We comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
The Privacy Act regulates how:
- we collect, use, disclose and store personal information including sensitive information
- you can access and correct records containing your personal information.
We also hold personal information in accordance with the Archives Act 1983 (Cth).
Our department’s Privacy policy details how we collect, manage and store your information. It also explains how you can access or correct your information, or report a breach of the Privacy Act.
Our Privacy policy is summarised below.
Your personal information
We may collect your personal information when you:
- visit our website and web-based channels
- contact us through online forms or email
- talk to our representatives via phone or in person
- complete an application, survey or consultation
- subscribe to a newsletter
- use social media to communicate with us or view our information.
You can choose not to provide us with your personal information. However, should you choose not to identify yourself we may not be able to adequately provide you the services you are seeking.
We use and disclose personal information for the primary purpose for which it is collected. We will only use it for secondary purposes in accordance with the Privacy Act.
We ensure personal information stored by us is kept accurate, up to date, complete and relevant. We destroy or de-identify personal information when it is no longer required. We take all reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
Our website
We collect personal information through our website in a number of ways.
Data analytics and service improvement
We use Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager, a web analytics service provided by Google Inc. (Google), to help improve the efficiency and usability of this website.
Google Analytics uses first-party cookies and JavaScript code to gather statistics. It tracks how users interact with this website, including the location of the IP address and what was done on the site, and links this information to a unique identifier that is associated with the browser, application or device being used.
By using this website, you consent to the processing of user data generated through your activities by Google in the manner described in Google's Privacy policy and for the purposes set out above. You can opt out of Google Analytics if you disable or refuse the cookie, disable JavaScript, or use the opt-out service provided by Google.
We also use Hotjar, a behaviour analytics software, to help understand and improve how you use our website. Hotjar may collect and process personal information that you provide when completing our website feedback surveys. By using this website, you consent to the processing of survey data about you by Hotjar in the manner described in Hotjar’s Privacy policy and for the purposes described above.
Our website uses session-based cookies to gather website usage data, for the purpose of improving our website. If you do not wish to have cookies placed on your device, you can change your web browser settings to reject cookies.
Contacting us
When you email us or contact us using our online contact forms we collect your personal information for the purpose of dealing with your enquiry or complaint. If you choose not to provide us with your personal information we may not be able to respond to your enquiry or complaint.
Our consultation platform
We use cloud-based technology by Converlens Pty Ltd to provide our consultation hub service and website. Converlens collects personal information in compliance with the Privacy Act and stores data securely in Australia.
Before you submit your information and comments in response to a consultation, we will ask you to review and accept a privacy collection statement.
Find out more about how Converlens manages consultation data in Converlens’ Privacy policy.
Our subscription services
We use Swift Digital, an online marketing platform, to create, send and manage emails. Swift Digital may collect your personal information, including your email address and other information for the distribution of email campaigns and other important information. Before you subscribe to a Swift Digital email list or newsletter and submit your personal information, we will ask you to review and accept a privacy collection statement.
All information the Swift Digital service collects is the property of our department and is never shared or used by third parties.
Swift Digital manages your data in compliance with Australia's SPAM Act 2003 and Australian privacy provisions. Swift Digital maintains data within Australia. It never leaves Australian jurisdiction. Where stipulated data is encrypted in transit using SSL connections. All data Swift Digital stores is encrypted at rest.
If you want to know more about how Swift Digital manages data, you can find contact details on the Swift Digital website.
We also use MailChimp to create, send, and manage emails. MailChimp may collect your personal information, including your email address and other information for the distribution of email campaigns and other important information. Before you subscribe to a MailChimp email list or newsletter and submit your personal information, we will ask you to review and accept a privacy collection statement.
By subscribing to a MailChimp email list, you will have consented to your personal information being used as described. This means:
- You consent to your personal information being collected, used, disclosed and stored as set out in MailChimp’s Privacy policy and agree to abide by MailChimp’s Terms of Use.
- You understand and acknowledge that MailChimp is not subject to the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). You will not be able to seek redress under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) but will need to seek redress under the privacy laws of the USA.
You can opt out of our newsletters and emails if you choose the ‘unsubscribe’ option provided in every email, or contact us.
Links to other websites
This website links to other websites. We are not responsible for the content or the privacy practices of other websites. We encourage you to examine each website's privacy policy.