Whistleblower policy

Our goal

Wesley Mission encourages the reporting of all wrongdoing and will ensure that Whistleblowers are protected and supported.

Definitions

Disclosable Matters can include misconduct, an improper state of affairs or circumstances, contraventions of certain Commonwealth laws, fraud, corruption, illegal acts, violence and unethical behaviour.

Eligible Recipients (the Recipient) includes an officer or senior manager of Wesley Mission such as Management Committee members, and auditors. They can also be external to Wesley Mission such as legal practitioners and Commonwealth bodies including ASIC, APRA and the ATO.

Eligible Whistleblowers (the Whistleblower) include current or former employees, volunteers, suppliers and their relatives and spouses who report a Disclosable Matter (Whistleblower Report) to an Eligible Recipient which is protected under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (the Act).

Application of this Policy

The General Manager, Wesley Corporate is Wesley Mission’s nominated Recipient for Whistleblower Reports (Internal Recipient).

A Whistleblower Report made to any Recipient (internal to Wesley Mission or to an external body) will be protected under the Act. An Internal Recipient who receives a Whistleblower Report will appoint an appropriate internal or external investigator to conduct any investigation required.

A Whistleblower Protection Officer will be assigned to support the welfare of the Whistleblower. They will be independent to any investigation and provide ongoing support to the Whistleblower.

How to raise a report of wrongdoing

Whistleblower Reports can be made anonymously or with the use of a pseudonym and can be made by calling 1800 592 272, by postal mail marked confidential and addressed to the ‘General Manager, Wesley Corporate, PO BOX A5555 Sydney South NSW 1235’ or by email to whistleblower@wesleymission.org.au.

If a Whistleblower does not wish to make a Whistleblower Report to an Internal Recipient at Wesley Mission, they may choose to report to any external Recipient and receive the same protections. They should refer to the website of the external Recipient. If a Whistleblower is unable to make a report for any reason including capacity, they may appoint a trusted person to report on their behalf.

Eligible Whistleblower protections

Wesley Mission has a legal obligation to guarantee Whistleblowers identity protection (including confidentiality) and protection from detrimental acts or omissions (including dismissal from employment, disadvantage at work or reputational damage). If Wesley Mission breaches these protections, it will be liable under the Act and the Whistleblower will be entitled to seek compensation and other remedies such as protections from civil, criminal and administrative liability.

Wesley Mission will ensure that any employees mentioned in a Whistleblower Report will be afforded fair treatment and will be advised about the matter before any actions are taken to afford them natural justice and procedural fairness.

Reporting integrity

A Whistleblower must have reasonable grounds to suspect that a Disclosable Matter should be reported. The Whistleblower still qualifies for protection under the Act even if their disclosure turns out to be incorrect.

Wesley Mission discourages deliberately false reporting to ensure the integrity of this Policy and the Act is maintained.

A personal work-related grievance of itself is not a Disclosable Matter, and if not a Disclosable Matter, the person raising such a grievance will be encouraged to do so under the provisions of the Grievance Policy.

Wesley Mission will

• Acknowledge receipt of a report from a Whistleblower within two business days of receiving it,
• assess the report within five business days of acknowledging receipt to determine if it is a Disclosable Matter,
• if a Disclosable Matter, communicate with the Whistleblower the estimated time to investigate the report depending on its complexity,
• ensure the investigation is conducted by an appropriate investigator who is bound by the Act,
• support the welfare of the Whistleblower throughout any investigation,
• ensure that the identity or any other information likely to lead to the identification of the Whistleblower is never disclosed, unless consent is first obtained, and 
• provide relevant information about any findings to the Whistleblower.

This policy is available via Wesley Mission’s Policy and Procedure system, is included in the Employee Welcome Book and induction process.