The Speak Up Hotline is a new initiative by Wests Tigers to compliment and support the existing integrity program by providing players, coaches and staff across Wests Tigers’ teams with a safe, simple and secure reporting mechanism to raise any integrity, welfare and other related concern.

The Speak Up Hotline is available to all players, coaches and staff within Wests Tigers. The Speak Up Hotline is not open to the general public.

At Wests Tigers we believe that building and maintaining a positive culture of speaking up is critical to protecting the integrity of our club and our sport. For this reason, we have established the Wests Tigers Speak Up Integrity Hotline to complement the existing avenues currently available to players, coaches and staff to speak up on a wide range of issues.

No. The Speak Up Hotline is completely voluntary and is an additional reporting mechanism for players, coaches and staff to use. The Speak Up Hotline does not replace, but adds to, the existing traditional channels to raise concerns, such as the player leadership, coaching, management staff or HR.

You are always encouraged in the first instance to Speak Up through one of the existing channels. However, if you feel more comfortable using the Hotline, the following are examples of issues that you can report through the Hotline:

• corrupt approaches;
• match fixing;
• betting;
• drugs in sport (anti-doping);
• illicit drugs;
• medical treatments/procedures;
• supplement use;
• code of conduct matters;
• high risk associations;
• bullying, harassment or discrimination;
• inappropriate social media use;
• welfare concerns; and
• other misconduct.

The hotline is independently managed by our integrity partners, Core Integrity. The team from Core Integrity are trained in dealing with complex and sensitive disclosure issues.

It is recognised that, at times, people may not feel comfortable raising an issue in person or with those who they work and/or play alongside. The Speak Up Hotline enables players, coaches and staff to speak to a trained expert to raise a concern early whilst having their confidentiality or identity (should they choose) protected.

You can report an issue a number of ways. Cutting edge technology is used to allow smartphone device reporting via a QR Code or URL. Traditional (phone, email etc.) communication methods are also available. See all reporting channels above.

The trained team at Core Integrity will review the report and work with you to capture as much information as possible in a confidential manner. A detailed summary report is then provided to Wests Tigers only, notifying them of the reported issue. No summary report is submitted by Core Integrity to the NRL Integrity Unit, unless Core Integrity are instructed to do so by Wests Tigers.

Depending on the information provided and the nature of the report, Wests Tigers will then consider whether, and to what extent, an investigation is required. Wests Tigers will follow existing processes to appropriately investigate and resolve the matter. This includes the usual engagement with the Wests Tigers’ leadership, coaching, management staff and the player/s as appropriate. 

Wests Tigers will also use the information from reports to understand what are common issues within Wests Tigers and use this information to support ongoing education and welfare initiatives for the benefit of our players, coaches and staff across the club.

You will be afforded the protection of confidentiality and anonymity (if you choose) for bringing a matter forward. If there are circumstances where anonymity is not possible, this would be explained to you fully at the time, allowing you to decide how you wish to proceed.

When you report a matter through the Speak Up Hotline, you can leave your details to be contacted throughout the process or you can choose to remain completely anonymous. Even if you wish to remain anonymous, the Core Integrity team are able in certain instances to communicate with you through the secure, two-way communication platform and provide you updates as appropriate.

It is external and independent. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking up via the traditional channels, then you can use the Speak Up Hotline. All reports are treated in the strictest confidence and can be kept anonymous if you want (see below for further detail).

No. the NRL will not be able to access or see a report you make through the Speak Up Hotline. As mentioned previously, Core Integrity only delivers its summary report to Wests Tigers and not to the NRL, the NRL Integrity Commission nor the Police. 

In some instances, Wests Tigers may have a positive reporting obligation to the police in respect of matters that are considered a serious indictable offense.

Yes. The Speak Up Hotline uses the latest in secure, anonymous two-way communications so you don’t have to provide your name and other details if you don’t feel comfortable doing so.