, alongside warnings not to wash underwear on site due to rampant theft. The suit seeks to determine Fortescue’s liability for failing to protect workers from discrimination and harassment between 2006 and 2025. A Fortescue spokesperson declined to comment on the allegations but reiterated the company’s commitment to a safe, respectful and inclusive workplace. The case follows similar class actions against BHP and Rio Tinto, with lawyer Paris Hamrey stating the lawsuits reveal a sector‑wide cultural failure that leaves most women on remote sites experiencing some form of sexual harassment or sex discrimination.

(Source：The Guardian)