Complaints, disputes and member protection
Clubs have a responsibility to maintain responsible member behaviour and to support every member’s right to be safe and protected from discrimination, harassment and abuse.
It’s important to have a structure that can guide the club when it comes to handling complaints and grievances, including dealing with any disciplinary actions that might arise. This section will introduce the tools clubs can call on to resolve disputes before they get out of hand.
Remember, though, that in many cases getting a complaint is a good thing as it may bring problems to light and enable the club to identify things they can do better.
Complaints (or grievances) about you or the club
Even with the best of intentions, things can go wrong and people have the right to complain. Many people react defensively when a complaint is made about them or their club, but if you try to see it from the complainant’s point of view you can take it less personally. If the complaint is serious (eg a child protection issue), it may need to be reported to the relevant authorities for action.
Use your member protection policy as guidance (see the resources listed at the end of this section for help) and involve UQ Sport’s Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO) [email protected] if necessary.
When a complaint is made; stay calm, listen carefully (taking notes is recommended) and follow these steps:
Record everything and save all documents securely, both as a safeguard against any future action (eg an appeal to a higher authority, who will want to see all the evidence) and to provide guidance should a similar complaint be made down the track.
You’ll find more information on page 26 of the UQ Sport Affiliated Clubs Handbook
Making a complaint
If you believe that there is an issue with discrimination, harassment or abuse in your club or sport you should speak up and make a complaint. Generally, a club issue should be dealt with at club level, whilst anything above that should be handled by the relevant state sporting or government agency.
You have a number of options open to you, including:
Discipline
There will be times when the club will have to discipline, or impose a penalty on, a member when a complaint is upheld. This is usually going to be related to poor behaviour, which, no matter the perpetrator, reflects badly on the club and may cause a loss of enjoyment for everyone, lead to people leaving the sport and may even risk people’s physical and emotional wellbeing.
Such action must be guided by the relevant policy, such as your Code of Conduct, or other documents such as your constitution.
All disciplinary actions must first be underpinned by the principles of complaining laid out above.
More about the Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO) role
A member protection information officer (MPIO) is the first point of contact in a club for any enquiries, concerns or complaints about harassment, abuse and other inappropriate behaviour. The MPIO provides information and moral support to the person with the concern.
MPIOs don’t handle complaints or investigate grievances, and they don’t mediate between members or stakeholders – they simply guide people in the right direction.
The UQ Sport Members Protection Information Officer can be contacted at [email protected]
National Integrity Framework
The National Integrity Framework was developed by Sport Integrity Australia to help keep sport safe and fair. The Framework sets out rules that all sport participants need to follow when it comes to their conduct and behaviour.
It includes resources for sports which covers member protection (including a Member Protection Policy and a Complaints, Disputes and Discipline Policy)
More Resources
UQ Sport reinvests all profits into services, facilities, and programs, and is supported by funding from the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) to benefit UQ students.
UQ Sport Ltd is a division of UQ Holdings.
