The Member Protection Information Officer is the person at your club to talk to when something has gone wrong and the coach or team manager is not the right channel. A coach yelling cruel things at kids. Racial abuse from a parent on the sideline. Suspected child safety issues. A club official acting outside the code of conduct. Harassment of any kind. The MPIO is the entry point for all of it.
Every Football NSW club, association and referee branch is required to have at least one registered MPIO. The same expectation applies in Northern NSW Football, Football Victoria, Football Queensland, and the other state bodys. The role sits inside Football Australia's Member Protection Framework, the national set of policies on safeguarding, codes of conduct, and member protection.
What the MPIO does
The MPIO is your first point of contact for member protection or child protection concerns. Their job is to listen, hand you information about your rights and options, and direct you to the right next step. They are impartial.
Crucially, they do not mediate disputes, investigate complaints, or make decisions. A different person at the club, usually the secretary or president, acts as the Complaints Handler and decides whether to escalate or what action to take. The MPIO is the entry point, not the decision-maker.
How to contact yours
Football NSW requires MPIO contact details to be published on the club, association or referee branch website, and included in player and parent communications and newsletters. If yours is not obvious:
- Check the club website footer or About Us page.
- Search a recent newsletter or registration email.
- Email the club secretary and ask for the MPIO's contact details.
If your club does not have an MPIO listed, contact your state body directly. Football NSW, Northern NSW Football, Football Victoria and the other state bodies maintain their own MPIO contact points.
The three levels
The MPIO you contact depends on the level the issue sits at.
- Club-level matters, including your team, your coach, your club: go to the club MPIO.
- Association- or state-level matters, including cross-club incidents and state-level competition issues: go to the state body MPIO.
- National-level matters, including NPL, state rep, and Football Australia-administered competitions: contact Football Australia directly at MPOEmail@footballaustralia.com.au.
The rule from Football Australia's published framework is to start at the lowest level and only escalate if the lower level is the issue, or if the lower level fails to follow process.
When the MPIO is not the right person
For on-field disciplinary matters such as red cards and refereeing decisions, the pathway is the Competition Administrator under the disciplinary regulations, not the MPIO. For team selection disputes, the MPIO can give you information but the formal complaints process does not cover selection. For private commercial disputes with the club, such as contracts or fees, legal advice is the route, not the MPIO.
For genuine member protection issues, especially anything involving child safety, the MPIO is the entry point and the call to make.
What to do tomorrow
Find your club MPIO's name and email. Save it somewhere you can find it again. You probably will not need it. If you do, you will be glad you knew it before the moment of needing it.