To ensure a safe and enjoyable playing environment for all players officials and participants, Basketball NSW have in place a Zero Tolerance Policy and Sports Rage Policy for inappropriate behaviour at any BNSW sanctioned events, these are used in conjunction with the BA Member Protection Policy By-Laws adopted by BNSW.

Basketball NSW also recommends and adopts the guidelines from Play by the Rules, The NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian, and NSW Office of Sport & Recreation in regard to safe sporting environments and sports rage. Sport rage is any violence, foul language, harassment, abuse or bad behaviour in sport. Sport rage is bad for sport – reducing enjoyment, risking safety and tarnishing club reputations. Please see the website information below:
http://www.playbytherules.net.au/ https://www.kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au/
https://sportandrecreation.nsw.gov.au/clubs/ryc/fairplay/sportrage

The Policy will ensure that:

• There will be a zero tolerance shown towards any inappropriate or abusive behaviour from any participants and/or spectators
• Any parent/guardian and/or spectator who feels the necessity to:
  • Persistently or wilfully question or challenge the rulings of the referees
  • Berate or abuse referees
  • Berate or abuse players
  • Berate or abuse other parents or spectators
  • Display conduct which is inappropriate in a sporting environment

will be asked to leave the venue immediately. Failure to leave when requested will result in the BNSW representative taking appropriate action to safeguard the safety and wellbeing of players, spectators and parents. No warnings need be given in the event of the above action becoming necessary. A parent/spectator who has been requested to leave an event may be suspended, required to attend a hearing or refused entry for future events.

BNSW reserves the right to refuse entry to any BNSW events for any person/s in breach of our Zero Tolerance Policy.

This action has become necessary due to the reported instances of inappropriate and abusive behaviour at events conducted by or on behalf of Basketball NSW and our desire to nurture a safe competitive environment for all participants. BNSW implores any parents or spectators who feel that they cannot refrain from the above behaviour not to attend. Parents/spectators/organisations who would like to offer feedback or request clarification on officiating issues should direct their feedback through their coach/organisation. A Game Report Form is available for raising issues and providing feedback.

The health of our game depends on the nurture and development of game officials and younger players. It is the aim of Basketball NSW to help associations increase this capacity.

ZERO TOLERANCE & CONDITIONS OF ENTRY
Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Basketball maintains a Zero Tolerance Policy for all competitions. Management, staff or the association delegate, reserve the right to remove or refuse entry to any person from the venue if the person’s behaviour is considered dangerous or unacceptable.

By entering the venue, all persons agree to be bound by the following terms and conditions:

• All persons must conduct themselves in a proper and reasonable manner in accordance with Basketball NSW Codes of Conduct, Member Protection Policy and Behavioural Guidelines.
• All persons will be bound by the Basketball NSW constitution, by-laws, rules and policies, and submit themselves to any disciplinary procedures connected with the sport.
• Abusive and offensive behaviour or language will not be tolerated and may result in eviction from this Facility
• Consumption of alcohol is prohibited during the conduct of any junior basketball activities
• Possession or consumption of prohibited drugs is banned during the conduct of any basketball activity
• Smoking is not permitted in any competition or spectator area during any basketball activity/competition
• Mobile phones and cameras must not be used in toilets or change rooms
• All persons will comply with any reasonable direction of any official connected with the venue/association or Basketball NSW
• Risk Warning under Section 5M of the Civil Liability Act 2002: Players, spectators, officials and all other visitors are warned that the recreational activities undertaken in these Facilities involve the risk of injury

Refusal to comply with these Conditions of Entry may result in removal from the Centre. The Conditions of Entry are subject to change without notice.

Please note that any action taken under this policy and procedure is entirely separate to any action that may be necessitated by law under the NSW Child Protection Legislation or the above mentioned BNSW’s Member Protection By-Laws.

Child protection involves legislation, policies and practices to keep children safe from harm, to protect them from people who are unsuitable to supervise or work with children and to ensure that a child’s wellbeing and best interests are paramount considerations.

The HKBA is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people who participate in our associations activities or use our services. We support the rights of the child and will act at all times to ensure that a child safe environment is maintained. We also support the rights and wellbeing of our staff and volunteers and acknowledge the valuable contribution they make and we encourage their active participation in building and maintaining a safe, fair and inclusive environment for all participants.

It is a legal requirement that all those involved in the program (coaches, managers etc.) need a Working with Children check number (this includes parents who may be a coach or manager of their child’s team)
We do not condone inappropriate behaviour and it is imperative that adults in positions of care adhere to the codes of conduct.

If anyone is seen to be not following these codes of conduct please contact the General Manager (Vicki Dean). The situation can then be dealt with appropriately.

HKBA aims at all times to provide children with a safe environment in which to participate.

We recommend reading the guidelines provided by kids guardian NSW and the sports commission which can be found on the link below
Working with children check: https://www.kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au/child-safe-organisations/working-with-children-check

If an injury occurs it is important that an injury report is filed as soon as possible on the day. This can be done through the venue supervisor of where the injury occurred, they forward this to Basketball NSW. If not done at the venue it is best to contact either HKBA or the hosting association as soon as possible so that there is a record of the injury. Even if you are not sure of the severity of the injury it is better to complete the short form or let a venue supervisor know so that they can do it for you. This will help avoid any issues further down the track if you require to make an insurance claim, making the process easier for everyone involved.

Photography: 

Some parents refuse to allow their children to be filmed by others. For this reason, ANY team or parent who wishes to film MUST ask PRIOR permission of the office so there is time to contact the opposition team to see if any parent objects on the basis of child protection. If anyone objects the game cannot be videoed. Any videoing (with obtained permission from the office) must be according to safety requirements of the court rules i.e.:

1) No filming on the baseline
2) Two metres from the court sidelines including tripod legs
3) Not obstructing the view of the referees or bench personals scoring the game
4) Not within two metres of the scoring bench

Facebook has become an integral tool to keep up to date with all our teams around the Sydney Metropolitan area during the Representative season.

It is important that we have a nominated person from each team to send results to our Facebook Administrator for posting every week. It is best that this is one of the Parents other than the Manager, this person needs to be confident to take a few pictures with their mobile phone and send a text message. The timing of this update is also imperative, as often once you have left the stadium the score board becomes a distant memory!

We recommend that you take a few pics during the game and even one of the scoreboard after the final siren, you can forward all these to our Administrator, the best ones will be chosen for the page, just send directly on Facebook messenger.

If you have more professional photos from the game you can also email these to be shared on our Facebook page.  Videos are best emailed as the picture quality with text messages is not good.

Terminology is also critical to ensure the correct result is posted on our page, noting that our score is the first listed and using the terms defeated/lost, for example:
14G1 defeated Norths Bears 52 – 45
18B2 lost to Manly Warringah 55 – 60

If you have any other information to add such as top scorers, great defensive work by particular players etc. that would add value to the post.

Please nominate your Facebook Parent Contact as soon as possible, with the Central Coast Classic fast approaching and some of the teams playing past the end of the regular season in various Championships, Cups and Shields … whenever there is news of our Spiders, we want to be posting it on our page! Please ask these Parents to text our Administrator with their team name and their own names when they are nominated.

Photos posted with an update get much more views than just the text alone, to date our highest number of views for a Player Profile was 6700.

We will work with BNSW to ensure we are not publishing any photos of people who have requested that their image not be used.

Occasionally things can go wrong and you may need to contact us with your concerns or grievances. These issues will be handled in a delicate and appropriate manner.

Please see our Complaints handling procedure below. Remember at any time you can also contact our designated Member Protection information officers (MPIO)

Role of MPIO MPIO’s provide information and options to an individual making a complaint or raising a concern and will also provide support
during the process if requested. MPIO’s are able to assist Players, Parents, Coaches, Officials and Employees. HKBA MPIO’S have completed and attended the required training for this position.

Email: mpio@hkbaspiders.com.au

INFORMAL APPROACHES
Step 1: Talk with the other person (if safe, reasonable and appropriate). If you feel confident and comfortable to do so, you can approach the other person to discuss the issues and try and resolve the problem directly.
Step 2: Contact a Member Protection Information Officer.  We encourage you to talk with one of our Member Protection Information Officers (MPIOs) if step 1 (above) is not appropriate; you are not sure how to handle the problem by yourself; you want to talk confidentially with someone and find out what options are available to address your concern; or the concern continues after you approached the other person.  The MPIO will:

• ask how you would like your concern to be resolved and if you need support;
• seek to provide different options for you to address your concern;
• act as a support person, if you wish;
• refer you to an appropriate person (e.g. a mediator) to help you address your concern, if appropriate;
• inform the relevant government authorities and/or police, if required by law to do so;
• where possible and appropriate, maintain confidentiality.

Step 3: Decide how to address your concern.  After talking with the MPIO, you may decide:

• there is no problem;
• the problem is minor and you do not wish to take the matter forward;
• to try and resolve the problem yourself, with or without a support person;
• to resolve the problem with the help of someone impartial, such as a mediator; or to resolve the matter through a formal process.

FORMAL APPROACHES
Step 4: Making a Formal complaint. If it is not possible or appropriate to resolve your complaint through an informal process, you may: make a formal complaint in writing to Michael D’Agostino or Vicki Dean (or their nominee); or approach a relevant external agency such as an anti-discrimination commission, for advice.  After receiving a formal complaint, and based on the material you provide, they will decide whether:

• he/she is the most appropriate person to receive and handle the complaint;
• the nature and seriousness of the complaint requires a formal resolution procedure;
• to refer the complaint to mediation;
• to appoint a person to investigate the complaint;
• to refer the complaint to a tribunal hearing;
• to refer the matter to the police or other appropriate authority; and/or to implement any interim arrangements that will apply until the complaint process is completed.
  Basketball Australia Member Protection By-Law

In dealing with your formal complaint, the person making the decision(s) will take into account:

• whether he/she has had any personal involvement in the circumstances and if so, whether it is appropriate someone else handle the complaint;
• your wishes, and the wishes of the respondent, regarding how the complaint should be handled;
• the relationship between you and the respondent (e.g. an actual or perceived power imbalance between you and the respondent);
• whether the facts of the complaint are in dispute; and the urgency of the complaint, including the possibility that you might face further unacceptable behaviour while the complaint process is underway.

If the CEO or President (or their nominee) or a Complaints Handler is the appropriate person to handle the complaint, he/she will, where appropriate and/or necessary:

• provide the information received from you to the other person(s) involved and ask for a response;
• decide if there is enough information to determine whether the matter alleged in your complaint did or didn’t happen;
• and/or determine what, if any, further action to take, including referring the mater for investigation or disciplinary action in accordance with this By-Law.

Step 5: Investigation of the complaint. In some cases, an investigation may be required to determine the facts surrounding the complaint. Our investigations procedure is outlined in Attachment D3 (BNSW Member protection policy) Following the investigation, a written report will be provided.
• If the complaint is referred to mediation, we will follow the steps outlined in Attachment D2 (BNSW Member protection policy) or as agreed by you, the respondent and the mediator.
• If the complaint is referred to a tribunal hearing, the hearing will be conducted according to the steps outlined in Attachment D4 (BNSW Member protection Policy)
• If the complaint is referred to the police or another external agency, we will endeavour to provide all reasonable assistance required by the police or the agency. Any cost incurred by us relating to the complaint process are to be met by the relevant Person/organisation, unless otherwise stated.
Step 6: Reconsidering a complaint or appealing a decision. If the matter is referred to mediation and is not resolved at mediation, you may request that the CEO or President (or their nominee) or Complaints Handler reconsider the complaint in accordance with Step 3.  You or the respondent(s) may also appeal a decision made at a tribunal hearing. The grounds and process for appeals are set out in Attachment D5 (BNSW Member protection policy)
Step 7: Documenting the resolution. The person handling the complaint will record the complaint, the steps taken to resolve it and the outcome. This information will be stored in a confidential and secure place. If the complaint was dealt with at the state/district level, the information will be stored by the state association. If the matter is of a serious nature, or if it was dealt with at the national level, the information will be stored by
Basketball Australia and a copy stored by the state association

EXTERNAL APPROACHES  
If you feel that you have been harassed or discriminated against, you can seek advice from your State or Territory anti-discrimination or equal opportunity commission. There is no obligation to make a Formal complaint. However, if the commission advises you that the issues appear to be within its jurisdiction, you may choose to lodge a formal complaint with the commission.
Basketball Australia Member Protection By-Law – 19 October 2015

The commission may investigate your complaint. The commission may also attempt to conciliate the complaint on a confidential basis. If this fails, or if it is not appropriate, the complaint may go to a Formal hearing. The tribunal will make a finding and decide what action, if any, will be taken. If you do lodge a complaint with a commission, an appropriate person from our organisation (e.g. an MPIO) will be available to support you during the process. You may also wish to have a legal representative, particularly if the complaint goes to a formal hearing. Serious incidents, such as assault or sexual assault, should be reported to the police.

In summary the general path for grievances is –
►Speak to your MPIO
►Speak to the General Manager (Vicki Dean)
►Contact the HKBA Board
►Contact Basketball NSW

Complaints and Improvement Suggestions
If you have any complaints or improvement suggestions these can be emailed to: info@hkbaspiders.com.au

HKBA Board Documents

HKBA CONSTITUTION 25th July 2023_NSW Fair Trading