Member takes on surf club
Whistleblower ‘targeted’
A WHISTLEBLOWER who reported the illegal filming of female lifesavers while they were in the shower room has been denied a renewal of his membership at his surf club.
The 60-year-old lifesaving member, who has been in the volunteer movement for 50 years and held senior roles, says he is devastated and has lodged a grievance.
In a complaint to Surf Life Saving Australia’s senior counsel, he wrote: “Every year as a matter of course I apply for membership and every year it has been accepted. I have no disciplinary record nor have I had any warning from the club.”
The man’s membership was rejected less than a week after he had provided more information on alleged dressing room breaches.
The complaint about behaviour at a Sunshine Coast club is part of a wider brief of shocking misbehaviour which includes a sex tape scandal involving a teenage boy and girl at a Gold Coast club.
In February, the Bulletin reported separate allegations of a Gold Coast lifesaver being drunk on duty, sexual harassment and staff receiving kickbacks from suppliers.
The Bulletin asked new Surf Life Saving Queensland general manager Dave Whimpey his reaction to the whistleblower’s claims of being targeted for his action.
Mr Whimpey was also asked what investigation had unfolded from the Coast sex tape, what were the consequences for members involved and what efforts were made to pursue the wider allegations about drunk lifesavers, kickbacks and sexual harassment involving staffers.
SLSQ’s short statement said that “clubs make their own decisions regarding their memberships according to their constitutions”.
“SLSQ has an investigations process when matters are raised with us. We carry out these investigations in a thorough manner based on all available evidence.
“SLSQ remains grateful to our volunteers for their service and their commitment to safety on our beaches. We are proud of their commitment and we embrace a culture that reflects that professionalism and dedication.”
Senior Coast lifesavers want a cultural review following the loss of the organisation’s CEO, chief operating officer, chief financial officer and HR manager in the space of months.
The whistleblower first made a complaint to his club in October last year. A month later he was told there was no case to be found. But documents show that the branch found the female member, a surf star, had breached social media policy, and that the allegations were “substantiated”.
In the latest complaint in June made to the state compliance officer, the whistleblower wrote: “The club has proved it’s not capable of investigating itself competently or impartially ... Making this even more concerning is the fact that the member in question has again posted images and videos inside the female change rooms.”