1. Insurance and liability

a. The Hirer must have a current Public Liability Insurance policy with a minimum value of $20 million. A certificate of currency must be supplied prior to the event.

b. If the Hirer is without Public Liability Insurance to the value of not less than $20 million, they will not be permitted to run the event but will remain liable for all agreed charges.

c. The Hirer indemnifies the University against any claims, losses, actions, damages, costs and expenses, personal injury, death or damage to property arising from the use of the venue and any equipment used during the hiring caused directly or indirectly by any act or omission of the Hirer, or their officers, agents or employees or any other person directly or indirectly associated with the Hirer’s use of venue or by the Hirer’s failure to comply with these Conditions of Hire.

2. Bookings and payment of account

a. On receipt of the booking request, the Venues Office will determine the time required to process the request. If the event is scheduled before this process can be completed, the request will be declined.

b. If the Venues Office determines that the complexity of a request requires more management than usual, they will inform the Hirer that, for the booking request to be processed, there will be an additional administration charge. The Hirer’s request will only be processed with written acceptance of the administration charge.

c. A booking is not confirmed until the Hirer receives written confirmation.

d. The University may decline a booking request if the event is publicly announced before confirmation.

e. The University reserves the right to refuse any application without explanation.

f. The Hirer will pay costs related to the labour, materials and consultancy of cleaning, repair and restoration of the Venue, its fittings, equipment, furniture, carpets or other property, necessary because of the Hirer's breach of the Conditions of Hire.

g. The Hirer is liable for all insurance costs specified in Section 1.

h. The Hirer will pay the interest on late payments (7 days past the invoice date) at the rate of 8% per annum, compounded.

3. Cancellation

a. All cancellations by the Hirer must be submitted in writing.

b. If the Hirer cancels a booking, fewer than two weeks prior to the first day of the booking, the agreed charges must be paid in full.

c. Cancellations made by the Hirer more than two weeks prior to the first day of the booking, but fewer than 2 months prior to the first day of the booking, must pay 50% of the agreed charges.

d. Cancellations made by the Hirer more than two months prior to the first day of the booking will incur a charge of 10% or $100 of the agreed fee (whichever is higher).

e. The University may, without liability for loss or damage to the Hirer, close down a venue before or during an event if, in the opinion of University staff, the event is objectionable, dangerous, unlawful, infringes the intellectual property rights of third parties, is different to the event described in the booking request, is potentially detrimental to the reputation of the University or contravenes the University’s Statutes or By Laws.

f. The University may cancel the booking, before or after it commences, and any future bookings of the Hirer, if the Hirer, or their booking:

i. breaches any Conditions of Hire

ii. jeopardises safety, or UWA’s ability to foster the wellbeing of staff and students

iii. does not align with UWA’s values or falls below scholarly standards to such an extent as to be detrimental to UWA’s reputation or status as a respected institution of higher learning.

g. The University is not liable for any interference or cancellation of an event in a venue which is caused by civil disruption, industrial action, terrorism, act of god, or any circumstances beyond the direct control of the University and will not be obliged to settle any dispute or control any disruption which has been caused.

h. If, after booking confirmation, event changes arise that might reasonably cause the University to reassess approval of the booking (including changes to participants and the goal of the event), the Hirer is obligated to notify the University immediately in writing of these changes.

i. The University reserves the right to require the Hirer to provide, at any time, a satisfactory event management plan for their event. Failure to provide a plan, or providing a plan which the University deems insufficient, may lead to a booking request being declined or a booking being cancelled under the terms of clause 3e.

4. Facilities services

a. Hire of University venues includes the use of permanently installed audio visual equipment.

b. The hire of additional audio visual kit or other equipment may be requested through the Venues Office. Two weeks’ notice is required.

c. University wi-fi is not available.

5. Signage and advertisements

a. Advertisements made by the Hirer are not to represent expressly, or by implication, that the University is associated with the event other than as the venue provider.

b. The Hirer agrees that, if required by the University, all materials, advertisements and handouts for which a venue is hired will contain a disclaimer. An example disclaimer would be “This event is managed by {name of Hirer} and any views expressed at the event do not necessarily reflect the views of The University of Western Australia.”

c. The University’s logo, name or photographs of its campus must not be used in any advertisement or promotional material for any event for which a venue is hired without the University’s written permission.

d. Directional signs and stand-alone signs may be erected on the University campus but must be removed immediately after the event and limited to within 100 metres of the event.

e. No posters or brochures may be attached to any University infrastructure in any way, including walls, lamp posts, pillars and pavements.

6. Furniture, equipment and cleaning of venue

a. Access to exit doors must not be blocked, such as by furniture, equipment or the Hirer’s belongings.

b. Furniture and equipment may only be moved within a room provided it can be moved safely and is returned to the same position as before the event. The Hirer will bear any charges incurred if a venue needs to be reconfigured after the event.

c. Furniture and equipment may not be moved outside the venue. The hirer will bear any repair or replacement costs if furniture or equipment is damaged during an event.

d. Venues are cleaned by University cleaners only once a day Monday-Friday (early morning). Hirers are responsible for leaving the venue clean and tidy after their event. The Hirer will incur additional cleaning costs if a venue is not left tidy at the end of an event. Additional cleaning is available for a charge through the Venues Office.

7. Security and damage to property

a. The Hirer must comply with:

i. University Lands By-Laws, Statutes and University regulations.

ii. Directions of UWA Officers regarding conduct, use of equipment, facilities, parking, access and security.

b. Where a large number of people are to attend an event and alcohol is to be consumed, additional security staff must be arranged by the Hirer. The quantity of security staff is by agreement with the University.

c. Hirers must maintain good order in the vicinity of a hired venue and ensure property in and around the venue is not damaged.

d. Where these conditions have been breached, the Hirer will pay the cost of materials, cleaning, repairs and restoration of the venue and its fittings, equipment, furniture, carpets and any other property which has been removed or damaged.

8. Consumption of food, beverages and liquor

a. Liquor may only be served, sold or consumed on University grounds on approval by UWA. Approval must be requested at least 21 days prior to the event. 

b. Written authority from the University to consume liquor must be carried by the Hirer on the day of the event together with the University booking confirmation.

c. The Hirer must ensure that all food waste is removed at the conclusion of their event. Food waste must not be left in interior waste bins.

9. Contractors, health and safety

a. The Hirer must be onsite at the Venue during the event and for bump in and bump out.

b. The Hirer will not permit third parties for the event to work on University property without the prior approval of the University.

c. The Hirer must comply with all work and health safety legislation and must ensure all personnel engaged or contracted by them are aware of these legal responsibilities.

d. The Hirer will ensure all third parties comply with UWA policies and procedures, including induction in the RAPID system.

e. The University is a smoke-free campus and does not permit smoking or vaping anywhere on campus. The Hirer will ensure there is no smoking or vaping at their event.

10. Other conditions

a. The Hirer must give advance notice of Regal or Vice-Regal visitors, Heads of State or persons representing them so that security arrangements and protocol may be observed.

b. OneMusic grants licences to users for “public performance” and “communication” to the public of musical works (live and recorded). Even if the Hirer’s event is free to the public they will still require a OneMusic licence to play copyrighted music. For further information, please refer to OneMusic.

c. All venues have a maximum capacity clearly displayed. The Hirer will not allow more people to enter the venue than the displayed capacity.

d. Any authorised representative of the University shall at any time be permitted free access and shall be given every authority for the enforcing of these conditions.

e. The University will not take delivery of any goods on behalf of the Hirer. The Hirer must not arrange deliveries to their booked venue outside of the times booked.

Freedom of expression

The UWA Code for the Protection of Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom articulates how the University balances freedom of speech with its duty to foster the wellbeing of staff and students. The Code is available here.