Privacy Policy

The Corporation of the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane (“Anglican Church Southern Queensland” or “ACSQ”) is committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles established under that Act.  More information on privacy is available on the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s website at www.oaic.gov.au.

This Privacy Policy expresses how ACSQ collects, uses, discloses and stores personal information.

As part of the Anglican Ministry, ACSQ provides a range of services including pastoral care and guidance, Anglican Financial Services, education and child care as well as those services provided through Anglicare Southern Queensland including, but not exclusively, residential aged care, community care and other community support programs.

What is personal information?

Personal information is information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable:

(a) whether the information or opinion is true or not; and

(b) whether the information or opinion is recorded in a material form or not.

Personal information also includes:

Sensitive information which is information about a person’s:

• • racial or ethnic origin

  • political opinions

  • religious beliefs or affiliations

  • philosophical beliefs

  • membership of a political, professional, or trade association or trade union

  • sexual preferences or practices

  • criminal record

  • health information

  • genetic information.

Health information which is personal information about:

• • a person’s physical or mental health or of a disability of that person

  • a person’s expressed wishes about the future provision of health services

  • a health service provided or to be provided to a person

  • other personal information collected to provide a person with a health service.

The policy of ACSQ is to collect, use or disclose personal information in accordance with its obligations under the Privacy Act and this Privacy Policy.

Why we collect personal information

Personal information is used for the proper administration of ACSQ including:

• • membership of Commissions, Synod and parish councils

  • roll of Parishioners and identification of Electors at Parishes

  • assessing ordination applicants, licensing clergy and lay people for ministry

  • administering professional standards

  • administering bequests and gifts

  • the renting or licensing of ACSQ owned properties

  • incorporation in ACSQ’s Year Book

  • the distribution of news and newsletter communications.

Without the relevant personal information a person may not be able to actively participate in the ministry of ACSQ.

ACSQ also collects personal information so that:

• • students may be enrolled in its schools and children in its care facilities and for the proper administration of its schools and child care facilities

  • residents may be accommodated in residential aged care facilities

  • community care and social services programs can be provided

  • clients can participate in research trials

  • it can comply with legislative requirements and its contractual obligations with governments and their agencies.

  • for the issue of investment products by Anglican Financial Services.

Without relevant personal information about a person, ACSQ may not be able to provide these services.

What sort of information do we collect?

ACSQ collects a range of personal information about individuals including names, contact details, next of kin, employment history, credit card details, education/background, socio-demographic details, health information, tax file numbers and and other government identifiers (such as Medicare, Centrelink and Department of Veteran affairs numbers) and other information about suitability for duties.

Direct Marketing

ACSQ does not use or disclose personal information for the purpose of direct marketing without consent, or reasonable expectation of the person concerned.  Where ACSQ seeks such consent ACSQ will provide the person with the opportunity to ‘opt out’ of receiving direct marketing communications.

If in the course of direct marketing an individual requests the source by which ACSQ received their personal information, it will provide this.

How information is collected

Where possible, ACSQ collects personal information directly from each individual (or their legal substitute decision maker or immediate family).  Personal information is collected through various means including interviews, appointments, forms and questionnaires.

In some situations personal information is obtained from a third party.  In such cases ACSQ will take reasonable steps to ensure that the individual concerned has been made aware of our identity and how to contact us, the fact that they are able to gain access to their information, the purpose for which the information has been collected and the consequences if the information is not provided.  An example of collection in this way may be from a health care professional, such as their doctor.

Use and Disclosure

ACSQ will only use personal information for the purpose(s) indicated at the time of collection.

ACSQ may also disclose a person’s personal information to other external organisations including:

• • government departments and agencies that provide funding

  • contractors who provide some of the services we offer. In this instance ACSQ ensures that the contractors are subject to obligations of privacy and confidentiality

  • Emergency services and statutory bodies such as Queensland Police Service and the Queensland Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Service to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those we serve.

Anonymity

Where lawful and practicable in a person’s dealings with ACSQ, ACSQ will provide opportunity for anonymity or the use of a pseudonym.  Some people making donations, for instance, may wish anonymity and there may be other relevant reasons.

Keeping personal information up-to-date

ACSQ takes all reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information it collects, uses or discloses is accurate, complete and up-to-date.  Please contact the relevant part of ACSQ or the General Manager (See ‘Privacy Complaints section) to seek to correct inaccurate, incomplete or out-of-date personal information which ACSQ may hold about you.

Access to personal information

A person can access personal information that ACSQ holds about them, subject to any applicable exceptions under the Privacy Act which include:

• • providing access would be unlawful

  • it poses a serious threat to their life or health

  • it would have an unreasonable impact upon the privacy of another person

  • the request is frivolous or vexatious

  • it relates to existing or anticipated legal proceedings between ACSQ and the person (and the information would not otherwise be discoverable in those proceedings)

  • giving access would likely prejudice the taking of appropriate action in relation to suspected unlawful activity or serious misconduct

  • giving access would be likely to prejudice an enforcement related activity conducted by an enforcement body.

Please contact the relevant part of ACSQ or the contact details listed below if you wish to access your personal information.

Security of personal information

ACSQ takes all reasonable steps to protect collected and stored personal information from loss, misuse and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

Our protection of personal information includes

• • Limiting physical or electronic access to record storage

  • A consent process to limit the disclosure of personal information

  • Entering into confidentiality agreements with employees, contractors and third party

Organisations that may have access to personal information

• • Having in place business continuity and recovery plans

  • Maintaining technology security products

  • Destroying or de-identifying personal information when it is no longer required by law or our record retention policies.

Information may be held electronically or in hard copy either by ACSQ or by a third party data storage provider.

Overseas Disclosure

ACSQ does not disclose personal information about an individual overseas except in circumstance where we may use “cloud” based computing or external Data hosting services.  ACSQ will not disclose personal information unless the overseas recipient is subject to arrangements substantially similar to the way in which the Australian Privacy Principles protect personal information and there are mechanisms accessible by the individual concerned to enforce protection of the law. Alternatively ACSQ will take reasonable steps to gain consent from the individuals concerned.

Privacy Complaints

Any person who believes that ACSQ has not protected their personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy or the Privacy Act, can lodge a complaint with the Office of the General Manager of ACSQ by writing to:

The General Manager

Anglican Church Southern Queensland

GPO Box 421

Brisbane Qld 4000

Email: GMOffice@anglicanchurchsq.org.au

ACSQ will respond in writing within 30 days of receiving such a complaint.

If resolution has not been obtained to the satisfaction of the person making the complaint they have the option of referring the matter to the Australian Information Commissioner as follows:

• • Telephoning: 1300 363 992

  • Emailing: enquiries@oaic.gov.au

  • Writing to :

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

GPO Box 5218

Sydney  NSW  2001