Strata Community Australia (NSW) recognises the importance of your privacy and understands your concerns about the security of your personal information. We are committed to protecting any personal information about you that we hold. This privacy policy details how we generally manage your personal information and safeguard your privacy.
The National Privacy Principles
From 21 December 2002, most private sector organisations in Australia, must by law comply with the National Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (“NPPs”). We are bound by the NPPs.
What is “personal information”?
Personal information is any information about you that identifies you or information by which your identity can be reasonably discovered. Examples are your name, address, marital status, taxation information, income, e-mail address, credit card information etc.
Collecting personal information about you
We only collect personal information that is necessary for us to perform our functions.
The kinds of personal information we collect and hold will depend upon the services you request from us. However, it may include:
- Information you give us when you join as a member or request another service from us (such as when you respond to an invitation to attend a seminar). This information will include your name, address and contact details
- Information about individuals we collect in the course of acting for members
Communications between us and you
We may in the future also collect some information from you when you use our website nsw.stratacommunity.org.au. Your use of the facilities and services available through our website will determine the amount and type of information, which we collect about you. Some of this information will not be personal information because it will not reveal your identity.
The only personal information which we collect about you when you use our website is what you tell us about yourself, for example, by completing an online form when you accept an invitation to attend a seminar, or information you provide to us when you send us an email. We will record your email address if you send us an email.
Our use of cookies
When you visit our website, our server attaches a small data file called a “cookie” to your computer’s memory.
Cookies are pieces of information that may be transferred to your computer’s memory when you visit a website for record keeping purposes. Most web browsers are set to accept cookies. However, if you do not wish to receive any cookies you may set your web browser to refuse cookies. We use cookies to provide us with aggregate (anonymous) information on how people use our website and to help us to know what they find interesting and useful on our website. We do not link this information back to your identity or other information that you have provided to us. We do not store any information that identifies you inside cookies.
Collection of anonymous information
As most websites do, we track usage patterns on our website on an anonymous aggregate basis. Your identity cannot reasonably be ascertained from this information. Each time you visit our website a web server makes a record of your visit. Specifically, it records your:
- Internet Provider
- Date and time of your visit
- Pages accessed and the documents downloaded
- Search items entered
- Referring URLs (universal locators)
Using and disclosing your personal information
The purposes for which we collect and hold personal information and how we use it.
We respect your privacy. Any personal information which we collect about you will be used and disclosed by us so that we can provide you with the services that you have requested, or otherwise to enable us to carry out our functions as the professional body for the Strata Industry in New South Wales.
We may also use your personal information to provide you with information about other services offered by us (such as seminars). If you would prefer not to receive this information, please let us know and we will respect your request.
Contracting out services and disclosures
We may disclose your personal information to our service entities and contract out some of our functions (such as mailing) to external service providers. We may disclose your personal information to these external service providers but only so that they can provide the services that we have contracted out to them.
Access to your personal information
In most cases, you can gain access to personal information that we hold about you. We will handle requests for access to your personal information in accordance with the NPPs.
We encourage all requests for access to your personal information to be directed to the Privacy Officer by email to enquiries.nsw@strata.community or by writing to the address below.
We will deal with all requests for access to personal information as quickly as possible. Requests for a large amount of information, or information, which is not currently in use, may require further time before a response can be given. In some cases, consistent with the NPPs, we may refuse to give you access to personal information we hold about you.
This includes circumstances where giving you access:
- Would be unlawful (for example, where a record which contains personal information about you is subject to a claim for legal professional privilege by one of our legal advisers)
- Would have an unreasonable impact on other people’s privacy
- Would prejudice negotiations we are having with you
- Would prejudice an investigation of unlawful activity
- Would prejudice activities carried out by, or for, a law enforcement agency
- If we refuse to give you access we will provide you with reasons for our refusal
Ensuring your personal information is up-to-date
Generally, if you request us to do so we will amend any personal information about you held by us which is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date. If we disagree with your view about the accuracy, completeness or currency of a record of your personal information held by us, and you ask us to associate with that record a statement that you have a contrary view, we will take reasonable steps to do so.
If you would like more information about the way we manage personal information that we hold about you, or are concerned that we may have breached your privacy and wish to make a complaint, please contact us:
- Email: enquiries.nsw@strata.community
- Fax: (02) 9904 8409
- Mail: please attention “Privacy Officer”, Strata Community Australia (NSW), PO Box 347 North Sydney NSW 2060 Australia
Ensuring your personal information is secure
It is our practice to securely destroy your personal information or delete it from our systems when we no longer require it or you ask us to destroy it. A record holding your personal information must be kept for at least 7 years after it is made. Generally we would destroy your personal information after that time.
Commonwealth identifiers
A Commonwealth identifier is a Commonwealth Government or Commonwealth Government agency identification number such as your Tax File Number (TFN) or Medicare number. We do not use Commonwealth identifiers as a way of identifying the personal information that we may have collected about you.
Anonymity
Where we can, we may offer you the opportunity to deal with us anonymously. Otherwise, the nature of our job is such that anonymity cannot be maintained.
Sensitive information
If personal information concerns particular matters it is regarded as sensitive information. Sensitive information can be information about your racial or ethical origin, political opinions, membership of a political association, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs, membership of a professional or trade association, membership of a trade union, sexual preferences or practices, criminal record or health.
We only collect, use or disclose sensitive information about you as allowed by law, where we have received your consent to do so, or collection is necessary for us to do our job.
Changes to our privacy policy
From time to time it may be necessary for us to review and revise our privacy policy. We reserve the right to change our privacy policy at any time. We may notify you about changes to this privacy policy by posting an updated version on our website at nsw.stratacommunity.org.au.
This privacy policy was last updated 26 November 2002.
Concerns or requests
If you are not satisfied with our response to your request for access to your personal information or you believe we have not protected your personal information you can refer your complaint to the Federal Privacy Commissioner by telephoning 1300 363 992.