Overview

Club Tarneit is dedicated to maintaining compliance with its statutory obligations, internal rules, and values. We appreciate the importance of identifying and preventing illegal or undesirable activities. Our commitment is to create a secure environment for all associated individuals to report any violations of internal rules or policies related to the organisation, its officers, employees, or members, without fearing repercussions.

Disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment or engagement, will be considered against anyone who discourages, intimidates or causes detriment to a person for speaking up and reporting under this policy.

Strategic Purpose

The purpose of this whistleblower policy is to:

· Provide clarity on what can be reported under this policy.

· Highlight the significance our organisation places on a supportive environment where individuals are confident to report any breaches or misconduct.

· Promote a culture that encourages people to speak up about any breaches or potential misconducts.

· Elucidate the process of reporting breaches or misconduct including what transpires post-reporting.

· Assure protection for anyone making a report.

Guidelines

Apart from personal work-related complaints or grievances, which can be raised as per our Grievance Policy, this policy encourages reporting of matters related to misconducts, breaches of rules, or illegal activities.

Individuals who can report under this policy include current and former officers, employees, members, as well as suppliers and those who have conducted transactions with the club. Lawyers representing any of these parties can also make a disclosure.

Reportable Matters

Under this policy, the following violations can be reported:

· Any breach of legal, regulatory, or the club’s policies.

· Misconduct endangering health, safety, or the environment.

· Criminal activities, unethical behavior, bribery, or corruption.

· Any form of harassment, victimisation, or discrimination.

· Dishonesty, deceit, or fraudulent activities.

· Unauthorised use of confidential information or breach of privacy.

· Other forms of damaging behavior or practices.

Information such as dates, times, location, individuals involved, other witnesses, physical evidence (e.g. documents, images), and any other general information may be helpful to assist the organisation in determining how to take appropriate action. 

How do I report?

If you identify any of the aforementioned concerns, you should report them as soon as possible, directly to the Whistleblower Protection Officer (WPO) via email. Anonymous reports are also accepted.

The WPO will contact you to inform you about the action that will be taken in response to your report, unless confidentiality concerns restrict communication.

How am I protected?

The club strictly prohibits any form of retaliation against whistleblowers. You will be protected against:

· Termination or detrimental treatment in employment.

· Discrimination, harassment, or intimidation.

· Any kind of harm to you, your property, reputation, business, or financial status.

Your identity will be kept confidential unless authorised by law or by you, and only relevant information will be shared for investigation, after taking all feasible measures to minimise the risk of your identification.

What happens once a report is made?

Reports are dealt with promptly and objectively. The WPO may involve a Whistleblower Investigating Officer (WIO) or an independent third party to conduct a fair and thorough investigation.

The findings and recommendations from the investigation will be used to decide the appropriate response, including necessary action to rectify the wrongdoing. The WPO will share the results directly with the board, taking care to exclude any member associated with the reported activity.

Communication

This policy is readily available to all staff members who are encouraged to actively engage and provide feedback. They are always kept informed about any changes made to the policy.

Monitoring and Review

The organisation commits itself to an annual review of this policy. This involves an assessment of the policy’s effectiveness, which is achieved through workers’ feedback and a comprehensive review by management. The management’s review is meant to ascertain whether objectives have been met, as well as identify potential barriers and facilitators to the policy’s continued implementation.