ASC Customer Charter
CONTENTS
Identification of the Organisation and its Customers
Customer Service Standards and Customer Rights and Responsibilities
Communication, Customer Feedback and Complaints
- Contacting us
- What to do when you need to make a complaint or a comment
- Your right to information
- Help us to improve this charter and the way we work
Identification of the Organisation and its Customers
1. Who we are
The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) is a Commonwealth Government statutory authority established by Parliament under the Australian Sports Commission Act 1989 . The ASC is managed by a Board of commissioners made up of a chairperson, deputy chairperson, the secretary of the Department of Industry Science and Tourism and between five and ten other members as determined by the Minister for Sport. The Board determines the Commission's overall direction, decides on actual allocation of resources and/or policy for delegated decisions. The board is accountable to the Minister and the Parliament.
The ASC includes the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). Administration of the ASC is based in Canberra at the AIS Bruce campus, with AIS operations in Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast Melbourne and Brisbane. The administrative structure is headed by the Executive Director.
This document applies to services provided by the ASC including the AIS, Sports Development and Policy and elements of Sport and Business Services. The ASC is part of the Industry, Science and Tourism portfolio but this document does not apply to any other areas of the portfolio.
The ASC operates under the provisions of the Australian Sports Commission Act 1989 and as a statutory authority is also subject to the provisions of some other Acts, including the Audit Act 1901, Freedom of Information Act 1982, Ombudsman Act 1976 and Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 .
2. What we do
Recognising the immense role sport has to play in providing health, social and economic benefits to the nation, the Australian Government directs its contribution to sport through the ASC. The ASC carries out its task on a national scale through leadership, assistance and funding.
The ASC is recognised as a world leader in the development of elite sport and sports participation. Services are provided in a range of fields including elite coaching, sport sciences, sports information, sports management, sports facility management, sports education and resources, sports participation development and delivery of funding programs to sporting organisations.
The Australian Sports Commission's mission is to:
To enrich the lives of all Australians through sport.
The 1998 to 2001 ASC strategic plan has three major objectives:
- The development and maintenance of an effective national sports infrastructure.
- Improved participation in quality sports activities by Australians.
- Excellence in sports performance by Australians.
Seven strategies have been developed to achieve the ASC objectives:
- Provide national leadership and direction in enhancing the management capabilities of sports delivery agencies.
- Provide high quality integrated support programs for athletes and sporting organisations.
- Facilitate ongoing improvement in international performances.
- Encourage more people to play sport through the implementation of all the sport elements of Active Australia.
- Examine avenues to diversify and increase the sport resource base.
- Further develop our capabilities in information and research management to assist us in meeting our responsibilities as national leaders in the development and support of sport.
- Continue to improve the internal effectiveness and efficiency of the Commission, increasing its responsiveness to its stakeholder's requirements.
3. Our Customers
The Government supports sport to benefit all Australian society. In a way all Australians are our customers. However for practical purposes:
"Customers covered by this charter are those persons or organisations seeking funding or services from the ASC that deal directly with the ASC or its specified contractors."
Our key customers are (but are not limited to) :
- National Sporting Organisations
- Athletes and Coaches
- Sport's Officials
- State Government sports agencies
- Commercial customers of the ASC
4. What we do not do
The Australian Sports Commission is not (directly) responsible for:
- the operation and management of sporting organisations. Sporting organisations in Australia are generally democratic in structure, their members are responsible for electing office bearers and managing their sport
- selection of representative teams including national, Olympic, Commonwealth Games, Paralympic teams. Selection is undertaken by the relevant sport or peak body.
- drug testing. Testing for performance enhancing drugs is undertaken by the Australian Sports Drug Agency.
- organising or managing national or international competitions.
- provision of funding for construction or operation of community facilities (other than facilities for the direct use of AIS programs).
- funding local, regional or state sporting organisations or events.
Customer Service Standards and Customer Rights and Responsibilities
5. What you can expect from us
We will:
- be honest, ethical and professional at all times.
- treat all clients fairly, impartially and courteously.
- be positive and helpful towards all clients by:
- responding promptly to requests;
- providing reasons for our decisions;
- explaining our processes.
- ensure that all clients are able to discuss the decisions which affect them with someone who is able to understand and respond to their concerns.
- listen to clients so that we understand needs and expectations, give serious consideration to suggestions and use the information to improve our activities.
6. How you can help us
- deal with us honestly, ethically and professionally.
- provide information that is easily understood.
- Let us know about any problem as soon as it arises. When you are discussing your problem with us, please remember that the person you are talking to may not be responsible for causing your problem, or be the one who can solve it. A calm, courteous approach will make it easier for us to respond quickly and effectively to your concerns.
- fulfil obligations and commitments you make to us, in a timely manner.
- remember limited resources mean we can't always give you everything you want.
7. Our service standards
In delivering our services to you, we will endeavour to meet the following standards. Our services have been divided into broad service types. In some cases these services are delivered by a number of different divisions or sections. "Services Covered By This Document" on page two outlines the groupings we have used.
General Service Standards
If you phone us, we will:
- identify ourselves by name;
- respond to inquiries promptly;
- provide accurate and helpful information; and
- if we are not able to answer your query immediately, we will take your contact details and ensure that you get a response within two working days.
If you write or email us, we will:
- respond to specific funding or policy issues within 14 days, for other general issues we will respond within 28 days
- inform you of the progress of your inquiry if it is more complex;
- refer you to the appropriate agency if the matter is outside the ASC's responsibility; and
- provide contact names and phone numbers in all ASC correspondence.
Funding
The ASC provides cash funding to develop sport for organisations under the Sports Assistance Scheme and Olympic Athlete Program and Participation Program. In providing cash funding we will:
- provide clear written information about the assistance available, who can, and the conditions that, apply;
- explain the process;
- provide fair and unbiased treatment;
- advise you on who is dealing with your request or case and provide you with advice on the likely time frame for a decision;
- provide you with written advice on the reasons for the decision made;
- give you a contact name with whom to discuss your case and advise you of any appeal rights or complaints mechanisms
Athlete and Coach Services
The ASC provides a direct service to athletes or coaches, including AIS scholarships, education and welfare, direct athlete support, sports information services, sport sciences, coach education and indigenous sport program athlete development. For athletes, once accepted as an AIS Scholarship holder the relationship with the AIS is governed by the agreement signed between the athlete and the AIS. Generic copies of the agreement are available from the manager of scholarship programs on 02 62141471. AIS scholarship selection processes vary among sports, and involve AIS coaches, the National Sporting Organisations and/or their head coaches.
In providing athlete and coach services the AIS will:
- make available information and application forms and, on request, information on selection processes for athlete and coach scholarships (contact 02 6214 1471)
- inform applicants of a contact and timeframe for decisions on awards of scholarships or other direct services
- document on request (or seek documentation on) the reasons for decisions on award or non-award of scholarships or like services
- ensure coaches employed by the AIS observe the AIS Coaches' code of conduct
- apply world's best practice to provide an environment in which athletes and coaches can be internationally competitive
- insist that ASC staff observe all community standards applicable to their profession
Advisory Services
The ASC provides advice and consultancy services from a variety of sections on a free or fee-for-service basis. We take pride in being at the cutting edge of sports development and on providing up to date and comprehensive services in our speciality areas.
When you are paying for a service, we will:
- let you know what services are available and how we can help;
- ensure that our staff have up to date knowledge;
- ensure that our charges are competitive;
- inform you about the process, negotiate a timeframe for dealing with request;
- provide written advice on fees and set deadlines for service;
- keep you informed on progress;
- meet our contractual obligations;
- discount or refund fees if a complaint on quality is upheld;
Other advisory services:
- we will inform you if an issue is beyond our resources or expertise;
- we will let you know when we will get back to you and meet or better our commitment;
- if it is not possible to provide a response within a time frame, we will contact you and let you know why;
- endeavour to keep our knowledge up to date and relevant to your needs;
- if we have to refer your case on we will provide you with the name and contact details of the new person handling your issue and the reason it needs to be referred;
- where appropriate, suggest other external contacts.
Commercial Operations
The ASC conducts a range of business activities which make available programs or facilities to members of the public and other organisations provided they do not detract from the primary purpose of providing services to develop Australian sport. In providing such services the ASC will:
- let you know what facilities, programs and products are available, when they are accessible and at what price;
- let you know what facilities are not available and why;
- provide advice on how pricing structures are arrived at;
- ensure that our staff are helpful and knowledgeable;
- ensure that facilities, programs and products are of the highest standard and meet Occupational Health and Safety standards.
Policy Development
Policies developed by the ASC include broad sports policy directions such as the strategic plan and sports policy, conditions on financial assistance or services (scholarships, SAS or OAP grants, participation grants etc) and industry support policies (eg. Anti-harassment guidelines, junior sport policy) as well as specific policy addressing target groups or issues.
In developing policy guidelines, regulation or practice we will:
- consult widely whenever we can;
- provide reasonable timeframes to respond to policy proposals;
- explain the process;
- ensure that we take into account the aspirations, needs and commercial obligations of the Australian sporting community;
- ensure that our contribution to policies is balanced and relevant to the Government's broader social objectives;
- disseminate information to customers about decisions that affect them; and
- liaise with customers during implementation of decisions.
8. Checking our performance
We welcome your comments on how successful we are in achieving the standards set out in this charter. We will:
- evaluate our services against the standards we have set out in this charter, to see if we are meeting those standards;
- formally review, in consultation with our customers, the standards set out in this charter at least every 18 months and adjust them in light of your comments;
- collect information on how we meet customer needs;
- include performance against the standards we have set in our annual report.
The charter will be independently reviewed at least every three years. We invite comments from customers and staff as part of our monitoring and review.
Communication, Customer Feedback and Complaints
9. Contacting us
ASC business hours are 8:30am to 5:00pm. General calls can be directed to the switch on 02 62141111.
General information on the ASC is available on the internet at http://www.ausport.gov.au
10. What to do when you need to make a complaint or a comment
If you have a complaint please let us know because we can only improve if you tell us the problem. To make a complaint or comment please follow these steps:
- Contact the staff member you have been dealing with, let them know your concern and give them the chance to resolve the problem. The staff member will log your complaint and document the action he or she takes and the result.
- If you are not satisfied or feel unable to talk to the original staff member. Put your complaint, comment (or compliment) in writing (if possible).
- Contact the staff member's manager. The manager will log your complaint or comment, his or her action and the result.
- If the above steps have failed to resolve the issue you are invited to contact the ASC's complaints officer on (02) 6214 1739. Alternately you may fax on (02) 6214 1485 or email service_charter@ausport.gov.au
- the complaints officer may ask you to put your complaint in writing.
- the complaints officer will log your complaint and inform you of a time- frame for a response.
- a response will be made in writing detailing the investigation and any action taken. Feel free to phone the complaints officer to discuss the process at any stage.
- Following our investigation, if, in your view, the problem has not been resolved, you may be able to seek assistance from the Commonwealth Ombudsman or utilise the provisions of the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977.
Contact details for the Commonwealth Ombudsman are:
Commonwealth Ombudsman
Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman
GPO Box 442
CANBERRA CITY ACT 2601
Phone: (02) 62760111
The Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 entitles you, in some circumstances, to request a "statement of reasons" applicable to a particular decision. The ASC is required to provide the statement of reasons within 28 days of your request. If we determine that we are not required to give you a statement of reasons, we have to provide you with that advice within 14 days. If you are not happy with the statement of reasons you may seek "better and further" particulars relating to the decision and the reasons
provided. If are still not satisfied after receiving the additional information you may seek to lodge the complaint with the Federal Court of Australia. The request for a "statement of reasons" needs to be lodged in writing with the ASC.
For further information please contact the complaints officer on:
Tel: (02) 6214 1675
Fax: (02) 6214 1485
or Email: service_charter@ausport.gov.au
Please note - with the exception of decisions made under Freedom of Information , decisions made by the ASC are not subject to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
11. Your right to information
The ASC seeks to operate in an open manner. We recognise that it is easier to understand our decisions if you have access to relevant information. Personal information held by the ASC is subject to the provisions of the Privacy Act 1988. Under this Act we provide an annual listing of types of personal information. This is included in the Privacy Commissioner's "Personal Information Digest" .
The ASC is also subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI). Under this Act you have the right to apply to the ASC for access to information held by us. Inquiries or applications under the FOI Act should be directed to:
Senior Policy Officer
Australian Sports Commission
PO Box 176
BELCONNEN ACT 2616
Phone: (02) 6214 1675
Fax: (02) 6214 1485
Email: FOI_officer@ausport.gov.au
When possible we will provide you with any information held by the ASC dealing directly with you free of charge. In other cases charges specified in the FOI Act will be applied. You need to recognise, however, that information is sometimes sensitive, commercial or involves someone else's personal details. There are situations when it is not in the best interests of either clients or the ASC to release certain information. Some information held by the ASC takes the form of medical records, our medical personnel observe all relevant medical practices and legislation regarding their consultations and records.
12. Help us to improve this charter and the way we work
- We are committed to continually improving our service. As part of the development of this charter we consulted our customers and staff.
- But we are just like everyone else in the sports industry, we know we can improve.
- Your comments on how we might improve our practices and this charter are important. Please write to or phone our charter contact officer
- We will use your comments to ensure that the service we provide is of the highest standard.
