Safety and Respect

Security Officers provide security and advice for students, staff and visitors across our campus network. If you are in immediate danger or feel unsafe on campus, contact Security or emergency services.

To contact security:

• Dial extension 1331 from a CQUniversity landline phone
• Dial mobile 0418 792 982

For any life threatening or time-critical emergency: 

• Dial 000 for Police, Fire or Ambulance

SafeZone allows staff and students to quickly request security or first aid help and receive emergency alerts in the event of an emergency. 

The SafeZone App can be downloaded and accessed for free from any mobile device store. Please download the app and sign-up using your CQU student or staff email address. Once you have signed in select your campus region to receive alerts or report an incident. If you are travelling between campuses, you can also reset your location.

CQUniversity is committed to providing a safe, respectful and inclusive environment for all members of our community. The Safer Communities Unit supports students who experience or witness harmful behaviour and leads the University’s prevention, education and response work.

If something has happened to you, or you are concerned about someone else, you are not alone and support is available.

Support, reporting and disclosures

Safer Communities Unit is available Monday to Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm (AEST). 

The team provides confidential, trauma-informed support to students who experience or witness harmful behaviour, including sexual violence, domestic and family violence, gender-based violence, harassment, racism, discrimination, and bullying. The behaviour might be occurring online, on campus, at placement, student accommodation, a study hub or in community and could be occurring recently or historically. 

• eForm: Online Harmful Behaviour Disclosure Tool
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: +61 7 4930 9456 (Press Option 4)

For out of hours student support, phone 1300 226 987 or text 0480 097 747.  

You can contact the Safer Communities Unit to:

• Talk through what has happened
• Access emotional support and safety planning
• Explore your options, including formal and informal pathways
• Make a disclosure or formal report
• Explore the complaints process
• Consult with a prevention or response coordinator about code of conduct concerns

Online Harmful Behaviour Disclosure Tool

If you or someone you know has experienced harassment, racism, discrimination, violence, threats of harm, or any form of sexual misconduct, you can make a report using our Harmful Behaviour Disclosure Tool to inform the Safer Communities Unit.

This tool is available to both students and staff. 

Next steps after reporting a harmful behaviour.

All disclosures are responded to within 72 hours (business hours).

Once a disclosure is received by the Safer Communities Unit, the team will review the information, consider any immediate safety risks, and, if you have provided contact details, reach out to you to offer support. Together with a response coordinator you can explore options, including whether you would like to pursue a formal report, access wellbeing support or other internal referrals, consider external referral options or take no further action.

A disclosure is not a formal complaint. If you are unsure how to manage something that you have witnessed or experienced, it is still important and relevant to log a disclosure. 

Anonymous Disclosures

You may choose to remain anonymous when using the disclosure tool. While this means we may not be able to contact you or offer direct support, your disclosure is still important. De-identified disclosures help inform targeted prevention strategies and track themes of behaviours that may be happening across cohorts, campus, locations, or placement sites.

Safer Communities approach

Following the implementation of the National Higher Education Code to Prevent & Respond to Gender Based Violence and the recommendations of Project RESPECT, CQU has expanded Safer Communities into a dedicated specialist Unit within the Student Success Division, reporting to the Vice-President (Student Success). This reform strengthens prevention and early intervention, reduces fragmentation, and embeds survivor-centred, trauma-informed responses across the University.

The Safer Communities Unit takes a whole-of-organisation approach to preventing and responding to harm. Our work is guided by:

• Trauma-informed and culturally responsive practice
• Survivor choice, dignity and autonomy
• Transparency, accountability and procedural fairness
• Prevention, education and early intervention

Safer Communities Unit

The Unit brings together critical safety-related functions under a single, coordinated structure.

Support and Response Team

Provides trauma-informed, culturally responsive support to students who disclose harm, including:

• Emotional support
• Safety planning
• Referrals to internal and external services
• Case coordination

For matters relating to support and response, including disclosures and referrals contact [email protected].

Support is always available whether or not a formal report is made.

Prevention, Education and Training Team

Leads proactive initiatives to prevent harm and build safer communities, including:

• Respectful relationships and consent education
• Bystander intervention training
• Anti-racism, anti-discrimination, bullying and harassment prevention
• Staff and student capability-building

For prevention programs, training, and education enquiries email [email protected]. 

Conduct and Investigations Team

Oversees formal student misconduct investigations, ensuring:

• Procedural fairness
• Risk-informed decision-making
• Clear separation between support and investigation functions

For matters relating to student misconduct investigations contact [email protected]. 

We take the health and welfare of our students very seriously, providing a wide range of support services and assistance to students on campus and online across our footprint:

• Counselling and Wellbeing that is delivered by a team of highly skilled counsellors, students can access free and confidential counselling services at CQUniversity – either on-campus or online.
• Out of Hours crisis support is available within Australia, weekdays from 4:30 pm to 9:00 am, weekends and public holidays. This service can be accessed by phone 1300 226 987 or text 0480 097 747.
• LGBTQIA+ support through the CQUniversity Ally Program. The program aims to create a safe and supportive atmosphere for all students with a zero tolerance approach to bullying and discrimination.  
• Study support including academic support, accessibility, careers support, and student advocacy helps students to improve their study experience and realise successful outcomes.
• CQUniversity’s Multi-Faith Chaplaincy is an inclusive service where students can access spiritual guidance and support from chaplaincy officers. Multi-faith spaces are also offered on campuses to provide students and staff with quiet, safe spaces for reflection, worship and spiritual practice. Please contact your local campus for more information on multi-faith spaces.
• Health Clinics in Rockhampton and Brisbane (Indooroopilly) provide affordable physiotherapy, podiatry and chiropractic services to students and the general public.

CQU is committed to providing culturally safe, inclusive and supportive environments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Alongside the range of support services available to all students, dedicated Indigenous student support is available throughout your study journey, including:

Indigenous Student Advising Specialists within the Student Service SPOT provide regular check-ins and personalised support, including advice on course information, fees, scholarships, cultural advocacy and accessing support services. Students can contact the team at [email protected] or 07 4930 9250.

The Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Program (ITAP) offers free tutorial support to eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at CQU, to help strengthen learning outcomes and academic success.

Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) support is available through dedicated Therapeutic Caseworkers who provide culturally responsive support that reflects the holistic wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. This includes support for personal, academic, cultural and spiritual wellbeing, as well as referrals to community services where needed. Contact the SEWB Team at [email protected].

CQU students can also participate in a range of cultural connection and wellbeing initiatives throughout the year, including:

• Virtual Yarning events and online community activities.
• Cultural Wellbeing Tours delivered in partnership with Traditional Owners and Elders.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid training.
• Culturally safe study, support and community spaces available across selected campuses.

If you’re a current student, you can learn more about services, events and opportunities offered by the SEWB Team on MyCQU.

CQUniversity takes online safety very seriously with policies, processes and systems in place to protect staff and students.  CQUniversity manages information in accordance with the Cybersecurity Management and Privacy Policies.

Creating a safe and respectful university is a shared responsibility. All members of the CQUniversity community must treat others with dignity and respect in all physical and online spaces. This includes participating in required training and safety programs, speaking up or seeking help when something does not feel right, referring peers or colleagues to support services and reporting harmful behaviours.

CQUniversity has in place strict Student and Staff Codes of Conduct and enforces these codes to ensure all members of the University community have an opportunity to engage in learning and work activities. The codes of conduct for staff and students can be accessed via the links below:

• Student Conduct Policy and Procedure
• Student Residences Conduct Policy and Procedure
• Code of Conduct for staff