supportLink IT Privacy Policy

Background

Your privacy is important to supportLink IT Pty Ltd ("supportLink", "We" or "Us") and we are committed to ensuring that information we hold about you is held securely and that your confidentiality is protected.

This policy explains how we treat information that we hold about you. It details the type of information we collect, how we may use that information, to whom we allow access and how we protect it.

supportLink mainly receives personal information from Intermediary Agencies such as police, doctors, employers and government departments ("Intermediary Agencies"). Due to our contracts with various government agencies, supportLink must maintain any personal information it receives in accordance with the Commonwealth privacy legislations (both the National Privacy Principles and Information Privacy Principles) and any relevant State and Territory privacy legislations which may apply ("Privacy Legislations").

This policy has been developed so supportLink complies with the Privacy Legislations and should be read in conjunction with the Privacy Legislations. To the extent that there are any inconsistencies between this policy and the Privacy Legislations, the Privacy Legislations prevail.

supportLink reserves the right to change the terms of this policy.

Collection

The types of information we collect about you include your name, sex, contact details and other information relevant to assist supportLink in referring you to a support agency or service.

We obtain most of this information from Intermediary Agencies.

Wherever possible, we require the Intermediary Agencies to inform you of the following matters:

• Our identity and how to contact us;
• The fact that you can gain access to the information We hold about you; and
• The purpose for which the information is being collected.
• Where and how your personal information will be stored.

Where necessary, supportLink will contact you to confirm your consent to supportLink's collection of your personal information. If your personal information has been collected and forwarded to supportLink without your consent you may request that data to be removed.

Collection Statement

Your information is collected for the primary purpose of assisting you to access Support Services. Personal information will be forwarded to supportLink (ACT) and referred onto Support Agencies on your behalf.

You have a right to access personal information that supportLink holds about you on behalf of Police (and other referring agencies), subject to any exceptions in relevant legislation. Information is kept by supportLink for seven (7) years from the later of: (a) The date of the receipt of the personal information; or (b) The date your personal information is last used. supportLink will store your personal information on a highly secured server in NSW.

To assist people who have been referred more than once to supportLink, your information may be matched and forwarded to the specific support services.

If you wish to seek access to your personal information or inquire about the handling of your personal information, please contact supportLink on 1300 656 200 or at www.supportlink.com.au/contactUs.

Use and Disclosure

We will not use or disclose personal information for any other purpose unless:

• It is related to one of the Primary Purposes and where you would expect Us to so use or disclose it; or
• You have consented for Us to use or disclose the information.

We may disclose your information to:

• A Support Agency;
• Government agencies (as part of our regulatory or statutory obligations);
• Intermediary Agencies who provide Us with your information; and
• Any third parties, with your consent.

We will use reasonable steps to ensure the information We use about you is up-to-date and accurate.

Data Quality

We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we collect, use or disclose is accurate, complete and current. If you are aware of any error or inaccuracy in the personal information about you that we hold or use, please contact us on 1300 656 200 or by email;

Data Security

We will take all reasonable steps to protect your information from misuse, loss, unauthorized access, modification or disclosure.

Your information is stored only in secured premises and electronic databases. The databases are password protected and only staff, Intermediary Agencies and relevant Support Agencies who need access to your personal information are allowed access.

Information is kept by supportLink for seven (7) years from the later of:

1. The date of the receipt of the personal information; or
2. The date your personal information is last used.

At the end of the seven (7) years the personal information is de-identified or deleted.

Openness

We will maintain clearly expressed policies on our management of personal information and make them readily available. We will make our privacy statement and this policy available to anyone whose personal information we hold.

On request, we will let you know generally the sort of personal information we hold, for what purposes, and how we collect, hold, use and disclose that information.

Access and Correction

If you request us, we will provide you with access to your personal information as required by the Privacy Legislations.

If we deny access to you, We will provide our reasons.

We will correct personal information held if we discover, or you inform us, that it is incorrect.

Complaints handling process

Any complaints regarding supportLink services are will be directed immediately to the State Manager/Coordinator of the relevant jurisdiction.

Once received, the State Manager/Coordinator will contact you within 24 hours (Monday - Friday) and discuss issues related to the complaint and proposed plan of action.

The outcome and actions taken will be recorded.

Additionally, they will be documented in the monthly review report submitted to the CEO.

Any complaints in regards to breaches of Information Privacy Legislation are the responsibility of the referring agencies (police, ambulance etc.) privacy unit.

Freedom of Information Requests

All FOI requests should be directed to the FOI Officer at the agency (Police, Ambulance etc.) that made the referral on your behalf to supportLink.

If you are unhappy with the way they have handled your request, you can complain to the Australian Information Commissioner who may investigate our actions.

Further Information

If you have any further queries about our privacy policy, please contact us on 1300 656 200 or by email;