What we expect of everyone at [un]prompted.au, what we consider unacceptable, how to report it, and what we will do about it.
In case of a life-threatening emergency, call 000 immediately. 000 is the emergency number in Australia. 112 also works from any mobile, including one with no SIM or no credit. 106 is the text-based emergency relay for people who are deaf or who have a speech impairment.
The [un]prompted.au conference team aims to run a conference for EVERYONE. We expect all event attendees, speakers, sponsors, partners, vendors, venue staff, committee and board members to agree to and follow these guidelines. Should you have questions, concerns or doubts about whether an action would be in violation of the Code of Conduct, please contact us at [email protected].
This Code of Conduct is published at unprompted.au/code-of-conduct. Printed copies will be made available at all official [un]prompted.au events and activities, and links will be supplied on all official [un]prompted.au community forums and chat rooms.
Security events present opportunities to learn, share knowledge and network. As a security event organiser, we believe these events should represent a safe, enjoyable and inclusive environment for all people, irrespective of gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexuality, religion, disability, socioeconomic background, experience, size, shape and so on. No one should undergo harassment, bullying or abuse. Such behaviour is deemed unacceptable and will be addressed. We will, when possible, address the behaviour directly. We will apply consistent, specific sanctions as required, regardless of the circumstances, to ensure they do not recur. This Code of Conduct explains what we mean by unacceptable behaviour and outlines the steps someone subjected to such behaviour at an event can take to report it.
Unfortunately, unwanted behaviour still occurs, and while harassment metrics are yet to be introduced and measured, anecdotal reports are widespread and have been reported in the media and on social media platforms for years. This has reportedly resulted in increased dissatisfaction and non-attendance by women, nonbinary people, people of colour and other minorities who feel disenfranchised and threatened. The purpose of this Code of Conduct is to get participants fully aligned on what constitutes unacceptable behaviour, how the aggrieved can report it, and what will be done about it by [un]prompted.au organisers and staff.
People’s interpretation of acceptable or unacceptable behaviour is subjective and influenced by personal experience, religion and cultural background. That is why we believe it is important to define what we mean by both.
As an event organiser, we expect everyone to be professional and respectful to others at all times. Everyone should be aware of the impact their behaviour can have on others. We ask that you:
Unacceptable behaviour is offensive in nature — it disturbs, upsets or threatens. It lowers self-esteem or causes overwhelming torment. It can take the following forms:
The following substance-related conduct is prohibited:
ILUMINA and its operators reserve the right to further restrict the use or possession of drugs (legal, prescribed or otherwise), alcohol, tobacco, vaping products or other substances on their property, per the terms of the venue hire agreement.
Ensure you have permission from anyone you photograph or record. This includes those in the background of your shot. “Crowd shots” taken from the front, facing the crowd, are not allowed. If you have accidentally taken a picture without permission, delete it. If a participant asks you to delete or blur a picture they did not give you permission to take, please do so immediately.
The [un]prompted.au media staff will be taking photos of the event and are the only people permitted to take “crowd shots” and general room photos. Our media staff will work towards taking crowd shots with the least number of identifying faces possible, and any close-ups with approval. [un]prompted.au reserves the right to use photography taken by media staff in advertising, marketing and promotional materials. If you do not want to be in a photo, please notify our media staff or tell us at any point at [email protected].
Upon a first infraction, you will receive one warning from [un]prompted.au staff. Upon a second infraction, you will be asked to stop recording and to leave the event. We will not take or hold your property. If you decline to stop, we will ask venue security to escort you from the premises and, where appropriate, involve NSW Police.
If you are disrespected, or witness this happening to someone else, engage politely with the person involved, if you feel able to, and let them know that you find their behaviour unacceptable and offensive. Sometimes the best way to change unacceptable behaviour is by bringing it to the person’s attention and giving them an opportunity to acknowledge it and apologise.
When reporting, please provide as much detail as possible, preferably:
You can remain anonymous if you wish, and providing any of the above information is optional.
Anyone can report harassment. If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please report the situation to us as indicated above.
We do not have a time limit for reporting unacceptable behaviour, although we encourage you to do it as quickly as possible, as it can be difficult to obtain accurate witness statements the longer time passes. If you report unacceptable behaviour more than three months after an incident, you should explain why, as it may affect our ability to respond accordingly. We will consider your explanation and then endeavour to deal with your report.
Our process does not replace the formal avenues available to you as an individual. If you need help outside the event, these Australian services are available:
We are committed to ensuring you experience a positive, enjoyable and inclusive event. We strive for excellence when responding to reports of unacceptable behaviour. For the duration of our event we will have a number of reporting mechanisms available, including suitably informed event staff and event feedback forms. When you report unacceptable behaviour to us, we will respond promptly and with care, consideration and respect. Our process does not replace nor remove the formal mechanisms available to you as an individual to report inappropriate or offensive behaviour, such as making a report to NSW Police. Our process is as follows:
With thanks to Carl Hertz and Blue Team Con, whose thoughtful Code of Conduct was the original template, and to our sibling event [un]prompted, whose Code of Conduct this document is adapted from for our Australian venue.