Complaints Procedure
Principles
Consistent with the principles of the Australian Press Council the Council’s other Standards of Practice, Australasian Leisure Management magazine and the www.ausleisure.com.au website (ALM) aims to:
Accuracy and clarity
1. Ensure that factual material in news reports and elsewhere is accurate and not misleading, and is distinguishable from other material such as opinion.
2. Provide correction or other adequate remedial action if published material is significantly inaccurate or misleading.
Fairness and balance
3. Ensure that factual material is presented with reasonable fairness and balance, and that writers’ expressions of opinion are not based on significantly inaccurate factual material or omission of key facts.
4. Ensure that where material refers adversely to a person, a fair opportunity is given for subsequent publication of a reply if that is reasonably necessary to address a possible breach of point 3 (above).
Privacy and avoidance of harm
5. Avoid intruding on a person’s reasonable expectations of privacy, unless doing so is sufficiently in the public interest.
6. Avoid causing or contributing materially to substantial offence, distress or prejudice, or a substantial risk to health or safety, unless doing so is sufficiently in the public interest.
Integrity and transparency
7. Avoid publishing material which has been gathered by deceptive or unfair means, unless doing so is sufficiently in the public interest.
8. Ensure that conflicts of interests are avoided or adequately disclosed, and that they do not influence published material.
Complaints
This covers the handling of written complaints, whether editorial or non-editorial, received by mail, email or, if specifically identified as such, via comment on the social media sites Facebook and LinkedIn.
Comments via Twitter or via text message are not considered written complaints.
Every effort will be made to resolve complaints made by telephone in the first instance so that the matter does not escalate. However, if this is not possible, complaints will be asked to submit their complaint in writing. ALM will also not respond to anonymous complaints, or if the complainant has not provided sufficient contact details to allow a response to be sent.
Editorial Guidelines
For complainants who feel that the commitments made in ALM’s editorial guidelines have not been met or who wish to complain about other aspects of the publications, ALM commits to:
Acknowledge and correct or clarify, in an appropriate manner as soon as reasonably practicable:
a. Significant material errors that are readily apparent or have been demonstrated; or
b. Information that is likely to significantly and materially mislead.
Additional information
Listening to and responding to complaints – and taking action when warranted – is important for both accountability and continuous quality improvement. Good complaint handling is one way that we can acknowledge problems when they do occur, and do so in a way that builds trust.
Focus on Resolution
Good complaint handling aims to listen, address legitimate concerns and build trust. ALM aims to always consider whether something can be done to address a reader complaint – such as correcting an error. Taking prompt and appropriate action to address the cause of a complaint can satisfy readers and improve content.
Procedure
ALM aims to respond to complaints promptly and in an appropriate manner that may include telephone contact, email and correspondence.
Resolution
ALM will ensure that its dealing with complaints is transparent and in accordance with its Editorial Guidelines.
If circumstances dictate, the matter will be referred to independent review.
If, as a result of the above, the resolution includes correction, this will include acknowledgement to the complainant and the capacity to change practices and issue corrections
Complaints should be addressed to:
The Editor
Australasian Leisure Management
102 Taiyul Road, Narrabeen 2101
(PO Box 478, Collaroy 2097)
NSW AUSTRALIA
