The supplier is committed to providing you with the highest levels of customer service. This includes protecting your privacy. From 21 December 2001, new sections will bind us of the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988, which set out a number of principles concerning the protection of your personal information. This statement, called “Protecting Your Privacy Online”, sets out important information about privacy protections which the supplier extends to your personal information. It relates to personal information that you provide to the supplier through its websites (e.g. when you subscribe to its services online).
HOW THE SUPPLIER COLLECTS YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
The supplier collects personal information in a number of ways including:
directly from you, such as when you enter your personal details on the supplier websites (e.g. during registration or application for products and services)
when you provide information by phone or in documents such as an application form for employment OR resumes.
from third parties such as our related companies, credit reporting agencies or your representatives;
from publicly available sources of information;
from the organisations identified below under “When we disclose your personal information”;
from the supplier own records of how you use your supplier’s services
Your personal information may be used to :
identify you and to assist you to subscribe to the supplier website services more easily
provide the services you require
administer and manage those services, including charging, billing and collecting debts;
gain an understanding of your information and communication needs in order for the supplier to provide you with better, more personalised services that are tailored to your needs
inform you of ways the services provided to you could be improved
conduct appropriate checks for credit-worthiness and for fraud
research and develop our services
maintain and develop our business systems and infrastructure, including testing and upgrading of these systems
Your personal information is also collected to promote and market to you the services, which we consider, may be of interest to you. Before the suppliers does so, the supplier will provide you with an opportunity to give the supplier permission to send you marketing or promotional material (such as promotional email offers), via an opt-in mechanism.
That is, the supplier will send you such material only if you elect to receive it or if it is provided to you in response to your request. You may also notify the supplier at any time that you do not wish to receive marketing or promotional material by contacting the supplier through the details provided at the end of this document.
PERSONAL INFORMATION COLLECTED FROM THE SUPPLIER WEBSITES
The supplier provides a range of web-based services, either through a particular division within the supplier or through one of our related companies. Most of these services are provided on the supplier web site, which consists of three main web addresses (known as ‘domains’), as well as other affiliated domains.
The marketing information provided on the supplier websites will be determined by where you decide to visit on the site. Advertisements will also be presented to you, but the placement of these is not related specifically to any details the supplier holds about you.
The types of personal information the supplier collects from you will depend on how you use its web sites. Such information may include your name, date of birth, gender, current and previous addresses, telephone/mobile phone number, email address, bank account or credit card details, occupation, driver’s licence number and your username or password on the supplier web site. The supplier may also collect details of your supplier’s services (including their status) and your personal interests.
If you choose not to provide personal information, the supplier may not be able to provide you with the services you require, or the level of service on which the supplier prides itself.
OTHER RECORDED INFORMATION
The supplier websites record other information as well. This information is used to improve the structure and performance of those sites to provide users with an improved service. Whenever a page is requested from the supplier web server, the supplier records the time, date and URL of the request, along with information on the browser software that is being used.
The supplier uses “cookies”. Cookies are pieces of information that a web site can transfer to an individual’s computer hard drive for record keeping. Cookies can make using the supplier websites easier by storing information about your preferences on a particular website. This will enable you to take full advantage of the services the supplier offers. The use of cookies is an industry standard and you’ll find most major websites use them. Most Internet browsers are pre-set to accept cookies. If you prefer not to receive cookies, you can adjust your Internet browser to disable cookies or to warn you when cookies are being used.
The supplier gathers usage information from its websites and other websites. This is aggregated for reporting purposes. Personally identifiable characteristics are removed and users remain anonymous, unless you have given prior express consent for the supplier to recognise your usage. The supplier gathers this data to examine Internet trends and demographics and to assist in improving the structure and ease of use of the supplier websites.
WHEN THE SUPPLIER DISCLOSES YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
For the purposes set out above (under “How we use your personal information”) the supplier may disclose your personal information to organisations outside the supplier.
Where appropriate, these disclosures are subject to privacy and confidentiality protections. The organisations to which the supplier usually discloses information include:
outsourced service providers who manage the services we provide to you, including:
customer inquiries;
mailing systems;
billing and debt-recovery functions;
information technology services;
installation, maintenance and repair services;
marketing, telemarketing and door-knocking services;
market research;
your representatives (e.g. your authorised representatives or legal advisers
credit-reporting and fraud-checking agencies;
credit providers for credit related purposes such as credit worthiness, credit rating, credit provision and financing;
The supplier professional advisers, including our accountants, auditors and lawyers;
government and regulatory authorities and other organisations, as required or authorised by law;
Organisations involved in:
a transfer/sale of all or part of our assets or business (including accounts and trade receivables);and
managing the supplier corporate risk and funding functions (e.g. securitisation);
other telecommunication and information service providers; and
The supplier related companies.
YOU CAN ACCESS YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
You have a right to access your personal information, subject to some exceptions allowed by law. If you would like to do so, please let the supplier know by sending an email to the details provided at the end of this document.
You may be required to put your request in writing for security reasons. The supplier reserves the right to charge a fee for searching for and providing access to your information.
HELP THE SUPPLIER TO ENSURE IT HOLDS ACCURATE INFORMATION
The supplier takes all reasonable precautions to ensure that the personal information the supplier collects, uses and discloses is accurate, complete and up-to-date. However, the accuracy of the information the supplier holds depends to a large extent on the information you provide. That’s why the supplier recommends you:
let the supplier know if there are any errors in your personal information; and
keep the supplier up to date with changes to your personal information such as your name or address.
If you wish to access or modify personal information which you have provided via the supplier websites, but cannot access that information at the supplier websites, you can contact the supplier through the details provided at the end of this document.
SECURITY OF YOUR INFORMATION
The supplier takes reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information is stored securely. Transmissions sent to or from the supplier websites are routinely monitored for quality control and systems administration.
Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. While the supplier strives to protect your personal information from misuse, loss and unauthorised access, the supplier cannot guarantee the security of any information you transmit to the supplier or receive from our online products or services. These activities are conducted at your own risk. Once the supplier receives your transmission, the supplier makes its best effort to ensure its security.
Credit card information is among the most important data the supplier collects. The supplier operates secure servers to minimise the risk of unauthorised use of such information. Credit card information that is transmitted via the supplier secure servers is encrypted in accordance with the highest standards over the EFTPOS network. For obvious reasons, please do not send credit card information through unsecured email.
CHILDRENS’ PRIVACY
Childrens’ privacy is very important to the supplier. The supplier asks those children under the age of 18 have a parent or guardian verify their membership application with the supplier. While the supplier will make every reasonable effort to ensure those children’s privacy and other rights are not compromised, it is ultimately the responsibility of parents to monitor their children’s Internet usage.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT PRIVACY
Remember to close your browser when you have finished your user session. This is to ensure that others cannot access your personal information and correspondence if you share a computer with someone else or are using a computer in a public place like a library or Internet cafe. You as an individual are responsible for the security of and access to your own computer. Please be aware that whenever you voluntarily disclose personal information over the Internet (for example: in discussion forums, via email, or in chat sites) that this information can be collected and used by others. In short, if you post personal information in publicly accessible online forums, you may receive unsolicited messages from other parties in return. Ultimately, you are solely responsible for maintaining the secrecy of your username and passwords and any account information. Please be careful and responsible whenever you are using the Internet and the supplier websites.