Governing Council adopted the following Delegate Standard as policy.

CPSU delegates have an obligation to conduct themselves in a way that reflects union values and ensures that at all times in their capacity as a union delegate they:

• Strive to make our workplaces and communities fairer and safer.
• Pursue the interests of members with honesty, integrity and visibility.
• Recognise the intrinsic dignity of all persons regardless of:
  • race
  • colour
  • sex
  • sexual orientation
  • age
  • physical or mental disability
  • marital status
  • family or carer's responsibilities
  • pregnancy
  • religion
  • political opinion
  • national extraction, or
  • social origin

  and will act without bias.

• Treat all persons (including members, delegates, other colleagues, staff and officials as well as management) with respect and professionalism, and without harassment.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality of members details/information.
• Use union resources in a proper manner and for a proper purpose.
• At all times behave in a way that upholds the union values and the good reputation the CPSU.

Delegate Standard Procedure

a. Governing Council may establish a Delegate Standard to impose standards of conduct on elected representatives.

b. Governing Council may establish procedures for managing complaints and dealing with breaches of the Delegate Standard that are consistent with this rule.

c. Governing Council may establish a Standards Committee made up of at least 3 Governing Council members.

d. Elected representatives must comply with the Delegate Standard.

e. A member may make a complaint about an elected representative to the National Secretary if the member believes that the elected representative has not complied with the Delegate Standard.

f. The National Secretary may dismiss a complaint without investigation if:

i. The complaint, if proven, would not constitute a breach of the Delegate Standard, or

ii. The complaint is vexatious, frivolous, unreasonable or malicious.

g. Any decision to dismiss a complaint will be in writing setting out the reasons for the decision.

h. The National Secretary may initially attempt to resolve the complaint informally through discussion, mediation or other processes.

i. If the above processes are not appropriate or fail to resolve the complaint, an investigation may be done by the National Secretary. An independent investigator may be appointed where appropriate.

j. Following the investigation, a report will be provided to the Standards Committee which may include recommendations.

k. The Standards Committee will:

i. Review the investigation report and satisfy itself about whether the conduct constitutes a breach of the Delegate Standard, and

ii. If the conduct does constitute a breach, determine an appropriate sanction.

l. Sanctions for breach of the Delegate Standard may include:

i. A formal warning,

iii. Removal from office - only if any of the grounds set out in sub-Rules 5.15(a)(i)-(iii) are proven.

m. The person who is the subject of the complaint must be afforded procedural fairness throughout this process.

n. The National Secretary will, as far as practicable, give effect to the sanction determined by the Standards Committee.

o. The National Secretary may remove a deputy delegate or delegate from their elected position in accordance with this process.

p. The removal of a Section Councillor, Section Officer, Governing Councillor or National Officer may only proceed with a two-thirds majority support vote of Governing Council in accordance with rule 5.15.

q. The National Secretary may delegate their powers and responsibilities under this rule, other than the power in paragraph (n), to another National Officer or staff member of the PSU Group.

r. If a complaint relates to the National Secretary, references to the National Secretary in this rule should be read as references to the National President.