1. Preamble / Statement of Purpose

Northside Community Voices Inc. (NCV) is established to facilitate constructive, evidence-based dialogue between citizens and their elected representatives at all levels of Australian government. ‘Our area’ is the City of Moreton Bay local government area. Our “voices” are expressed as the issues of concern and desired outcomes that our residents wish to see addressed or achieved within reasonable timeframes. Those issues and outcomes may cover local, state, national and international jurisdiction and apply across social, environmental, economic and governance areas.

Our object is to elevate community issues that are actionable within the framework of Australian law and the democratic process. To ensure the integrity of this process and to maintain a productive environment, all users must adhere to the Code of Conduct.

2. Definitions

NCV: Northside Community Voices Inc., an incorporated, not-for-profit community association.

Board: the management committee of NCV, made up of the president, secretary, treasurer and any other Members elected by the Members at a general meeting, as set out in NCV’s Constitution.

Member: a resident of our area, aged 16 or over, who has registered online to become a Member of NCV by agreeing to comply with this Code of Conduct, NCV’s Privacy Policy and NCV’s Terms of Service.

Friend of NCV: a supporter, aged 16 or over, who lives outside our area and has registered online to take part in NCV’s activities. Elected representatives who live in our area cannot be Members, and may register as Friends instead. Members and employees of a registered political party may be Members, but may not serve on the Board or convene a Working Group or Action Group. Friends agree to comply with this Code of Conduct, NCV’s Privacy Policy and NCV’s Terms of Service. (NCV’s registered Constitution calls a Friend of NCV an “Interested Party”.)

Hub Manager: a Member, or a staff member, contractor or adviser, whom the Board has given Hub Manager access to run NCV’s day-to-day administration and support the Board. Hub Managers have agreed to comply with this Code of Conduct, the Privacy Policy and the Terms of Service, and carry the additional responsibilities described in section 4.2.

Privacy Policy: NCV’s Privacy Policy.

Terms of Service: NCV’s Terms of Service for users of NCV’s websites and online services.

People: the term “people” is used in this Code of Conduct to include Members, Friends of NCV, Hub Managers and volunteers.

Moderator: a Member or panel of Members appointed by the Board to review new issues posted on NCV’s website for compliance with legal requirements and alignment with our values, as set out in section 9.

3. Objective

The objective of the Code of Conduct is to assist NCV to maintain a harmonious and ethical operating environment which upholds NCV’s purpose and values and allows the Board to terminate membership and access to NCV’s services for people who infringe this Code.

4. Application of the Code of Conduct

4.1. Members and Friends of NCV

This Code of Conduct applies to all Members and Friends of NCV.

4.2. Board Members and Hub Managers

Board members and Hub Managers carry an extra level of responsibility, because they act on NCV’s behalf and have access to its records and to the personal information of its Members and Friends. The Board will adopt a separate Administrative Code setting out those additional responsibilities. Until it does, Board members and Hub Managers are bound by this Code of Conduct, NCV’s Constitution and its Privacy Policy, and must use their access only for NCV’s purposes.

4.3. Volunteer Training

At various times, such as election campaigns or community actions, people who are not Members of the association may wish to volunteer for tasks like letterbox drops, leafletting or fundraising. Before they take part, the Members coordinating these activities must give them basic training so that volunteers act in accordance with our values, are respectful in any interaction with the public and observe prudent workplace health and safety measures. Volunteers must be aged 16 or over, and volunteers aged 16 or 17 may take part only with the consent of a parent or guardian and under the supervision of an adult.

5. Our Purpose (Mission) and Values

5.1. Purpose

The primary purpose of our association is to operate as a non-partisan organisation for Members wishing to become actively involved (i.e. have a “Voice”) in the democratic processes and decision-making affecting their physical and natural environment and quality of life and that of future generations living in the area. NCV supports Members working to achieve positive and sustainable social, economic, environmental and governance changes for the benefit of our community.

5.2. Values

Our values and commitments are summarised below:

1. Acknowledgement of First Nations people:

NCV recognises the ancestral connections and custodianship of Traditional Owners throughout Australia and works towards reconciliation.

2. Raising the standard of political representation:

NCV aims to move beyond traditional party politics, focusing on community needs and preferences through communication of the voices of our community expressed as a broad range of desired outcomes.

3. Community engagement:

We emphasise involving everyday people in political processes at all three levels of government and promote a strong connection between our community and its representatives.

4. Respectful and inclusive processes:

NCV prioritises respectful dialogue and inclusivity in decision-making, valuing diverse perspectives.

5. Community ownership:

We believe in empowering the community to take an active role in the political process and hold their representatives accountable for achieving desired outcomes within reasonable timeframes.

6. Climate Action:

NCV promotes strong climate policies, actions to reduce carbon emissions and a just transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy, sustainable housing and transport.

7. Integrity, transparency and accountability:

NCV advocates for independent bodies to investigate and eliminate corruption and ensure transparency and accountability at all three levels of government.

8. Socially and culturally progressive, economically and environmentally responsible:

Our association encourages adoption of progressive values and maintains strong support for prudential economic management and protection of natural environments and biodiversity.

9. Long-Term Thinking and Action:

NCV promotes the importance of strategic long-term planning and tackling challenging issues.

10. Equality of opportunity for all people:

We advocate for equality of opportunity for all people regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, race, or national or ethnic origin.

6. Standard of Behaviour

The Code of Conduct sets out the expected standard of behaviour of all Members, Friends of NCV, Hub Managers and volunteers. When working together, either online or in person, at NCV offices, at meetings or engaged in NCV activities in the community, everybody is required to treat the association’s activities as a workplace.

The Code of Conduct and the behaviours outlined within it are fundamental to NCV building healthy, positive, and respectful relationships with our community. The Code of Conduct also governs the way in which all NCV’s people are expected to relate to one another, external professionals, visitors, and all stakeholders.

The Code of Conduct is not intended to provide a detailed and exhaustive list of what to do in every aspect of work. Instead, it represents a broad framework that will help guide conduct and behaviour in the performance of duties and interactions in the workplace.

7. Core Principles for Participation

7.1. Respectful Communication

People are expected to communicate respectfully and constructively with all other people, both online and in person, refraining from personal attacks, insults, or offensive language. People must not discriminate against, sexually harass, or harass or bully anyone, and are expected to encourage a workplace culture that is free from such treatment.

7.2. Inclusivity and Diversity

People should treat all individuals with respect, regardless of their background, beliefs, or opinions.

7.3. Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying

People must avoid language or behaviour that is discriminatory or harassing. Anyone witnessing any type of inappropriate behaviour by people engaged in NCV activities or online is obliged to report it immediately to [email protected]. Any question or concerns about bullying, harassment or discrimination queries should also be raised at that same email address.

7.4. Legal Observance

All NCV’s people must acknowledge the legitimacy of Australian governmental institutions and legal frameworks and conduct themselves accordingly. Advocacy must be for change within this system.

7.5. Evidence-Based Discourse

People are encouraged to ground the issues they raise in verifiable facts, data, and evidence from reputable sources. Anecdotes and personal opinions are welcome but should be presented as such. People are required to abstain from criticising or attempting to undermine the overwhelming majority of expert opinion of qualified scientists and doctors in areas such as human-induced global heating and the vital role of vaccines in combatting disease.

7.6. Constructive Engagement

NCV’s goal is to identify problems and propose or discuss potential solutions. Mere criticism without constructive purpose is discouraged. Civility and respect are important and all NCV people, members of the public, and Government officers and Representatives must be treated with dignity. Debates about ideas are encouraged; personal attacks are not.

7.7. Good Faith

All NCV people are presumed to be engaging honestly to further the association’s purpose and activities and any attempts to disrupt NCV activities or promote external agendas will not be tolerated.

7.8. Safety and Privacy

People must respect the privacy of others and never share personal or confidential information without consent.  Sharing of inappropriate, explicit, or unsafe content is prohibited.

8. Enforcement: Prohibited Content & Behaviour

8.1. Misinformation and Disinformation

People may not post content that constitutes health misinformation (e.g., that contradicts scientific consensus from bodies like the ATAGI, WHO, or TGA), climate change denialism (e.g., that contradicts the consensus of organisations like the CSIRO, IPCC, or Bureau of Meteorology), or other forms of misinformation that are demonstrably false and likely to cause harm to public discourse. Claims presented as fact must be supportable by evidence from credible, authoritative sources.

8.2. Hate Speech and Discrimination

People may not post content that attacks, incites hatred against, or promotes discrimination towards any group based on race, ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity. This includes attacks on the LGBTIQ+ community, migrants, and other minority groups.

8.3. Conspiracy Theories and “Sovereign Citizen” Rhetoric

People may not post content that promotes baseless conspiracy theories (e.g., that malign the integrity of core democratic institutions without credible evidence) or the ideology of movements that reject the authority of the Australian government and its laws (e.g., “Sovereign Citizen” or similar movements).

8.4. Harassment and Incitement

People may not engage in the targeted harassment of any user or individual, nor post content that incites violence or lawless action.

8.5. Off-Topic and Repetitive Posting (Spamming)

People may not deliberately derail conversations or repeatedly post the same or similar content across multiple threads with the effect of hijacking discussions or overwhelming the site (a practice known as “brigading” or “spamming”).

9. Moderator Authority and Process

9.1. Role of the Moderator

The Moderator is a Member or panel of Members appointed by the Board to review new issues posted on NCV’s website for compliance with legal requirements and NCV’s values. The Moderator has the authority to delete, amend or combine issues that are similar to, or duplicate, existing issues before they are made visible to the public.

9.2. Moderation Decisions

Moderation decisions are final and based on the provisions of this Code of Conduct and NCV’s Terms of Service. The Moderator has the sole discretion to:

• Remove, edit, or lock any post or thread that violates the Code or Terms.
• Issue warnings to users.
• Suspend or recommend that the Board terminate the membership of users who repeatedly or egregiously violate the Code or Terms.

While moderators will act in good faith, their decisions regarding violations are final. Attempts to publicly debate moderation decisions within the NCV community may result in further action.

9.3. Definition of Authoritative Sources

To maintain a high level of trust, impartiality and credibility required by NCV to effectively pursue its purpose and uphold its values, the Moderator requires, wherever possible, that people support the issues they raise with research and statistics from authoritative sources.

It is important to avoid inflammatory language like “corrupt journalists” and “fossil fuel propaganda” in material posted to the site. To provide a reasonable standard of objectivity, people are encouraged to cite credible sources when making factual claims. Examples of authoritative sources typically include:

• Government Agencies: (e.g., ABS, CSIRO, Bureau of Meteorology, AIHW, TGA, ATAGI)
• Academic & Research Institutions: Australian and international universities, peer-reviewed scientific journals.
• Established News Media: Outlets that adhere to Australian journalistic standards and codes of practice.

Content that relies exclusively on sources known to promote disinformation, propaganda, or that have a demonstrable pattern of falsehoods will be subject to removal and further sanctions.