Club Policies.
Norths Netball Club is committed to providing a safe, respectful, inclusive and enjoyable environment for every person involved in our Club.
All Norths playenrs, coaches, managers, umpires, officials, volunteers, committee members, parents, guardians, spectators and other participants are expected to understand and abide by the policies, codes of conduct, rules and regulations that apply to community netball.
As a club affiliated with Illawarra District Netball Association, Norths operates within the policies and competition requirements of Illawarra Netball, Netball NSW and Netball Australia.
Participation in Norths Netball Club activities carries an expectation that members and associated persons will comply with these requirements, behave appropriately and contribute to a safe and respectful netball community.
Our Expectations
Everyone involved with Norths is expected to:
treat players, teammates, opponents, coaches, umpires, officials, volunteers and spectators with respect
behave fairly, responsibly and in the spirit of netball
respect the authority and decisions of umpires and officials
never engage in bullying, harassment, discrimination, vilification, intimidation or threatening behaviour
maintain appropriate standards of behaviour around children and young people
prioritise the safety and wellbeing of participants
behave responsibly when using social media and digital communications
respect the privacy and confidentiality of others
comply with competition rules and Club, Association and Netball NSW requirements
raise concerns appropriately rather than engaging in confrontation
cooperate with complaint, disciplinary and safeguarding processes
not victimise, intimidate or retaliate against anyone who raises a genuine concern or participates in a complaint process.
The current Netball Australia Code of Conduct for Community Netball applies to community netball participants and organisations and includes behaviour occurring in connection with netball activities, including online conduct.
Policies That Apply to Norths Members.
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Code of Conduct for Community Netball
Member Protection Policy
Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy
Complaints & Disciplinary Policy
Grievance and Dispute Resolution Policy
Social Media Policy
Photography Policy
Sports Medicine and Concussion
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Code of Behaviour
Rules of Competition
Child Safeguarding Policy
First Aid and Strapping Policy
Adverse Conditions and Participant Safety
Duty Requirements
Uniform Requirements
Inclusive Participation
Raising a Concern or Reporting an Incident.
Norths encourages members to speak up when behaviour, conduct or an incident does not meet the standards expected within our Club or the wider netball community.
You may submit an Incident Report if you:
experience inappropriate behaviour
witness inappropriate behaviour
have concerns about the safety or welfare of a participant
witness bullying, harassment or discrimination
witness verbal abuse or threatening behaviour
have concerns about treatment of an umpire or official
witness a physical altercation
have a child safeguarding concern
experience inappropriate social media or digital communication
believe a policy, Code of Conduct or competition rule may have been breached
need to report another incident that Norths should be aware of.
Tell us what happened as clearly and factually as possible. Norths will assess the information and determine the appropriate policy and process.
What Happens After You Make a Complaint?
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The complaint or incident will be recorded and reviewed by the appropriate Norths representative or Complaints Handling Manager.
Relevant information and evidence may be secured, including witness details, messages, screenshots, photographs, video or official reports.
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The first priority is safety.
Where necessary, Norths may take reasonable temporary steps to manage immediate risks while the complaint is being considered.
This does not mean an allegation has been proven.
Where a child safety issue, serious violence, suspected criminal conduct or another serious safety issue is identified, the matter may be escalated immediately.
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Norths will consider whether the matter should be managed by:
Norths Netball Club
Illawarra Netball
Netball NSW
Netball Australia
another appropriate organisation or authority.
Some competition matters and serious integrity matters may fall outside Norths' authority to determine.
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The Complaints Handling Manager will consider which policy, Code of Conduct, competition rule or procedure may apply.
A complainant is not expected to identify this themselves.
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Anyone responsible for managing or deciding the complaint should be impartial.
If a conflict of interest exists, the complaint may be transferred to another appropriate person or organisation.
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Depending on the nature of the complaint, Norths may obtain:
the complainant's account
the respondent's account
witness statements
umpire or official reports
coach or manager reports
match information
photographs or video
relevant messages or social media material
other appropriate evidence.
Only information reasonably necessary to deal with the complaint should be collected.
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Where appropriate, the person who is the subject of an allegation will be advised of the substance of the complaint and given a reasonable opportunity to respond.
An allegation is not treated as proven simply because a complaint has been made.
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Depending on the circumstances, this may include:
informal resolution
education or behavioural guidance
facilitated discussion
warning process
mediation where appropriate
formal investigation
breach process
disciplinary hearing or tribunal
referral to Illawarra Netball
referral to Netball NSW or Netball Australia
referral to an external authority.
Not every complaint will require a formal investigation.
Likewise, serious safeguarding, violence, discrimination or integrity concerns will not necessarily be suitable for informal resolution.
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Where Norths has authority to deal with the matter, an appropriate decision-maker will determine the outcome in accordance with the applicable policy.
Possible outcomes can include:
no breach identified
education or guidance
agreed resolution
behavioural expectations
formal warning
participation or attendance conditions
disciplinary action
referral to another organisation
other sanctions available under the applicable policy.
Where a matter falls under Illawarra Netball, Netball NSW or Netball Australia jurisdiction, those organisations may determine the outcome.
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Relevant parties will be advised when the complaint process has been completed and will receive information about the outcome to the extent they are entitled to receive it.
Privacy and confidentiality requirements may mean that not every detail of an outcome or sanction can be disclosed.
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Where appropriate, Norths may monitor:
behavioural agreements
safety arrangements
participation conditions
compliance with an outcome
repeated behaviour
opportunities to improve Club procedures, education or safety.
Confidentiality and Respect During the Complaint Process
Complaints can involve sensitive personal information.
Norths asks everyone involved in a complaint to:
respect the privacy of other people
avoid discussing the matter unnecessarily
not post about the complaint on social media
not contact, pressure or intimidate witnesses
not retaliate against a person for making a complaint
cooperate respectfully with the complaint process.
Information may need to be shared with people or organisations responsible for managing the complaint, safeguarding participants, administering netball or meeting legal obligations.
Absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed where disclosure is required for safety, procedural fairness or legal reasons.
Child Safety and Serious Incidents
If an incident involves a child's immediate safety, suspected child abuse, grooming, sexual misconduct, serious violence or another serious criminal matter, ordinary Club complaint handling may not be appropriate.
Norths may need to immediately refer the matter to the relevant governing body or external authority.
Protecting the safety and wellbeing of children and participants takes priority.
Official policy and complaint resources are available from:
Illawarra Netball Rules of Competition
Netball NSW Conflict, Complaints and Appeals Resources
Need Further Information?
Need Further Information?
Norths Netball Club wants everyone involved in our Club to feel safe, respected and welcome.
Policies and complaint processes are not simply about responding when something goes wrong. They help establish the standards we expect from one another and provide a fair, consistent way to address concerns when they arise.