ROOM FOR ‘MATES’ AT GAMES

COMMONWEALTH Games volunteers have been told they’re free to say “mate” or “G’day” rather than stick to a politically correct guidebook. The handbook, produced to aid volunteers, sparked ridicule after it was revealed it advised using American terms like “folks” in place of “gendered” terms like “ladies and gentlemen”. However GOLDOC CEO Mark Peters said volunteers were not obliged to stick to the guidelines.

“If you’re not comfortable saying ‘folks’, don’t say it. Say ‘mate’ or ‘G’day’,” he said. “The handbook ... is not compulsory, it’s a guideline.”

COMMONWEALTH Games volunteers have been told to “be themselves” and not rigidly follow a “politically correct” guidebook banning genderspecific terms “ladies and gentlemen”.

Games organising committee CEO Mark Peters yesterday defended the guidebook as just that – a guide after criticism it was PC mad.

“If you’re not comfortable saying ‘folks’, don’t say it. Say ‘mate’ or ‘G’day’,” he said.

“The key thing is to get feedback from your volunteers, you don’t want them to be scared, you want them to be themselves.”

The handbook, given to 15,000 volunteers and official staff and contractors instructs workers and volunteers at the Games to call people parents, rather than mothers or fathers, and partners, rather than husbands or girlfriends.

LNP’s Commonwealth Games Shadow Minister JohnPaul Langbroek called it “political correctness gone insane” but Mr Peters said the guidebook’s “inclusive” language had been based off advice from previous Games and major events in Glasgow and London.

“We have a number of people with different backgrounds and multiculturally different experiences and also we have athletes, officials and spectators from 70 countries,” he said.

“We’ve been getting a lot of questions already from volunteers on how to address people from other countries and regions, they’ve been a bit nervous themselves about the protocols, so we’ve developed a multifaceted training program.

“The handbook has a been a direct response from questions we’ve got from our volunteers – it is not compulsory, it’s a guideline.”

In response to whether he believes the volunteer training takes political correctness “too far”, Mr Peters said “it is the way society is at the moment”.

“We take advice from various agencies,” he said.

“We want our volunteers to feel comfortable and that’s an absolute prime aim.

“Volunteers just give everyone a buzz and they just have this fantastic experience.

“People just remember what a great interaction (with a volunteer) it was, whether you say mate or whatever is irrelevant.”

THE HANDBOOK ... IS NOT COMPULSORY, IT’S A GUIDELINE. GOLDOC CEO MARK PETERS

The 88-page handbook includes discouraging the use of gender-specific job titles, such as policeman or policewoman, instead using police officer.

“Swapping gendered words for gender-neutral ones can make everyone feel included,” the book said. “We can avoid words like guys, girls, ladies and gentlemen, and instead use words like students, everyone, folks and all.”

The handbook also offers a lengthy list of instructions to avoid causing embarrassment to the physically impaired.

Games volunteers and staff have also been ordered not to tuck their shirts in, not to ask for autographs or selfies, and not to express their opinions on politics or social issues.