WA Premier Mark McGowan has urged the mining industry to take action against sexual harassment and assaults in the wake of a damning report commissioned by Rio Tinto that revealed widespread experiences of sexism and sexual assault.
The report, released on Tuesday, included accounts from 21 women of being raped or subject to attempted rape or sexual assault while working for Rio Tinto.
It also found racism and bullying were widespread in the industry.
Premier Mark McGowan said the government had invested in the industry with additional WorkSafe inspectors and increased funding to the Department of Mines, Industry and Regulation.
But he said companies must step up.
"Working in the mining industry, particularly a long way from family and friends, is an isolating experience," he said.
"It shouldn't be made worse by poor practices and poor behaviours.
"I'd urge every company to make sure they're on top of these sorts of things to make sure they don't occur again."
Report 'absolutely confronting': Rio Tinto
Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Simon Trott on Wednesday said the company took responsibility for changing the culture.
Rio Tinto commissioned Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick to lead the investigation last year, which looked at the firm's Australian and international operations.
Mr Trott described the report as "absolutely confronting" and said the company released it in its entirety because of a commitment to transparency.
"I think in tackling some of these challenges we have got to be really transparent and really open about where we are currently so that we can put in place changes that we need to make," he said.
"We've got to make sure that these behaviours don't occur within our business."
He said senior management had dealt with individual cases but what was different now was the scale of the review.
"The focus (is) on not just the cases but what are some of the root causes and the steps to try to include," he said.
"Things like the training and development that we are doing, training bystanders for example making sure that we are really equipping our people with those skills that they need to manage some of those situations."
Women's safety group welcomes full report's release
Chief executive of Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety, Padma Raman, said Rio Tinto's willingness to release the report showed an appetite for change.
She said people must be held to account "regardless of how high performing an individual is or where they sit in the company".
"Accountability for their actions, calling out bad behaviour, providing support for victims, providing a safe place and making perpetrators accountable for their actions," she said.
