This discussion forum is moderated either exclusively or in collaboration with Bang the Table Pty Ltd or its appointed agents. Bang the Table is a company that specialises in hosting online community engagement for its clients. It is paid by these clients to host discussions with their communities and stakeholders and we moderate these discussions.

The only payment we receive is for use of our site and software and for hosting conversations and occasionally for providing staff training and consultancy support about how to best engage communities online. Bang the Table and its staff have no financial interest in the results of any of the consultations we host.

No matter what the branding on the site if you see that Bang the Table is providing moderation services you can be assured that moderation is carried out by the following rules agreed in advance with our clients.

Moderators work to ensure that our sites remain a safe and relevant environment to discuss the issues. Comments will be removed if they contain:

1. Defamatory material against any business or individual.

2. Threats.

3. Name calling, and unsupported derogatory remarks about individuals or organisations.

4. Comments that are posted multiple times will be removed leaving just one on the site.

5. Abusive or bad language.

6. Heated arguments that become personal or off topic.

7. Issues that are not relevant to the consultation will be removed - for example, on a site hosted for a council to talk about child care we would not allow people to discuss council roads.

8. Links to other websites that are not relevant to the discussion.

9. Identifying other site participants by their real name or by inference unless they have given express permission to be so identified.

10. Identifying members of the public or un-elected representatives of public organisations by their name or by inference without their express permission.

Bang the Table moderators are independent and operate only according to the rules above. Our contract with our clients explicitly states that the site will be moderated according to the site terms of use. Contributions that meet site rules will not be removed.

When a comment is removed from the site a message remains in its place stating that the comment has been removed and why. An email is also sent to the person posting the comment explaining what has happened.

Removed comments are stored so they can be restored to the site if it is later deemed an error has been made by a moderator.

Bang the Table will not identify users or provide their email details to our clients. Our privacy statement states this clearly as does our contract with clients.