Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) is excited to announce a new five-year shared services partnership with Basketball Australia (BA) that will significantly enhance integrity, safeguarding and compliance capability across our basketball system.
The agreement enables BBNZ to access BA’s highly experienced Integrity Unit, bringing additional specialist expertise, established processes, and advanced reporting mechanisms to support the wellbeing and protection of everyone involved in basketball; players, coaches, officials, volunteers, parents and whānau.
BBNZ Chief Executive Belinda Edwards said the partnership represents a major step forward in strengthening the organisation’s ability to meet growing integrity expectations and provide safe, fair, trusted basketball environments nationwide.
“This partnership allows Basketball New Zealand to lift our integrity capacity in a meaningful and immediate way,” Edwards said. “It ensures our community has access to world-class safeguarding and integrity support and reinforces our commitment to protecting our basketball whānau at every level of the game, from grassroots to tamariki, rangatahi to elite athletes.”
“In an environment where integrity, safeguarding and compliance expectations are rapidly evolving, our associations, associate members, schools and franchises are navigating an increasingly complex landscape. Upholding the mana and safety of our basketball whānau is a shared responsibility, one grounded in our values of mana, tika and hono. This partnership gives our community access to specialist expertise and proven systems that strengthen our collective capability to protect and uplift our people. By ensuring our members have the guidance, tools and support they need, we are better able to create safe and fair environments where every participant can thrive.”
Basketball Australia CEO Matt Scriven said the partnership reflects the maturity of integrity systems within basketball and the importance of collective leadership.
“Integrity, safeguarding, and trust sit at the heart of our sport. This partnership recognises that we are stronger when we work together, share expertise, and invest in robust systems that protect everyone involved in basketball,” Scriven said.
“We are proud to support Basketball New Zealand by extending the capability of BA Integrity and contributing to a safer, more resilient basketball environment across our region.”
The shared services arrangement includes ongoing integrity education, secure reporting and whistleblowing mechanisms, case management and trend analysis, as well as regular reporting to BBNZ leadership. It also enables close collaboration with relevant integrity bodies and stakeholders in New Zealand.
To further support safe, fair and trusted environments across the motu, concerns can now be reported through Basketball Australia’s independent and confident reporting service, Stopline.
Stopline
Website: basketball.stoplinereport.com or scan the QR code below
Free NZ phone number: 0800 42 50 08
Anonymous reporting is available.
