NUAA's Privacy Policy outlines what happens to personal information collected by NUAA, how it is used and how you can find out what information NUAA holds about you.

Protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your personal information is fundamental to how NUAA operates. We value the trust you confer on us. NUAA has based this policy on the National Privacy Principles as outlined in the Guidelines on Privacy in the Private Health Sector (November 2001).

This policy applies to the whole of NUAA, the Board of Governance, staff (including all levels of management), volunteers and contracted parties. This policy does not apply to information held by NUAA about staff or volunteers.

Definitions

Personal information includes such things as your full name, date of birth, gender and address and other contact details. NUAA may collect information of a more sensitive nature in order to provide you with, or refer you to particular services. Sensitive information is a subset of personal information and includes information about your health (e.g. serostatus, drug use or disability) and information about your racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, sexual preferences or practices, or criminal record. It may also include information from health services and other information collected while providing referral or other assistance on your behalf.

1. Collecting Information

1.1 NUAA will collect personal information only where the information is necessary for one or more of its functions or activities.

1.2 NUAA will collect personal information only by lawful and fair means and not in an unreasonably intrusive way.

1.3 NUAA will take reasonable steps to ensure that any individual about to disclose personal information is aware of: NUAA and its functions, and the fact that he or she is able to gain access to the information; and the purposes for which the information is collected and to whom it may be disclosed.

1.4 NUAA will collect personal information about you only from you unless directed or agreed to by you to collect information from a third party.

1.5 NUAA will obtain consent from you before information is collected.

2. Use and disclosing information

2.1 NUAA will inform you what your personal information will be used for, if we intend to disclose it to any other body, and who that body is.

2.2 NUAA will use or disclose personal information about you only for the agreed purpose of collection. Use of information for secondary or subsequent purposes requires NUAA to obtain separate consent.

2.3 NUAA will use or disclose personal information about you for the agreed purpose of collection unless there is a reasonable belief that the use or disclosure is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious and imminent threat to you or another individual's life, health or safety.

2.4 NUAA undertakes to keep confidential any personal information collected.

2.5 Once the purpose for which personal information is collected expires such information will be securely discarded.

2.6 NUAA will only use your information for the purpose of service promotion and campaign and organisational announcements and mailouts only if you have given us permission to do so.

3. Data quality

3.1 NUAA will take reasonable steps to make sure that the personal information it collects is accurate, complete and up-to-date.

4. Data security

4.1 NUAA will take reasonable steps to protect the personal information it holds from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

4.2 NUAA will destroy or permanently de-identify personal information when it is no longer needed for any purpose for which the information may be used or disclosed under Section 2.

5. Openness

5.1 Privacy information is available on NUAA’s website. This policy is displayed in NUAA’s offices and copies are available on request.

5.2 On your request, NUAA will let you know what sort of personal information it holds, for what purposes, and how it collects, holds, uses and discloses that information.

5.3 NUAA has a complaints procedure for anyone who believes their information is not being handled properly or in accordance with this policy. NUAA’s complaints procedure may be obtained through the contact details shown at the end of this policy. We will respond to your complaint within 15 days of receiving it.

6. Access and correction

6.1 Apart from relevant staff or volunteers who access information in the performance of their duties, personal information can be accessed and/or changed only by the person to whom it relates.

6.2 If NUAA holds personal information about you and you establish that the information is not accurate, complete, and up-to-date, NUAA will correct the information.

6.3 You can access, obtain copies of, correct and withdraw your sensitive personal information held by NUAA by completing and submitting a Privacy Inquiry Form.

6.4 You can access, obtain copies of, correct, or withdraw your non-sensitive personal information held by NUAA by phone, fax or email.

6.5 Upon your request, NUAA will forward copies of personal information within five (5) working days of the request being received.

7. Identifiers

7.1 NUAA does not use the identification or reference numbers assigned by other organisations or agencies.

7.2 NUAA will not release any information that may in any way identify you to other organisations or people without your written consent.

8. Anonymity

8.1 Individuals have the option of not identifying themselves when contacting NUAA.

9. Transborder Data Flows

9.1 NUAA will send your personal information to a third party outside Australia only with your prior consent.

More Information

For detailed information on privacy obligations including a copy of the Privacy Act contact The Privacy Commissioner's website www.privacy.gov.au