Committee Protection Policy

1. Purpose

Central Highlands Pickleball Club Incorporated (CHP) recognises that its Committee members are volunteers who contribute their time, skills and personal resources to operate and develop the Club.

Committee service should not require volunteers to tolerate unreasonable, excessive, threatening, abusive, intimidating or harassing behaviour.

The purpose of this policy is to:

  • Establish reasonable standards for communication with Committee members.

  • Protect volunteers from unreasonable or inappropriate conduct.

  • Establish reasonable boundaries around volunteer availability and communication.

  • Allow the Committee to continue operating effectively where disputes arise.

  • Protect the right of members to raise genuine concerns and complaints.

  • Support good governance, accountability and procedural fairness.

  • Ensure that Committee protection measures do not override members' rights under CHP's Rules of Association.

This policy seeks to balance member accountability and volunteer protection.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

  • Committee members.

  • Club members.

  • Players.

  • Parents and guardians.

  • Coaches and session managers.

  • Volunteers.

  • Tournament Directors.

  • Referees and officials.

  • Visitors and guests.

  • Contractors.

  • Other people communicating with CHP concerning Club matters.

It applies to relevant conduct occurring:

  • At Club activities and events.

  • At meetings.

  • Through email.

  • Through social media.

  • Through messaging applications.

  • Through Discord.

  • Through CourtFlow.

  • By telephone.

  • In writing.

  • Through personal communication channels where the communication concerns CHP business.

  • In other circumstances materially connected with CHP.

3. Protection of Volunteer Committee Members

CHP Committee members are volunteers.

Accepting a Committee position does not require a person to tolerate unreasonable, abusive, threatening, intimidating or harassing behaviour.

Committee members are entitled to:

  • Be treated respectfully.

  • Perform their duties without intimidation or harassment.

  • Maintain reasonable boundaries around their personal time.

  • Have reasonable time to consider and respond to matters.

  • Make decisions without threats or improper personal pressure.

  • Disagree with members without being personally attacked.

  • Have their privacy appropriately respected.

  • Decline to engage in abusive or unreasonable communication.

  • Refer difficult communications to another Committee representative.

  • Have properly made Committee decisions challenged through appropriate Club processes rather than through personal pressure.

These protections do not shield Committee members from legitimate scrutiny, respectful criticism or accountability.

4. Member Rights

Nothing in this policy prevents a member from:

  • Raising a genuine concern.

  • Making a complaint in good faith.

  • Respectfully criticising a Committee decision.

  • Asking reasonable questions.

  • Requesting information they are entitled to receive.

  • Exercising rights under CHP's Rules of Association.

  • Participating in a grievance or disciplinary process.

  • Seeking appropriate independent advice.

  • Making a legitimate report to a governing body or external authority.

A member will not be regarded as engaging in misconduct merely because they disagree with the Committee or because a complaint they make is ultimately not substantiated.

The issue is how a person behaves, not simply whether they agree with the Committee.

5. Expected Communication

Communication concerning CHP matters should be:

  • Respectful.

  • Relevant.

  • Constructive.

  • Reasonably concise.

  • Free from personal attacks.

  • Free from threats or intimidation.

  • Directed through an appropriate Club communication channel where one exists.

Members are encouraged to raise concerns early so that issues can be addressed wherever reasonably possible.

Where a formal complaint, grievance, disciplinary or appeal process applies, communication should occur through that process.

6. Unreasonable or Inappropriate Conduct

Conduct may be considered unreasonable where a person:

  • Repeatedly raises substantially the same matter after it has been appropriately considered.

  • Makes excessive or repetitive demands upon volunteers.

  • Sends numerous communications concerning the same matter without allowing reasonable time for a response.

  • Unreasonably demands immediate responses.

  • Repeatedly contacts multiple Committee members seeking different responses to the same issue.

  • Continues demanding reconsideration without materially new information or an applicable basis for review.

  • Attempts to pressure, intimidate or threaten Committee members into changing a decision.

  • Makes personal attacks or derogatory comments.

  • Makes explicit or implied threats.

  • Uses abusive or seriously offensive language.

  • Knowingly makes materially false or deliberately misleading allegations.

  • Improperly distributes confidential or private information.

  • Encourages others to target, threaten, intimidate or harass volunteers.

  • Deliberately disrupts Club meetings, events or operations.

  • Uses social media or digital platforms to harass or threaten Committee members.

  • Uses Club complaint processes primarily to overwhelm, exhaust, intimidate or retaliate against another person.

  • Refuses to comply with reasonable communication arrangements.

This list is not exhaustive.

Legitimate criticism, persistent but reasonable questioning, disagreement, a genuine complaint or an allegation that cannot ultimately be substantiated will not, by itself, constitute unreasonable conduct.

7. Reasonable Management of Communication

Where communication becomes excessive, repetitive, abusive or otherwise unreasonable, CHP may take reasonable and proportionate steps to manage that communication.

CHP may:

  • Acknowledge the concern and explain how it will be handled.

  • Request that correspondence be consolidated.

  • Nominate a single point of contact.

  • Require communication concerning the matter to occur in writing.

  • Establish reasonable response timeframes.

  • Establish reasonable limits on the frequency or method of communication.

  • Decline to repeatedly provide substantially the same information.

  • Decline to provide further substantive responses concerning a concluded matter unless materially new information is provided.

  • Restrict direct communication with individual volunteers where another reasonable communication channel remains available.

  • Refer communication to the President, Vice President or another authorised representative.

  • Seek independent or external assistance where appropriate.

Communication management must not be used to prevent a member from exercising a right provided by the CHP Rules of Association or applicable law.

8. Complaints and Concerns

CHP supports the right of members to raise legitimate concerns and complaints in good faith.

Complaints should ordinarily be submitted through CHP's nominated complaint channel and handled in accordance with the CHP Complaint Handling Process.

The Complaint Handling Process may be used to receive and initially assess a matter.

However:

  • Where a matter constitutes a grievance under the CHP Rules of Association, the grievance procedure in those Rules applies.

  • Where CHP proposes formal disciplinary action against a member, the disciplinary procedure in the Rules of Association applies.

Neither this policy nor the Complaint Handling Process creates an alternative disciplinary or grievance procedure.

9. Repeated or Resolved Matters

CHP is not required to indefinitely reconsider a matter that has already been appropriately considered and determined.

Further consideration may be appropriate where:

  • Material new information becomes available.

  • Circumstances materially change.

  • A significant procedural issue is identified.

  • A review or appeal right remains available.

  • The CHP Rules of Association require further action.

  • A governing body or relevant authority requires further consideration.

Where none of these circumstances applies, CHP may advise that the matter is considered concluded.

CHP may also advise that further substantially repetitive correspondence will not receive a substantive response unless materially new information is provided.

This does not prevent a person from exercising rights under the Rules of Association or contacting an appropriate external organisation or authority.

10. Committee Decision-Making

Committee decisions must be made in accordance with:

  • CHP's Rules of Association.

  • Applicable law.

  • Applicable CHP policies.

  • Conflict of interest requirements.

  • The Committee's responsibilities to CHP and its membership.

Members may disagree with Committee decisions and use any applicable complaint, grievance, review or other governance process.

However, an individual member cannot require the Committee to change a properly authorised decision merely because that member disagrees with it.

Committee members may also disagree with each other during deliberations.

Once a valid Committee resolution has been made, the Committee should implement that decision unless it is subsequently reconsidered, revoked or otherwise changed through an appropriate process.

11. Conflicts of Interest

Committee conflicts of interest must be managed in accordance with the CHP Rules of Association and CHP Conflict of Interest Policy.

Where a Committee member has a material personal interest in a matter being considered at a Committee meeting, the requirements of the Rules of Association apply.

This includes the requirement that the Committee member:

  • Disclose the nature and extent of the interest.

  • Must not be present while the matter is being considered.

  • Must not vote on the matter.

The conflict must also be appropriately recorded in accordance with CHP's Rules and Conflict of Interest requirements.

Nothing in this policy allows the Committee to waive or reduce those requirements.

12. Confidentiality and Privacy

Committee members and Club participants must appropriately protect confidential and personal information obtained through CHP activities.

This may include:

  • Personal information.

  • Complaint and disciplinary information.

  • Child safety information.

  • Confidential Committee material.

  • Commercial or contractual information.

  • Sensitive governance information.

Information should only be disclosed where there is an appropriate reason or authority to do so.

Nothing in this policy prevents a person from:

  • Seeking appropriate professional or independent advice.

  • Exercising a right under CHP's Rules of Association.

  • Making a legitimate report to Pickleball Victoria or Pickleball Australia.

  • Reporting a matter to Sport Integrity Australia where applicable.

  • Reporting a child safety concern.

  • Contacting Victoria Police or another appropriate authority.

  • Making a disclosure where legally entitled or required to do so.

13. Social Media and Public Communication

Members are expected to communicate responsibly when discussing CHP, its volunteers or Club matters publicly.

Conduct that may breach CHP policies includes:

  • Threatening or harassing Committee members.

  • Abusive personal attacks.

  • Knowingly publishing materially false allegations as fact.

  • Improperly publishing confidential Club information.

  • Improperly publishing private information or correspondence.

  • Encouraging others to threaten, harass or target Committee members.

Members are encouraged to use appropriate CHP processes for personal disputes and complaints.

Nothing in this section prevents:

  • Reasonable criticism.

  • Genuine discussion.

  • Expression of an honestly held opinion.

  • Raising legitimate concerns.

  • Seeking independent advice.

  • Making a legitimate report to an appropriate external organisation.

14. Threats, Harassment and Abuse

CHP will not tolerate threats, intimidation, harassment or abusive behaviour directed towards:

  • Committee members.

  • Volunteers.

  • Coaches.

  • Session managers.

  • Tournament Directors.

  • Referees and officials.

  • Members.

  • Other participants.

Where conduct creates an immediate safety concern or may constitute criminal conduct, CHP may contact or refer the matter to an appropriate authority.

CHP may also take reasonable immediate measures necessary to protect participants or volunteers.

15. Boundaries for Volunteers

Committee members are not expected to:

  • Be available at all times.

  • Respond outside reasonable hours.

  • Immediately respond to every communication.

  • Repeatedly explain decisions that have already been reasonably communicated.

  • Engage in prolonged arguments by email, Discord, messaging or social media.

  • Respond personally to abusive, threatening or harassing correspondence.

  • Conduct CHP business through personal accounts where an appropriate CHP channel exists.

  • Continue a conversation after respectful communication has broken down.

A Committee member may reasonably end a conversation and refer the matter to another authorised CHP representative.

CHP is a volunteer-run organisation and reasonable response times should be expected.

16. Immediate Operational and Safety Action

Nothing in this policy prevents an authorised CHP representative from taking reasonable immediate action during a Club session, event or activity to protect:

  • Participant safety.

  • Volunteers.

  • Club property.

  • Venue requirements.

  • The orderly operation of the activity.

Depending upon the circumstances, this may include:

  • Giving a reasonable direction.

  • Ending an inappropriate conversation.

  • Asking a person to move away from another participant.

  • Stopping play.

  • Requiring a person to leave a particular session or event.

  • Contacting venue management.

  • Contacting Police or emergency services where necessary.

Action relating to a particular session or event does not, by itself, constitute suspension or termination of CHP membership.

17. Breaches and Formal Disciplinary Action

A suspected breach of this policy may be considered under:

  • CHP's Code of Conduct.

  • CHP Member Protection Policy.

  • CHP Complaint Handling Process.

  • CHP Rules of Association.

  • Other applicable policies or governing-body requirements.

Minor matters may result in reasonable non-disciplinary responses such as:

  • Informal guidance.

  • Clarification of expectations.

  • Communication management.

  • Changes to how correspondence is handled.

  • An operational direction concerning a particular activity.

Where CHP proposes formal disciplinary action against a member, including a formal reprimand, suspension of membership rights or expulsion, the disciplinary procedure contained in the CHP Rules of Association must be followed.

This policy does not create an alternative disciplinary procedure.

18. Procedural Fairness

CHP will seek to treat people fairly when considering complaints, alleged misconduct and significant decisions affecting them.

Where the disciplinary or grievance provisions of CHP's Rules of Association apply, those procedures must be followed.

Nothing in this policy permits volunteer protection measures to be used to avoid procedural fairness or a process required by the Rules.

Equally, procedural fairness does not require individual Committee members to personally endure threatening, abusive or repetitive communication.

CHP may manage communication through an appropriate representative while the relevant process continues.

19. Protection From Retaliation

No person should be threatened, harassed or improperly disadvantaged because they have:

  • Made a genuine complaint in good faith.

  • Raised a legitimate concern.

  • Provided information honestly.

  • Participated appropriately in a complaint, grievance or disciplinary process.

Retaliation may itself constitute misconduct.

Equally, a person must not misuse a complaint, review or other CHP process to harass, intimidate or retaliate against Committee members or other participants.

20. Committee Responsibilities

The CHP Committee will endeavour to:

  • Model respectful communication.

  • Maintain reasonable boundaries.

  • Make decisions in good faith.

  • Act consistently with the Rules of Association.

  • Maintain appropriate records.

  • Properly manage conflicts of interest.

  • Protect confidential information.

  • Provide reasonable avenues for members to raise concerns.

  • Respond appropriately to legitimate complaints.

  • Avoid unnecessary escalation of disputes.

  • Support the safety and wellbeing of volunteers.

Committee protection is not intended to shield Committee members from legitimate scrutiny, accountability, criticism or properly raised complaints.

21. External Assistance

CHP may seek assistance or advice where appropriate from:

  • Pickleball Victoria.

  • Pickleball Australia.

  • Sport Integrity Australia.

  • CHP's insurer.

  • Legal or professional advisers.

  • Mediators.

  • Child safety authorities.

  • Victoria Police.

  • Emergency services.

  • Other appropriate organisations.

Nothing in this policy prevents a member or Committee member from legitimately contacting an appropriate external organisation or authority.

22. Relationship With Other Policies

This policy should be read together with:

  • CHP Rules of Association.

  • CHP Code of Conduct.

  • CHP Member Protection Policy.

  • CHP Complaint Handling Process.

  • CHP Conflict of Interest Policy.

  • CHP Child Safety policies and procedures.

  • CHP Privacy Policy, where applicable.

  • Applicable Pickleball Victoria policies.

  • Applicable Pickleball Australia policies.

  • Applicable Sport Integrity Australia policies.

Where a more specific mandatory procedure applies, that procedure takes precedence.

23. Relationship With the Rules of Association

This policy operates subject to the Central Highlands Pickleball Club Incorporated Rules of Association and applicable law.

Nothing in this policy is intended to limit, replace or override a right, obligation or procedure established by the Rules of Association or applicable law.

Where there is any inconsistency, the Rules of Association and applicable law prevail.

24. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or earlier where required because of:

  • Changes to legislation.

  • Changes to governing-body requirements.

  • Significant governance matters.

  • Changes to CHP operations.

  • Lessons arising from complaints or the operation of this policy.

Final Principle

CHP depends upon volunteers being willing to serve on its Committee and contribute to the operation of the Club.

Those volunteers should be able to perform their roles without harassment, intimidation, threats or unreasonable demands.

At the same time, members must remain free to ask questions, disagree, criticise decisions, raise genuine concerns and hold the Club appropriately accountable.

This policy protects both principles.

Reasonable accountability is part of good governance. Abuse of volunteers is not.

Central Highlands Pickleball Club Incorporated (CHP)

Version: 1.1
Effective Date: September 2025
Last Review Date: August 2026
Responsible Body: CHP Committee
Approved by: CHP Committee
Review: Annually or as required