TRAILBLAZER
working in the industry as a machine operator. I worked in a remote location and struggled to really find opportunities to grow and progress within my career [...] So, it was important to reach out and see if there was any support, specifically for Indigenous people - but there wasn’t any. It’s what led me to start the conversation on Facebook, to make social connections and identify if anyone else was feeling the same frustrations.” However, as IWIMRA grew, the incident at Juukan Gorge and the Indigenous engagement that followed it, running the IWIMRA, was perceived as a conflict of interest for Drummond due to her position. “It was about this time I understood how IWIMRA could be utilised better for our online community and for people in our networks who wanted to learn more. I had to choose whether I wanted to continue my supervisor role or fully commit to IWIMRA, and I went with IWIMRA, which was scary as heck, but a really empowering decision to make,” explains Drummond. IWIMRA’s Mission “IWIMRA is a network to raise the profile of Indigenous women. To encourage visibility, voice and quality participation of Indigenous women in the Australian mining and resources industry,” explains Drummond. While many companies are driving Indigenous employment and engagement campaigns, the purpose of the initiatives is often not clearly communicated at an operational level. 16
September 2021
“There are no formal safe spaces for Indigenous people to have a yarn and talk about issues, which is why I am looking forward to addressing racism on-site, as it is a key contributor and barrier for women,” adds Drummond. With the industry facing a call to action for better and more transparent communication on functions in the mining industry, IWIMRA addresses this issue by sharing profiles within its network, creating a safe space for Indigenous
