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As an affiliated club, Freshwater Longboard Club adopts the Code of Behaviour drafted by surfing Australia (extracted below). Members of Freshwater Longboard Club are required to meet the following requirements in regard to their conduct during any event held by Freshwater Longboard Club:

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1. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of others.

2. Be fair, considerate and honest in all dealing with others. 

3. Be professional in, and accept responsibility for, your actions. 

4. Make a commitment to providing quality service. 

5. Be aware of, and maintain an uncompromising adhesion to, Surfing Australia’s standards, rules, regulations and policies.

6. Operate within the rules of the sport including national and international guidelines which govern Surfing Australia, the member associations, the affiliated clubs or Licensed Surf School. 

7. Do not use your involvement with Surfing Australia, a member association or an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School to promote your own beliefs, behaviours or practices where these are inconsistent with those of Surfing Australia, a member association or an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School. 

8. Demonstrate a high degree of individual responsibility especially when dealing with persons under 18 years of age, as your words and actions are an example. 

9. Avoid unaccompanied and unobserved activities with persons under 18 years of age, wherever possible. 

10. Refrain from any form of harassment of others. 

11.  Refrain from any behaviour that may bring Surfing Australia, a member association, an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School into disrepute. 

12. Provide a safe environment for the conduct of the activity.

13. Show concern and caution towards others who may be sick or injured. 

14. Be a positive role model. 

15. Understand the repercussions if you breach, or are aware of any breaches of, this code of behaviour. 

 

Player (surfer) Code of Behaviour 

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In addition to Surfing Australia’s’ General Code of Behaviour, members must meet the following requirements in regard to your conduct during any event held by Freshwater Longboard Club and in your role as a player/participant in any activity held by Freshwater Longboard Club: 

1.     Respect the rights, dignity and worth of fellow players, coaches, officials and spectators.

2.     Do not tolerate acts of aggression. 

3.     Respect the talent, potential and development of fellow players and competitors. 

4.     Care for and respect the equipment provided to you as part of your program. 

5.     Be frank and honest with your coach concerning illness and injury and your ability to train fully within the program requirements. 

6.     At all times avoid intimate relationships with your coach. 

7.     Conduct yourself in a professional manner relating to language, temper and punctuality. 

8.     Maintain high personal behaviour standards at all times. 

9.     Abide by the rules and respect the decision of the official, making all appeals through the formal process and respecting the final decision. 

10.  Be honest in your attitude and preparation to training. Work equally hard for yourself and your team. 

11.  Cooperate with coaches and staff in development of programs to adequately prepare you for competition at the highest level. 

 

MINOR OFFENCES:

 

Minor offences may be dealt informally or through use of the process for minor offences (see below). The process used is at the discretion of the complaints manager depending on the type and severity of the offence.

 

Threshold: minor offences are less serious offences that attract less severe penalties. Minor offences are to be dealt with as expeditiously and confidentially as possible.

 

In addition to breach of the surfing Australia code of behaviour, minor offences may include

• Unsportsmanlike like behaviour shown through:

  • Reckless, dishonest or biased judging of a competitor’s surfing during a competition event

  • Interfering with the running of a competition

 

Process:

1. Notify in writing of the offence.

2. Offender has 7 days from receiving written notice to respond (in writing) to the alleged offence.

3. The complaints manager then determines a) if the alleged offender committed the minor offence; and b) the penalty imposed. The alleged offender should, where possible, be given the opportunity to address the complaints manager regarding the penalty.

4. Penalties for minor offences:

   1. A warning

   2. A requirement for a written apology from the alleged offender to the complainant

   3. Reprimand

   4. Suspending the alleged offender from the current or future events

5. The complaints manager will give written notice to the offender of any penalty imposed.

6. The determination of the complaints manger will be final and binding on all parties, other than via the route of appeal.

7. The right of appeal is set out below.

8. The complaints manager may delegate the power to deal with minor offences to a nominated official.

9. The complainant may elect to remain anonymous

 

 

SERIOUS OFFENCES

 

Threshold: serious offences attract more severe penalties than minor offences

 

In addition to serious breaches of the surfing Australia code of behaviour, serious offences may include:

• Bullying

• Harassment 

• Discrimination

 

 

Process:

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1. Notify in writing of a) details of the alleged offence; b) any penalties that might be imposed by the tribunal; c) confirmation that this policy/procedure applies; d) date/time/composition of the tribunal hearing (if applicable); e) right to bring support person or advocate to the tribunal hearing.

2. The committee responsible for hearing an offence will appoint a tribunal of three members to hear and determine the matter. Tribunal members must not include any persons involved in the alleged offence.

3. The Tribunal must allow the alleged offender to speak and state their case. If preferable to the alleged offender, the tribunal must allow the alleged offender to elect to provide written submissions instead or in addition to oral submissions.

4. The tribunal shall make its decision on the matter by majority vote.

5. The purpose of the hearing is to determine whether the alleged offender committed the alleged offence. If the tribunal determines that the offence has been committed, the tribunal may impose a penalty.

Penalties for serious offences:

-       Permanent suspension from all events (in extreme circumstances)

-       Suspension from events for a reasonable period as determined by the tribunal

-       Suspension from competing in one or more specified events

-       A direction for the offender to address their conduct

-       Termination of any appointment of any role held by the offender

-       Directing the offender to attend counselling

-       Monetary fine? Paid to freshwater longboard club?

6. If the alleged offender does not attend the tribunal hearing, the tribunal may elect to conduct the hearing in the absence of an offender or adjourn to a later date. The time and place of the rescheduled hearing is at the discretion of the complaints manager.

7. If the offence is proven, the offender must be given an opportunity to speak and be heard on the matter of mitigating the penalty.

8. Prior convictions may be given weight in the decision making of the tribunal.

9. The chairperson of the tribunal (or the complaints manager) must provide in writing to the offender the outcome of the hearing and penalty imposed. Such notification must be made within 7 days.

10. The determination of the tribunal will be final and binding on all parties, other than via the route of appeal.

 

APPEALS:

 

1. The right of appeal exists for an offender who a) is not afforded procedural fairness; or b) presents new evidence not available at the time of the determination.

2. The appeal tribunal will consist of 3 members appointed by the committee, none of which have had prior involvement in the matter.

 

MEDIATION:

 

If parties are happy to participate, complaint are to be handled through mediation facilitated by the committee if the committee believe that this will be an effective way to resolve the dispute.