Any member of the national executive can issue a media release or comment to the media. In normal circumstances, media releases should be checked first with another member of the executive, typically president, vice-president or director. In all cases, approval should be sought in advance from anyone whose name is given in a release. The same sort of policy should be followed by branches, with variations depending on branch structure.
(Approved at the WBA Annual General Meeting, 1 December 1996, Sydney. For the resolution, see The Whistle, August 1996.)
That WBA national committee, branch committee and members should take suitable measures to avoid conflict of interest, secret commissions (unless otherwise disclosed), abuse of trust and misrepresentation. If conflicts of interest arise, they must be disclosed. In particular members should not take advantage of their role as fellow member or confidante to solicit business, special favours or sexual relationships. Members must be accountable for their behaviour and not be given protected status as a result of their membership. WBA members must be informed of appropriate behaviour in this regard.
(Approved at the WBA Annual General Meeting, 28 September 1997, Canberra. See The Whistle, December 1997)
Disputes between individual members of WBA are not the formal concern of WBA unless they bring WBA into disrepute. Members may request that the committee invoke section 13 of the constitution ("disciplining of members").
(Approved at the WBA National Committee meeting, Sydney, 10-11 January 1998. See The Whistle, March 1998)
Meetings should be with the most senior person in the organisation. At least two people from WBA should attend, including one victim. The meeting should be well publicised within WBA both beforehand and afterwards. No media releases should be allowed without the permission of all involved. Meetings should normally be a one-off occurrence. If a whistleblower is victimised by the organisation, all meetings should be called off.
(Approved at the WBA National Committee meeting, Sydney, 10-11 January 1998. See The Whistle, March 1998)
The committee reasserted its position that it cannot endorse claims or actions by individual whistleblowers but it can support cases as worthy of investigation.
(Approved at the WBA National Committee meeting, Sydney, 10-11 January 1998. See The Whistle, March 1998)
Members henceforth have the option of allowing or disallowing circulation of their information on the membership list beyond the national secretary, treasurer or public officer.
(Approved at the WBA Annual General Meeting, 28 September 1997, Canberra. See The Whistle, December 1997)
Expenses to be paid by WBA (aside from expenses for The Whistle and returns to branches, which have been approved separately) should be approved before they are made. Claims will be considered by a subcommittee consisting of the president (or, if unavailable or inappropriate, the senior vice-president) and two other members of the committee who are not making claims.
(Approved at the WBA National Committee meeting, Sydney, 10-11 January 1998. See The Whistle, March 1998)
This document is available from the Whistleblowers Australia website