A class action lawsuit has been filed against Fortescue, the iron ore miner chaired by billionaire Andrew Forrest, alleging systemic sexual harassment, violence, and retaliation against female workers at its remote mine sites in Western Australia.
Allegations include sexual assault and microaggressions
The lawsuit, lodged in the Federal Court in Victoria on Thursday, includes claims of serious sexual assaults. One woman reported being pulled into a dark alley where a man “tried to stick his tongue down my throat.” Another female employee allegedly found a male stranger in her room upon returning to her accommodation. A third woman said she was “howled” at by male colleagues while in a communal eating area.
Law firm JGA Saddler, backed by UK litigation funder Aristata Capital, filed the class action. JGA Saddler special counsel Paris Hamrey stated that allegations range from “serious sexual assaults through to day-to-day micro aggressions.” Hamrey highlighted one disturbing pattern: “women on Fortescue work sites being warned against washing their underwear in on-site laundries because theft of female underwear is rife.”
Remote work environment under scrutiny
Fortescue’s iron ore mines are located in remote parts of Western Australia, with a large fly-in, fly-out workforce staying at on-site accommodation villages during multi-week rosters. The litigation aims to test whether Fortescue is liable for allegedly failing to protect female workers from discrimination and sexual harassment from 2006 to 2025.
A Fortescue spokesperson said it would be inappropriate to comment on claims before proceedings begin but added: “Fortescue is committed to providing a safe, respectful and inclusive workplace for all employees and contractors. Sexual harassment, unlawful discrimination, and other behaviour that makes people feel unsafe have no place at Fortescue.”
Third class action against major miners
This is the third class action JGA Saddler has filed against a major mining company over allegations of widespread sexual harassment, sexual violence, and sex discrimination. Similar claims have been brought against BHP and Rio Tinto, both of which remain before the courts.
Hamrey said the three lawsuits indicate a failure of culture in the sector: “The mining industry has a real problem with women – it’s most women, if not all, working on remote sites that have suffered some form of sexual harassment or sex discrimination. These companies actually need to stand up and address issues … strengthen their policies, actually enforce the policy, and provide a space where women feel safe to work.”
