Club members
What you need to know
This area relates to anyone who is currently a member or is seeking membership to a club or association.
You have the right to be treated the same as any other member irrespective of your race, disability, sex, marital status, age, pregnancy or sexuality. It is also against the law to sexually harass or victimise a member.
There are some situations where it is acceptable to treat someone differently based on one of the personal characteristics listed above.
What you can do
You can visit the Play by the Rules website (see link below). This is an online training and information resource for sport and recreation clubs and associations. Play by the Rules provides information on how to prevent and deal with inappropriate behaviour including discrimination, harassment, favouritism, bias and various forms of abuse.
If you think you have been discriminated against based on one of the specified personal characteristics, you may be eligible to lodge a complaint under the Equal Opportunity Act. However, sometimes taking action can solve the problem.
Here are some things you can do:
- Ask for reasons why you have been treated differently.
- Depending on the situation, you can check whether the club or association has a constitution and whether there are member protection officers (in the case of sporting clubs) or other relevant contact people for you to talk to.
- If this doesn't work you can contact us and talk to an advisor. It may be that you can lodge a complaint.
Related information
Play by the Rules website
Types of discrimination
Places of discrimination
Making a complaint
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