SCS WHISTLEBLOWERS PROCESS

The majority of concerns can be addressed effectively through a school or Sydney Catholic Schools (‘SCS’) office using the SCS Complaints Process.

However, SCS also has an external Whistleblower service that allows you to bring forward a concern anonymously in the circumstances outlined below.  For more information please see the SCS Whistleblower Policy.

Who can make a Whistleblower report?

Current or former officers, directors, employees, students, parents/caregivers, volunteers, contractors/suppliers and their employees and a spouse or relative of any of the above or any other person who has reasonable grounds to make a report.

What matters can I report to the Whistleblower service?

You must have reasonable grounds to suspect that the information you are disclosing about SCS concerns:

  1. Misconduct
  2. An improper state of affairs or circumstances

This information can be about SCS, or an officer or employee of SCS, engaging in conduct that:

  1. breaches the Corporations Act or other financial laws enforced by Australian Securities and Investment Commission (‘ASIC’) and/or Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (‘APRA’)
  2. is an offence against any other law of the Commonwealth that is punishable by imprisonment for a period of 12 months, or
  3. represents a danger to the public or the financial system.

How do I make a report?

Stopline is an external whistleblowers service available via web, email, fax or phone:

  • Online disclosure to Stop Line Report
  • Phone: 1300 30 45 50 – Australia +61 3 9811 3275 – overseas
  • Email: sydcatholic@stopline.com.au
  • Post: P.O. Box 403, Diamond Creek, Victoria 3089
  • Fax ATTENTION: CASE MANAGER C/O Stopline +61 3 9882 4480

You are also entitled to Whistleblower protections if you report to an SCS Board Member, officer or senior manager, an auditor, actuary or regulatory authority.

How am I protected?

Stopline is an independent provider of Whistleblower services and will take full details of your concerns. This can be done anonymously.

You may ask Stoplineor SCS to keep your identity, or information that is likely to lead to your identification, confidential. Generally, this information cannot be disclosed without your consent. However, SCS or Stopline may be required to report the information to ASIC, APRA, or the Australian Federal Police, or to a lawyer for advice about the Whistleblower protections. It is illegal for a person to reveal the identity of a Whistleblower, or information likely to lead to the identification of Whistleblower, outside of these circumstances.

Whether the matter you raise is substantiated or not, a genuine Whistleblower will not be penalised or personally disadvantaged or victimised for making a report in good faith.