INTRODUCTION
Our Privacy Policy outlines what kinds of personal and sensitive
information we collect, why we collect this information, and how we handle
it.
Personal information is information or an opinion about an identified
individual or an individual who is reasonably identifiable.
Sensitive information is a subset of personal information and includes
information or an opinion about your:
- racial or ethnic origin
- political opinions
- religious beliefs or affiliations
- philosophical beliefs
- sexual orientation
- criminal record
- health information
- genetic information.
What we collect
We may collect personal information about you when it’s reasonably
necessary for, or directly related to, our functions or activities.
We may collect sensitive information about you:
- where you consent
- when the collection is authorised or required by law
- the collection is otherwise allowed under the Privacy Act.
The kinds of personal information we may collect includes all of the
following Information about you, such as your:
- name
- address
- gender
- date of birth
- contact details.
Information about your circumstances, such as your:
- employment status and history
- education status
- financial situation
- cultural and linguistic background
- citizenship and visa status
- passport and travel movements
- health and welfare
- disabilities
- family circumstances.
Information about your family and other related persons, such as any:
- partners
- children
- dependents
- carers
- nominees or authorised representatives.
Information about your interactions with us, such as:
- applications and claims you’ve made
- payments or services we provide you
- feedback and complaints
- any other special service arrangements.
We may also collect information about how you use our online services and applications, such as:
- pages you visit
- online forms you fill in
- your interactions
- your chats with our virtual assistants
- your language preferences
- searches you make.
How we collect information
We collect your personal information through a variety of channels. This includes paper forms or notices, search warrants, online portals, mobile applications, correspondence, face to face or over the telephone.
When your personal information is collected from a third party, we take steps to inform you. This may occur through this Privacy Policy, application forms, notices or discussions with our staff.
Social networking services
We use social networking services such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, Instagram and Yammer to talk with the public and our staff. When you talk with us using these services we may collect your personal information to communicate with you and the public.
The social networking service will also handle your personal information for its own purposes. These services have their own privacy policies. You can access the privacy policies for these services on their websites.
Why we collect information
We collect personal information about you where it is reasonably necessary for, or directly related to, one or more of our functions or activities.
To deliver payments and services
We may collect your personal information when it is reasonably necessary for delivering payments or services. For example, we may collect your personal information to:
- confirm your identity
- communicate with you, including by SMS or email
- provide advice about available support
- ensure correct payments are made
- verify data provided in relation to claims and reviews with third parties
- investigate fraud, including internal fraud and the assessment of payment eligibility
- manage complaints and feedback
- participate in merits and judicial review matters
- manage and respond to requests for information
- administer and provide online services
- act as an accredited participant and perform administrative and oversight functions in the Digital Identity system.
For employment and recruitment
We collect personal information to establish and maintain records for the employment and recruitment of staff. You can read about the information we collect for employment purposes.
For market research
We may share your personal information to conduct statistical analysis and market research to improve service delivery.
Your personal information may be shared for the purposes of developing and administering these platforms if either:
- you have given your consent
- the sharing of your information is authorised or required by law.
Only when required with third parties
We may disclose your information to Australian Government agencies, state and territory agencies and third parties. The disclosure of your personal information will depend on the payments or services to which the information relates.
To provide you with a more personalised experience
We may use information about your online experience to help us improve our services.
We may need to share your personal information if we’re authorised or required by law to do so.
How we store personal information
We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information against misuse, interference and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. These steps include:
- storing paper records securely
- only accessing personal information on a need-to-know basis and by authorised personnel
- monitoring system access which can only be accessed by authenticated credentials
- ensuring our buildings are secure
- regularly updating and auditing our storage and data security systems.
When no longer required, we destroy or archive personal information in a secure manner.
Secrecy
In addition, our staff are bound by secrecy provisions that regulate information. These secrecy provisions restrict the access, use and communication of protected information, including within the agency.
How we share information outside Australia
We may disclose your personal information overseas, such as to a foreign government or agency, where:
- the disclosure is required or authorised by law, or
- international information sharing arrangements are in place.
This may be more likely if you, your partner or dependants have lived overseas, or are travelling overseas.
Under international information sharing arrangements we can either:
- collect and disclose information about you where it is requested by an overseas authority
- request information about you from an overseas authority.
While these arrangements differ, overseas authorities may have agreed to only use information for the purposes of the arrangements, and in accordance with relevant privacy obligations.
Read about the countries which have international information sharing arrangements in place:
How to access and correct information about you
You have the right to both ask:
- for access to personal information that we hold about you
- that we correct personal information we hold about you.
If you ask, we must give you access to your personal information, and take reasonable steps to correct it if we consider it is incorrect, unless there is a law that allows or requires us not to.
We will notify you in writing, and explain our reasons if we refuse to give you access to, or correct, your personal information.
You can access and correct most of your details by contact us.
Updating information about you
It’s important to tell us if your circumstances change to ensure you are only accessing payments and services you are eligible for. You can do this yourself using our self service options.
What we do with your Tax File Number (TFN)
We adhere to the Privacy (Tax File Number) Rule 2015 for the collection, storage, use, disclosure, security and disposal of TFN information.
Specific purposes why we may request your TFN
We may request your TFN to:
- administer various payments, and
- comply with legislation referred to in section 8WA(1AA) of the Taxation Administration Act 1953.
You do not have to give us your TFN.
If you give us your TFN, we will only use it where you consent, or where the use is authorised or required by law.
Prohibitions and penalties for unauthorised collection and use of TFN information
Under the Privacy (Tax File Number) Rule 2015 and the Taxation Administration Act 1953 it is an offence if we either:
- require, request or collect TFN information for unauthorised purposes
- record, use or disclose TFN information unless permitted under taxation, personal assistance or superannuation law.
A breach of the Privacy (Tax File Number) Rule 2015 is considered an interference with privacy under the Privacy Act. Where a breach of privacy is very serious, the Australian Information Commissioner may seek a civil penalty under the Privacy Act.
A breach of the Taxation Administration Act 1953 may result in maximum penalty of a $21,000 fine (100 penalty units), 2 years imprisonment or both.
There may also be other penalties under taxation, superannuation or personal assistance laws.
If you think your TFN information has been mishandled, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) to make a complaint.
Further details about the TFN rules
Read the Privacy (Tax File Number) Rule 2015 and the Taxation Administration Act 1953 on the federal register of legislation website.
The OAIC has made the following information available to you to protect your TFN information:
- Protecting your tax file number information
- Privacy business resource 12: The Privacy (Tax File Number) Rule 2015 and the protection of tax file number information.
How to make a complaint about privacy
If you wish to complain about how we’ve handled your personal information, first try to resolve the issue with the person you’ve been dealing with. If you’re not satisfied, you can ask to speak to their supervisor.
Read how to make a complaint or give feedback.
How we deal with your complaint
We will always respond to your feedback.
We will use the information from your feedback to investigate and resolve individual issues. We will also use the information to provide feedback to staff or our business areas. Your information will be stored and used to assist us to improve the delivery of our services.
If we do not resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, you can contact OAIC. The OAIC is independent to us.