wefixit August 15, 2022Belated Welcome to the new(er) WiR Committee Members
It is a belated welcome to our latest committee members:
Melissa Mentiplay – South32/GEMCO
Giovanna Webb – Minerals Council NT
As usual we did a little Q&A for you to get to know your committee better.
Melissa Mentiplay – Manager Human Resources, South32/GEMCO
Q: What do you currently do in the resource sector?
I am the Manager Human Resources for South32/GEMCO on Groote Eylandt. Our team looks after the end-to-end life cycle processes for our employees, as well as supporting leaders with professional development and performance management activities for their teams, coordinating the apprentice and graduate programs, and the facilitation of diversity and employee wellbeing initiatives.
Q: What made you join WiR and the committee?
Iâve been a member of Women in Resources for several years, and have always appreciated the work that they do to support, mentor and celebrate women working in this non-traditional industry. It felt like the right time in my career to join the committee and be able to contribute to that.
Q: What do you think we can do to increase diversity in the resources sector?
I donât think there is any one answer. Ensuring workplaces are inclusive and accepting of differences, that we are aware of, call out and address biases where we identify them, and that we actively work to overcome those barriers that prevent more women or people from non-traditional backgrounds from entering the industry are all important steps. I also believe we have more work to do in promoting the resources sector as an attractive option for people who may not have considered this career path previously.
Giovanna Webb – Assistant Manager â Events for the Minerals Council of Australia Northern Territory Division
Q: What do you currently do in the resource sector?
I am Assistant Manager â Events for the Minerals Council of Australia Northern Territory Division (MCA NT). The MCA is the peak industry body representing companies that produce more than 85 per cent of Australiaâs minerals, representing and promoting the benefits of the minerals industry to Australian communities and the national economy.
Q: What made you join WiR and the committee?
The MCA and WiR have a strong and long-standing relationship sharing information and promoting gender diversity, creating more opportunities and encouraging women to join the world-leading Australian resources sector.
Q: What do you think we can do to increase diversity in the resources sector?
Raise awareness of career opportunities and develop professional skill sets to attract more women in the mining sector. The focus should not only on attracting women, but also retaining and developing their careers.
Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the resource sector at the moment?
Over-regulation and red tape delaying new projects and new jobs. With only a handful of operational sites in the NT, mining still contributes 14 per cent of gross state product and will generate $350 million in royalties for the NT in this financial year alone.
Mining is the largest contributor to NT self-generated funds, yet for these projects to even get to this point there has still been a massive cost to the companies to meet assessment and approval processes. These projects will underpin long-term jobs and local economic activity for years, including valuable NT Government royalty revenue.
Q: Who is/are your greatest influences in life?
The most influential people in my life have always been the people closest to me – my family. We support each other to aim high, work hard, value relationships and support others every time we can.
