The Canberra Bushwalking Club does not tolerate discriminatory or harassing behaviour by members or nonmembers taking part in Club activities.
What is discrimination?
Discrimination is the less favourable treatment (compared with other persons or groups of people) of a person or a group of people because of their race, colour, national or ethnic origin; sex, pregnancy or marital status; age; disability; religion; sexual preference; or some other characteristic specified under anti-discrimination or human rights legislation.
What is harassment?
Harassment is behaviour that is unwelcome and that a reasonable person would find offensive, intimidating or humiliating. Harassing behaviour includes bullying; telling insulting jokes; making derogatory comments; asking intrusive questions about someone’s personal life; making unwelcome physical contact; displaying offensive materials; and making gestures or comments of a sexual nature. Harassing behaviour may take the form of single or repeated incidents. It may be explicit or implicit, verbal or non-verbal and it may include promises or threats.
What should I do if I am subjected to harassment or discrimination?
If you believe you are being subjected to behaviour that is discriminatory or harassing, you should tell the offender that the behaviour is unwelcome and unacceptable and ask that it stop. If you feel that you are not able to confront the offender, or if this course of action fails to stop the behaviour, you may contact the Club’s Training and Safety Officer (or another Club committee member) to discuss your complaint. You have the right to confidentiality, and details of your complaint need not be given at this stage. You will be provided with advice on the options available to you to have your complaint investigated.
What options are available to me to have my complaint investigated?
Subject to your agreement, the Training and Safety Officer can help you find a suitable Club member who can consider the substance of your complaint; inform the person accused of inappropriate behaviour of the nature of your complaint; and facilitate its resolution. If this is not acceptable to you, the Training and Safety Officer can help you find a suitably qualified mediator from an external organisation to help resolve your complaint. If you prefer not to attempt resolution of your complaint through facilitation or mediation, you have the right to lodge a formal complaint with the ACT Human Rights Commission.
How will my complaint be resolved?
If you agree to facilitation, an attempt will be made to resolve your complaint informally through discussion with and, if appropriate, between the parties. If you prefer mediation, the process to be followed would be that of the organisation to which you were referred. If you lodge a formal complaint with the ACT Human Rights Commission, it would be considered in accordance with the Commission’s statutory obligations. You have the right to seek external advice, including from the ACT Human Rights Commission, at any stage of the complaint process.
What are my rights if I am accused of discriminatory or harassing behaviour?
You have the right to be provided with full details of any accusations made against you. You have the right to respond to these accusations and to have your response considered in an impartial, sensitive, and timely manner. You have the right to confidentiality. You have the right to decline to take part in facilitation or mediation. You have the right to seek external advice, including from the ACT Human Rights Commission, at any stage of the complaint process.
What happens if the complaint against me is found to have substance?
If a facilitator or mediator concludes that the complaint against you has substance, you can expect to be asked to make an apology and give a commitment to stop your behaviour. If a finding of discriminatory or harassing behaviour is made by the ACT Human Rights Commission, what happens will depend on the decision of the Commission. For serious and/or repeat offences, you may be expelled from membership of the Club in accordance with the provisions of s3.3 of the Club’s Constitution.
Special Note: Because bushwalking is a potentially risky activity, Activity Owners/Leaders of Club trips have the right to exclude members or visitors from participating where there are concerns about the person’s capacity to complete the activity safely and harmoniously.