St John Ambulance Australia is a member of The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem. The Order’s mission is to prevent and relieve sickness and injury and to act to enhance the health and wellbeing of people of all races and creeds. This mission guides the work we do and our activities in influencing leaders and decisions makers to help St John make first aid a part of everybody’s life.
On 1 July 2019, Parliament passed amendments to the Treasury Laws Amendment (Enhancing Whsitleblowers Protections) Bill 2018 (Bill) to provide for an expanded whistleblowing scheme In Australia. The Bill expanded the existing whistleblower protections in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and Taxation Administration Act 1953 (Cth). Regulated entities are required to comply with the new laws by 1 January 2020.
The new regime has a number of key elements, such as:
St John Ambulance in Australia has a federated structure and is made up of 9 separate organisations across the country. Information about the Whistleblower protection policy on this website relates to the Australian Office of St John in Australia (St John Ambulance Australia Limited) only. If you are seeking information about whistleblowing relating to other St John organisations in Australia, please head to the relevant St John organisation’s website or call 1300 ST JOHN (360 455).
St John Ambulance Australia Inc. (St John) is committed to safety and wellbeing of all children and young people (children) who participate in St John activities, programs, events or services (programs). We want children to be safe, supported, nurtured and empowered while involved in our programs and we will take a preventative, proactive and participatory approach to child safety.
St John has zero tolerance for child abuse. We take all allegations and concerns around abuse very seriously. We will always strive to ensure that children do not experience neglect, abuse, harm or exploitation during their involvement with St John.
St John is committed to providing a child safe environment where children are safe and feel safe, have a positive experience, and their voices are heard. We will always listen to children and value what they say, support them when their safety or wellbeing is threatened, empower them to participate in decisions which affect their lives and address any concerns that they raise.
St John values the input of parents, guardians or carers. We will listen to and communicate regularly with parents, guardians or carers of children engaged with St John. We will endeavour to support families and communities in promoting the healthy and safe development of children. We will communicate honestly, transparently and openly with parents, guardians or carers about their child and the safety or wellbeing of their child, except where not permitted to do so by law.
St John will pay particular attention to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as the safety of children with a disability. We respect cultural diversity and differences in child rearing practices, within a context of child safety.
We will strive to engage only the most suitable people to work in our organisation. We will undertake all legislated screening and ensure that high quality employee and volunteer supervision occurs. All members of St John have a responsibility to understand the important and specific role he/she plays individually and collectively in ensuring that the wellbeing and safety children. We believe that, when engaged in programs in which children participate, all members have a role to play in ensuring that the safety and wellbeing of children is at the forefront of all they do and in every decision they make.
St John fosters a culture of openness where any person can safely disclose risks of harm to children without fear of repercussions, victimisation or retaliation. We have policies and procedures aimed at protecting those people who speak out about abuse.
St John will provide members with education on child safety. We will ensure that education on appropriate and acceptable conduct and behaviour towards children is included in our training.
St John will provide a range of resources targeted at children engaged in our youth program, empowering them to speak out if they are worried or feeling unsafe. We will ensure that these resources are age-appropriate and include people or places children can seek help from if they are feeling worried or unsafe.
St John will ask for consent from parents, guardians or carers before seeking or providing information about their child except where information is requested from police, regulatory authorities or statutory child safety agencies should a concern about the safety or wellbeing of a child exist.
St John will cooperate with relevant agencies across Australia in working to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children. We have policies, procedures and training in place that support our members to make prompt decisions about child safety, report allegations or suspicions of abuse promptly, and share information appropriately and lawfully. We also have legal and moral obligations to contact the authorities when we are worried about the safety or wellbeing of a child.
If you believe a child is at immediate risk of harm phone triple zero (000).
Child Wise Accreditation
St John takes child safety very seriously and we have put in place a number of measures to safeguard children from harm. As part of our commitment, on the 19th of July 2019, the Australian Office of St John Ambulance Australia achieved Child Wise accreditation as a child safe organisation.
If you are seeking information about child safe
organisation accreditation in a St John organisation in an Australian state or
territory, please head to the relevant St John organisation’s website or
contact their state or territory head office.
The National Redress Scheme provides acknowledgement and support to people who experienced institutional child sexual abuse.
It was created in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which estimated that 60,000 people experienced institutional child sexual abuse in Australia.
The Scheme started on 1 July 2018 and will run for 10 years.
St John Ambulance Australia Inc. has joined the National Redress Scheme so people can access redress.
For more information on the National Redress Scheme, visit www.nationalredress.gov.au or call 1800 737 377.
St John Ambulance in Australia has a federated structure and is made up of 9 separate organisations across the country. Information about participation in the National Redress Scheme on this website relates to the Australian Office of St John in Australia (St John Ambulance Australia Inc.) only. If you are seeking information about the participation of another St John organisation in the National Redress Scheme, please head to the relevant St John organisation’s website or call 1300 ST JOHN (360 455).
From time to time St John Ambulance Australia prepares relevant and pertinent policy positions and submissions to governments on a range of issues of importance to its membership, in the first aid and emergency management area, and matters that impact the not-for-profit sector.
St John Ambulance Australia’s current policy positions may be downloaded here.