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Coliban Water has a zero tolerance for violence, which includes family violence and men’s violence against women.

We recognise that customers and employees may sometimes face situations of family violence and it is our responsibility to provide appropriate support irrespective of where the family violence occurs.

Our organisation has Family Violence policies, processes and procedures to support our customers and employees.

We seek to empower customers to request assistance regarding family violence related concerns at any time.

We will treat our customers and employees with respect and dignity, and promote an environment where they feel safe and confident to seek support.

Find out other ways we can support you at Coliban Assist.

Our customers who experience family violence have the right to;

  • Receive confidential and respectful conversations;
  • Be provided with a dedicated point of contact and be provided with a direct line;
  • Feel safe and have the flexibility and time consider their options
  • Have your privacy protected and your account secured;
  • Be automatically placed into our Coliban Assist Program;
  • Suspension of payment, reduced payment instalments and / or partial or full debt waivers, on a case-by-case basis. 
  • Continuity of service and be exempt from debt collection processes, restriction and related costs.
  • Receive information about financial support and assistance available and be provided with links to specialised support networks;

Contact our Customer Care Team on 03 5434 1308 for a confidential discussion. 
 

View our Family Violence Statement (PDF 132KB)

Safe and Equal 03 8346 5200
Safe Steps (24/7 immediate support) 1800 015 188
1800 Respect (24/7 counselling and support service for intimate partner and family violence) 1800 737 732
MensLine Australia 1300 789 978
WithRespect (LGBTIQ Domestic Violence Information) 1800 LGBTIQ (1800 542 847)
Loddon Campaspe Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA-CV) 03 5441 0430
Djirra Aboriginal Family Violence Response and Support Service

1800 105 303

03 4435 0500

The Orange Door

57 View Street, Bendigo

486 High Street, Echuca

75 Clarendon Street, Maryborough

1800 512 359

Centre for Non Violence 

96-98 Pall Mall, Bendigo

03 5430 3000

1800 884 292

 

Our Family Violence Policy

This policy sets out our commitment to effectively support customers who may be experiencing family violence, either directly or indirectly.

We recognise Family and domestic violence is any violent, threatening, coercive or controlling behaviour that occurs in current or past family, domestic or intimate relationships.

Whilst this policy statement uses the language of family violence, it is inclusive of men’s violence against women.

Family violence is a serious issue that poses substantial risk to the health and wellbeing of our community. We recognise that our customers may experience issues of family violence and as an essential service provider, actively supports customers that may be experiencing family violence.

We seek to empower customers to request assistance regarding family violence related concerns at any time.
 

Our customers who experience family violence have the right to;

  • Receive confidential and respectful conversations;
  • Be provided with a dedicated point of contact and be provided with a direct line;
  • Feel safe and have the flexibility and time consider their options
  • Have your privacy protected and your account secured;
  • Be automatically placed into our Coliban Assist Program;
  • Suspension of payment, reduced payment instalments and / or partial or full debt waivers, on a case-by-case basis. 
  • Continuity of service and be exempt from debt collection processes, restriction and related costs.
  • Receive information about financial support and assistance available and be provided with links to specialised support networks;
     

We are committed to providing leadership in preventing all forms of family violence to create a safe, inclusive and respectful community. We are committed to the following outcomes in support of this Policy:

Staff training 

Our customer facing teams and our Customer Team Managers are trained to look for identifiers and indicators of family violence, responding to the complex issues associated with family violence so that they can work and engage with customers in a respectful and appropriate manner. We commit to an ongoing training regime to ensure that we can identify and adapt to the unique needs of each individual customer and ensure customer safety protections are utilised. 

Family violence disclosure

  • Customers who are identified or self-identify family violence will be protected and shielded from repeating their lived experienced. We will provide for a dedicated single point of entry through our trained specialists in our Customer Care Team. We will assign a dedicated case manager and provided you with a direct contact number where requested.

  • We recognise that you, as a customer, may seek assistance form an external service or agency. Organisations supporting a victim will not be asked to repeat their lived experience and can access our dedicated single point of entry. 

Action for non-payment

We recognise that family violence is a potential cause of payment difficulties. Customers who self-disclose or are identified as experiencing family violence will be referred to the Customer Care Team where their accounts will be individually case managed. Victims of family violence will be included in the Coliban Assist Program to shield them from restriction and/or legal action. Accounts will be secured and not visible or accessible to staff outside of the Customer Care Team as an additional layer or security and protection. Measures such as password can also be utilised for additional security measures.

Joint accounts 

  • Each customer’s individual circumstance will be considered, and a solution will be tailored to the individual’s needs.
  • Where a joint account holder is a perpetrator, the account will be secured at the request of either account holder to ensure a victim’s personal information is protected. 

Individual Account Management

We will assess each individual’s circumstances and will provide a solution under our Coliban Assist Program. This may include;

  • Tailored payment arrangements that can include payment matching programs.
  • Access to Utility Relief Grants and concession entitlements where eligibility exists.
  • Suspension of debt, reduced payment instalments and / or partial or full debt waivers, assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Information Management

  • All personal information concerning family violence will be kept confidential in line with Coliban Water’s Privacy Policy, which includes the Information Privacy Principles (IPPs), Information Access Restrictions Policy and the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014. However, the IPPs permit the use and disclosure of personal information in certain circumstances. This includes when the organisation reasonably believes that the use or disclosure is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious and imminent threat to an individual’s life, health, safety or welfare, a serious threat to public health, public safety or public welfare or taking appropriate action in relation to suspected unlawful activity or serious improper conduct.
  • We have internal process to identify potential customers experiencing family violence and ensure that their personal details are managed with the highest degree of privacy and sensitivity. All personal information will be securely handled remain confidential.

Support and assistance

  • We may refer customers to other external support networks for further assistance. Coliban Water will continue to develop strong relationships with external support networks to fully assist our customers and employees. Coliban Water will publish on our website, and keep up to date, the assistance, and referrals available to customers affected by family violence and how customers can access this assistance.
  • We recognise there may be customers that are perpetrators of family violence (either actual or alleged). Safety is paramount in this circumstance and Coliban Water staff who witness perpetration of family violence may call Victoria Police. Perpetrators will be referred to the relevant support services for assistance.
  • We will provide a copy of this Policy to customers upon request.

This policy and any associated procedures and policy will be reviewed annually. This policy will continue in operation until replaced by a subsequent version or rescinded.
 

We accept the definition of family violence as defined in the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) as:

Behaviour by a person towards a family member of that person if that behaviour:

  • is physically or sexually abusive; or
  • is emotionally or psychologically abusive; or
  • is economically abusive; or
  • is threatening; or
  • is coercive; or
  • in any other way controls or dominates the family member and causes that family member to feel fear for the safety or wellbeing of that family member or another person.

Or behaviour by a person that causes a child to hear or witness, or otherwise be exposed to the effects of, behaviour referred to above.
 

If you have are not satisfied with how we have handled your situation our Customer Charter provides for your rights under our complaint process. These include;

  • That if you request a written reply we will respond to your enquiry or complaint within 10 business days; and
  • That a reply to your enquiry or complaint will deal with the substance of the enquiry or complaint, or we will tell you when you will receive such a reply if the enquiry or complaint is complex; and
  • The reasons for a decision to be given in response to you, including details of the legislative or policy basis for the reasons if appropriate;

OR if a complaint escalation process that gives you:

  • The opportunity to raise the complaint up to the level of a senior manager within our management structure if you are not satisfied with our response to a complaint; and
  • Information about referral to Energy and Water Ombudsman of Victoria (EWOV) and any other relevant external dispute resolution forum in the event that you have raised the complaint to a higher level and are not satisfied with our response; and
  • That we are restricted in our ability to recover an amount of money which is in dispute until the dispute has been resolved; and
  • That the person lodging a compliant is informed of the matters above.
Last updated on 30 Jan 2024
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