The Charter contains nine action items which align with the seven Potential Standards under the National Code. Some of these areas of alignment include:

• Providing support to all people who report sexual harm, which includes providing access to trauma-informed and culturally appropriate support services.
• Providing clear and accessible processes for anyone who chooses to make a report.
• Publicly reporting annually on the number of reported instances of sexual harm in our organisations.
• Working effectively in a research-informed manner to better understand and assist in addressing the prevalence of sexual harm in our wider society.

The Charter contains nine action items which align with the seven Potential Standards under the National Code. Some of these areas of alignment include:

• Providing support to all people who report sexual harm, which includes providing access to trauma-informed and culturally appropriate support services.
• Providing clear and accessible processes for anyone who chooses to make a report.
• Publicly reporting annually on the number of reported instances of sexual harm in our organisations.
• Working effectively in a research-informed manner to better understand and assist in addressing the prevalence of sexual harm in our wider society.

Many of the principles in the National Code are also aligned with UA’s Primary Prevention of Sexual Harm in the University Sector — Good Practice Guide. The Good Practice Guide promotes building individual and organisational capability to prevent gender-based violence and foster a positive university culture and a whole-of-organisation approach. We recommend this is referenced in the Code as a template for guidance.

UA welcomes evidence-based solutions to addressing gender-based violence. We agree that education and training should be designed in consultation with — and reflect the needs and experiences of — specific cohorts of students and staff. The university sector has a repository of academic experts and specialist staff working in the gender-based violence and sexual harm areas. These staff are familiar with their local communities and the nuances of local issues relevant to individual institutions. Given sectoral expertise, we welcome the opportunity to work closely with the Department on:

• potential partnership opportunities;
• involvement in working groups; and
• collaboration on best practice and evidence-based research.

In supporting the outcomes outlined in the Action Plan Addressing Gender-based Violence in Higher Education, we have some recommendations to ensure that the Code works as well as possible in the existing legal/regulatory regime and can be implemented by all universities and providers. We have made eight recommendations below we believe will deliver the strongest chance of success to support a whole of organisation approach to prevent and respond to gender-based violence and we look forward to working constructively with government and other stakeholders to drive institutional and societal change.

Key Recommendations

1. Issues of regulatory overlap and confusion are addressed immediately to reduce the potential for dysfunction.
2. In addition to drawing on the significant expertise of members of the Expert Working Group, the government consults experts in university governance, legal and integrity matters specifically within the education sector to ensure universities can report effectively against the Code.
3. To ensure timely resolution of complaints while adhering to a trauma-informed approach, consideration should be given to the feasibility of the one-month resolution period. This timeframe should be extended, with the provision that the university maintains consistent and appropriate communication with all involved parties throughout the investigation, to ensure an appropriate resolution is achieved.
4. There is a phased approach to Code implementation. This will allow all universities time to build the necessary capacity, relationships and trust necessary for the Code to be effective.
5. Frameworks and guidance are made available to support providers to meet the standards in a way that accounts for local and institutional diversity and responsiveness. Flexibility in the Code will also be needed for providers’ international campuses to ensure compliance with relevant national laws.
6. There is regular review and update of the Code to ensure processes and best practice evolve to meet changing student and social needs; and that natural evolution of definitions
   are captured.
7. That where institutional capacity and/or local service resources are limited universities can apply for support to assist capacity building to implement the Code.
8. There is provision in the Code for providers to establish contractual arrangements with third-party accommodation providers.