Did gender diversity and merit collide at Rio Tinto?

The 2018 global #MeToo movement drew overdue attention to the mistreatment of women in the workplace. It sparked a cultural reckoning in many countries and rightly led to intensified scrutiny of how corporate Australia deals with sexual harassment at work. Every employee – irrespective of gender, race or sexuality – deserves to be treated respectfully.

Some companies continue to fall short of eradicating harmful workplace behaviours, and it should be pointed out the media industry has been worse than most. That is underlined by the damning cultural review published in October into allegations of sexual harassment and systemic abuse of power that were covered up in the broadcast division of Nine Entertainment, the parent company of The Australian Financial Review. The ABC and Seven West Media have also experienced various cultural failings in recent years.