Member Protection Information Officers (MPIOs) are an integral part of all levels of Australian sport, especially grassroots sport. MPIOs are there to listen to issues and concerns raised by members of their sport, before appropriately referring them to seek an outcome or resolution. The MPIO is responsible for providing information about a person’s or group’s rights, responsibilities and available options to make a complaint or raise a concern.
Member Protection Information Officers (MPIOs) can be based within a club, association, a state sporting organisation, a national sporting organisation, or a national sporting organisation for people with disability.
MPIOs don’t handle complaints or investigate grievances, and they don’t mediate between members or stakeholders. They’re also separate from the relevant integrity manager or the person(s) in authority regarding complaints, disputes and resolutions in your sport. MPIOs are an impartial party who are there to help guide people in the right direction.
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Hear from current MPIOs
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Audio described version
Training for MPIOs
Click here to find out about the required training.
Resources and ongoing support
Being an MPIO can be a rewarding and sometimes challenging experience. Staying connected to key contacts in your club or sport and other MPIOs will help you learn and grown.
Play by the Rules, state and territory partners and sporting organisations all provide resources and support to MPIOs.
You can:
Use Play by the Rules MPIO resources
Head back to the MPIO landing page to view tips pages on key topics like managing conflicts of interest.
We also have downloadable resources to help MPIOs, clubs and sport organisations.
Join an MPIO Community of Practice
Join the Play by the Rules online community of practice sessions or a local network where it is provided.
Use Play by the Rules and Sport Integrity Australia eLearning courses to further your knowledge of safe sport
For further learning we recommend:
- Safeguarding Children and Young People Induction Course
- Creating an LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Club
- Handling Complaints in Community Sport (to understand the role of complaints handlers – a separate role to MPIO)