This statement outlines Pillars of Strength’s (PoS's) policy on how PoS uses and manages personal information provided to or collected by it. PoS is bound by the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Commonwealth Privacy Act and is compliant with the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012. PoS may, from time to time, review and update this Privacy Policy to take account of new laws and technology, changes to the PoS’s operations and practices and to make sure it remains appropriate to the changing legal environment.

The type of information PoS collects and holds includes (but is not limited to) personal information, including sensitive information, about:

• Name, Address, Phone, Email, Date of Birth
• Family member details

PoS will generally collect personal information held about an individual by way of phone calls, emails, forms, meetings etc. You do have the right to seek to deal with us anonymously or using a pseudonym, but in almost every circumstance it will not be practicable for us to deal with you or provide any services to you except for the most general responses to general enquiries, unless you identify yourself.

In some circumstances PoS may be provided with personal information about an individual from a third party, for example and association with another member.

Under the Privacy Act the Australian Privacy Principles do not apply to an employee record. As a result, this Privacy Policy does not apply to the PoS’s treatment of an employee record, where the treatment is directly related to a current or former employment relationship between the PoS and employee. However, PoS must provide access and ensure compliance with the Health Privacy Principles under the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (HRIP Act).

PoS will use personal information it collects from you for the primary purpose of collection, and for such other secondary purposes that are related to the primary purpose of collection and reasonably expected, or to which you have consented. In relation to direct marketing, PoS will use your personal information for direct marketing where you have provided that information, and you are likely to expect direct marketing: only then you will be sent direct marketing containing an opt out. If we use your personal information obtained from elsewhere we will still send you direct marketing information where you have consented and which will also contain an opt out. We will always obtain your consent to use sensitive information as the basis for any of our direct marketing. We may use video surveillance for security purposes and the footage will be used only by PoS and by the providers of our security services for security purposes. Surveillance videos are not used by PoS for other purposes and the footage is not publicly available. Surveillance cameras are not located in any bathrooms or change room facilities.

In relation to personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors, PoS’s primary purpose of collection is to assess and (if successful) to engage the applicant, staff member or contractor, as the case may be. The purposes for which PoS uses personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors include:

• for insurance purposes;
• to satisfy PoS’s legal obligations,
• Where PoS receives unsolicited job applications these will usually be dealt with in accordance with the unsolicited personal information requirements of the Privacy Act.

PoS also obtains personal information about volunteers who assist PoS in its functions or conduct associated activities, such as to enable PoS and the volunteers to work together.

PoS treats marketing, sponsorship and grants for the future growth and development of PoS as important. Personal information held by PoS may be disclosed to an organisation that assists in PoS’s marketing strategy, for example, determining a demographic to target based on PoS’s client age base or residential area.

PoS may disclose personal information, including sensitive information, held about an individual to:

• government departments;
• people providing services to PoS,
• anyone you authorise PoS to disclose information to.

PoS will not send personal information about an individual outside Australia without:

• obtaining the consent of the individual (in some cases this consent will be implied); or
• otherwise complying with the Australian Privacy Principles or other applicable privacy legislation.

In referring to ‘sensitive information’, PoS means:

information relating to a person’s racial ethnic origin, political opinions, religion, trade union or other professional or trade association membership, sexual preferences or criminal record, that is also personal information; and health information about an individual.

Sensitive information will be used and disclosed only for the purpose for which it was provided or a directly related secondary purpose, unless you agree otherwise, or the use or disclosure of the sensitive information is allowed by law.

PoS’s staff are required to respect the confidentiality of personal information and the privacy of individuals. PoS has in place steps to protect the personal information that PoS holds from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification, interference or disclosure by use of various methods including locked storage of paper records and password protected access rights to computerised records. When you use our website, having your cookies enabled will allow us to maintain the continuity of your browsing session and remember your details when you return. We may also use web beacons, Flash local stored objects and JavaScript. If you adjust your browser settings to block, reject or delete these functions, the webpage may not function in an optimal manner. We may also collect information about your IP address, although this may not identify you.

PoS endeavours to ensure that the personal information it holds is accurate, complete and up to date. A person may seek to update their personal information held by PoS by contacting the Privacy Officer of PoS at any time. The Australian Privacy Principles and the Health Privacy Principles require PoS not to store personal information longer than necessary. In particular, the Health Privacy Principles impose certain obligations about the length of time health records must be stored.

Under the Commonwealth Privacy Act and the Health Records Act, an individual has the right to obtain access to any personal information which PoS holds about them and to advise PoS of any perceived inaccuracy. There are some exceptions to this right set out in the applicable legislation. To make a request to access any information PoS holds about you, please contact the Privacy Officer in writing.

PoS may require you to verify your identity and specify what information you require. Although no fee will be charged for accessing your personal information or making a correction, PoS may charge a fee to retrieve and copy any material. If the information sought is extensive, PoS will advise the likely cost in advance.

Under our destruction and de-identification policies, your personal information that is no longer required will be de-identified or destroyed. In many circumstances, however it will be kept for marketing purposes, as you will have consented to that in writing with us.

If you would like further information about the way PoS manages the personal information it holds, please contact the Privacy Officer. If you have any concerns, complaints or you think there has been a breach of privacy, then also please contact the Privacy Officer who will first deal with you usually over the phone. If we then have not dealt satisfactorily with your concerns, we will meet with you to discuss further. If you are not satisfied with our response to your complaint within 30 days from this meeting, then you can refer your complaint to the Board of PoS.