FREEMASONS VICTORIA INTEGRITY UNIT COMMUNICATION – No. 2
Brethren,
Last month I wrote to you about the establishment of the Freemasons Victoria Integrity Unit and its purpose.
I would like to stress again that the principal objective of the Integrity Unit is to oversee the ethical framework within Freemasons Victoria, and support an environment which reinforces the principles of proper and ethical behaviour towards each other, as so apply exemplified in our ritual.
Should you have an issue you would like to raise or a suggestion you would like to make, the Integrity Unit may be contacted through the Grand Secretary, by email or letter. All submissions will be treated with strictest confidentiality, however, if a Brother chooses to submit an anonymous issue, that can’t be verified, it may limit the ability of the unit to deliver suitable advice or a resolution.
A full set of process guidelines have been published on the Integrity Unit page of the FV website.
In the interests of transparency, I thought it would be appropriate to give you some information about the Integrity Unit team, and some of the matters we have been considering.
MEMBERS OF THE FREEMASONS VICTORIA INTEGRITY UNIT
Peter Henshall (Chairman)
Murray Luxford
Peter Murdoch
Giorgio Migliaccio
About the Team
The Integrity Unit Team has a unique mix of Masonic, professional and personal qualities. Each member brings a wealth of specific professional expertise to the Integrity Unit, in the areas of:
- The Law;
- Law enforcement;
- Investigations and forensic practice;
- Business and general management;
- Human Resource management and training;
- Mediation and dispute resolution;
- Professional development;
- Policy development and implementation; and
- Coaching, team development and communication.
All members of the team have professional qualifications and a record of success in their chosen fields of endeavour and with a combined Masonic experience of 130 years, have a thorough understanding of the workings of Freemasons Victoria, its strengths and its shortcomings.
And all are united in their passion for Freemasonry, and a commitment to the maintenance of an appropriate ethical framework.
All team members continue to be active in their own Lodges and Districts.
The team sees itself as primarily having a governance and educational role in ethical and integrity matters, which augments and does not replace any of the existing policies or constitutional rules of Freemasons Victoria. The team will however be actively seeking the assistance and support of a range of expert internal and external resources, principally in the areas of mediation and continuous improvement.
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
Expressions of interest are now being sort from interested Brethren, regardless of Masonic experience, to form a member panel, and be trained, in mediation and behavioural mentoring.
A copy of the expression of interest form, along with additional information on the nature and role of the mediation team, can be located on the Integrity Unit page of the FV website.
OTHER MATTERS UNDER CONSIDERATION
The Integrity Unit has been considering a number of matters relevant to the maintenance of an appropriate ethical and behavioural framework for Freemasons Victoria. These matters include, but are not limited to:
- Social media use and policy;
- Amendments to the Book of Constitutions to support improved dispute resolution processes;
- Review of existing Freemasons Victoria policies relevant to member behaviour; and
- Establishment of learning tools about behaviour.
In the near future, we hope to have discussions with Mentors about the role they can play in fostering appropriate ethical and behavioural standards.
The Integrity Unit team hope that all members will take an active interest in its operations and fully support and contribute to its effectiveness and success.
Peter Henshall
Chairman – FV Integrity Unit
