Women may go underground

Press, 13 June 1984, Page 13

Women may go underground

NZPA-AAP Perth Women will soon be allowed to work in underground mines in Western Australia. Amendments to the state’s Mining Act. planned for the spring session of the state Parliament, will remove the ban on women working underground.

The State Minerals and Energy Minister, Mr David Parker, said the prohibition had been enshrined in the state’s earliest mining laws but was unacceptable today. “They should now have the opportunity to do this sort of work if that is what they want and they are qualified to do it,” he said. “Many miners were, and indeed some still are, suspicious about women going down mines, even as visitors.

“However, times have changed and the introduc-

tion of highly mechanised mining techniques have removed some of the very heavy toil underground." said Mr Parker.

A growing number of women already work in open-cut mines in Western Australia, such as the Pilbara iron ore mines and the Argyle diamond venture in Kimberlev.

Most of the underground mining is for gold and a group of women from the Kalgoorlie School of Mines last year petitioned the state Government to allow them to obtain work below ground on the eastern goldfields.

Mr Parker said the Government consulted mining companies and unions before making its decision. “I do not expect a flood of women queueing for jobs underground. It will be a gradual process,” he said.