Online safety and behaviour

As part of a professional community, all CA Program candidates are expected to accept a shared responsibility for maintaining a safe, respectful and harmonious online learning environment. These responsibilities are expanded in the Candidate Code of Conduct. 

Respect impacts a person’s well-being, engagement and productivity. Our promise to candidates is zero tolerance for unlawful and unacceptable behaviours including harassment, bullying, discrimination, including personal characteristics such as a person’s disability status, religion or ethnic origin, victimisation and vilification.

Staying safe online

CA Program candidates should ensure they know how to stay safe when studying online, and when accessing and participating in online study activities.

Some good online practices include:

• Being mindful of the wellbeing of self and others
• Consideration of digital reputation when participating online
• Being protective of personal information, including protecting yourself against doxxing. Candidates are strictly prohibited from doxxing.
• Creating strong and unique passwords and not sharing these
• Logging out of sessions, especially when on public networks

We encourage you to support your peers and call out any bad behaviour in online CA Program workshops or discussion forums. 

Find out more about the guiding principles to maintain a safe online learning environment.

Australia - Esafety online, a resource of the Australian Government’s eSafety Commissioner provides a range of relevant information on protecting yourself online covering a wide range of topics from banter vs bullying, receiving unsafe or unwanted content to how to be an upstander, and doxxing.

Doxxing has recently become a criminal offence in Australia, subject to sentences of up to 7 years in jail.

New Zealand -  Netsafe, New Zealand’s independent online safety organisation provides practical tools, support and advice for managing online abuse and harassment, such as the use of deep fakes, bullying, and doxxing.

If you have any concern about your safety online, or are experiencing online bullying, harassment, doxxing or other safety concerns during your CA Program studies, please contact our Member Support Team who will support and guide you through CA ANZ’s incident handling and reporting process and help direct you to external services that may assist you.

CA ANZ’s Whisply reporting tool also provides anonymous online reporting of incidents whether you have been directly impacted as a complainant, a bystander or support person.

Sexual harm prevention and response

We’re committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment free from harm for all our candidates and members. 

Respect impacts a person’s well-being, engagement and productivity. Our promise to candidates is zero tolerance for unlawful and unacceptable behaviours including sexual harassment or assault. 
If you have experienced sexual assault or sexual harassment as part of your CA Program studies and feel you would like to speak to someone for support or information, please reach out to the services listed below.

Reporting sexual harm

Emergency: If you, or someone you know needs help now, please call 000 (Australia) / 111 (New Zealand), visit your nearest hospital emergency department, or use one of the crisis helplines listed below.  

• In Australia: Call 1800 RESPECT
  Phone 1800 737 732 any time for confidential information, counselling and support in cases of sexual assault, domestic violence or abuse.
• In New Zealand: Call the National Sexual Harm Helpline, Safe to Talk
  Phone 0800 044 334 any time to access free and confidential information and support.

We ask that candidates who have experienced, or are experiencing, sexual harm as part of their CA Program studies report it to our Member Support Team so they may direct you to external services that may assist. They can also guide you through CA ANZ’s incident handling and reporting process.

CA ANZ’s Whispli reporting tool also provides anonymous online reporting of incidents whether you have been directly impacted as a complainant, a bystander or support person.

Beware of scams

Scams are increasing in frequency and severity, often targeting students, including those at CA ANZ. Students are being targeted with:

• sophisticated scams designed to steal money and personal information
• deceptive job offers advertising ‘side-hustle’ jobs, tricking students into doing criminals’ dirty work.

While many believe they're immune, the rising frequency and severity of these scams underscore the need for vigilance.

Incident and hazard handling and reporting

As a CA Program candidate, if you notice or identify a hazard or are involved in an accident or incident or a near miss that affects your health, safety or wellbeing while in transit to/from or participating online or onsite in a CA Program event please undertake the following:

1. Take immediate action to prevent yourself and/or others from being hurt e.g., getting help, notifying CA ANZ staff.
2. If an emergency, contact emergency services by calling 000 (Australia) / 111 (New Zealand) and then notify a CA ANZ staff member or our Member Support Team.

A CA ANZ staff member will then act to assess and provide support as appropriate and minimise future risk of an accident/incident. The CA ANZ staff member will complete CA ANZ’s online Incident Report form and if applicable the responsible CA ANZ staff member will then contact you.

CA ANZ complies with its legislative requirements, including the Work Health and Safety Act, regulations, codes of practice and industry standards in all the jurisdictions in which we operate.