Privacy Policy

This document sets out the principles that the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions ABN 98 099 972 997 (the Organisation or we, us, our) adopts in relation to the protection and handling of personal information.

The Organisation is committed to protecting your personal information and does so in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APP), which are set out in Schedule 1 of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), and any other applicable state or territory legislation.

NOTE: This Policy does not apply to the personal information of employees of the Organisation – if you are an employee, please contact our Director for more information about your privacy.

What is Personal Information?

Personal information means information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable, whether the information or opinion is true or not, and whether the information or opinion is recorded in a material form or not.

Sensitive information is a type of personal information and includes health information, genetics, race, political opinion or membership, religion, philosophical beliefs, union membership, sexual preference and criminal record.

Health information includes information about physical or mental health or a disability an individual has had at any time, an individual's express wishes about future provision of health services to him or her, any health service that has been or is to be provided to an individual, any personal information collected to provide or in providing a health service, information collected in connection with a donation or intended donation of body parts, organs or body substances, genetic information that is or could be predictive of health at any time of the individual or a relative of the individual and healthcare identifiers.

What kinds of personal information does the organisation collect?

In certain circumstances, we may collect personal information about you, for example when you contact us, apply for a job or volunteer position, participate in an event, use our services or join our mailing list. The type of information we collect may include (but is not limited to):

your name and date of birth;
your contact details, such as home and email addresses, and telephone number;
information about your personal circumstances (eg: marital status, gender, job title and relevant information about your partner and children);
information about your background (eg: ethnicity, languages spoken, medical history, health and disability information);
photographs (where your identity is clear or can be reasonably ascertained from the relevant image).

We may also monitor and record details of our interactions with you (including any contact we have with you in person, by email, online or on the telephone), for dispute resolution and training purposes.

Where we collect sensitive information from you, including health information, we will do so only with your consent, where you provide such information voluntarily or where otherwise authorised by law. You may withdraw your consent for the Organisation to retain this information at any time.

From time to time, we may also receive unsolicited information, being information that we have not taken active steps to collect. Examples include misdirected mail, unsolicited employment applications and promotional flyers containing personal information.

When we receive such information, we will decide within a reasonable period whether we could have collected it pursuant to the requirements in the APP. If we determine that we could not have collected the information, we will destroy or de-identify it as soon as practicable. Alternatively, if we determine that we could not have collected the information and wish to retain it, we will deal with this information in accordance with our obligations under the APP.

How does the organisation use or disclose personal information?

The primary purposes for which we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information are to:

provide, administer, improve and personalise our services and goods;
identify individuals;
assess employee or volunteer applications;
conduct surveys and research;
protect our lawful interests; and
respond to your queries or concerns.

We may also collect, use and disclose personal information in connection with lawful information requests from courts, government agencies and lawyers and in connection with suspected fraud, misconduct or unlawful activity.

If you are a participant, member or partner, we may use your personal information to provide you with ongoing promotional materials and marketing communications about our events, products, services and fundraising initiatives by email, online or by other means (unless you opt out or we are subject to legal restrictions).

We may exchange your personal information with service providers, including government agencies, who may provide you with assistance or assist us with archival, auditing, accounting, legal, business, banking, payment, delivery, data processing, storage and analysis, research, investigation, website or technology services.

The Organisation will not disclose your personal information to overseas recipients unless that country has similar privacy laws to those in Australia or you have expressly consented to the Australian requirements not applying to that disclosure.

How does the organisation hold and secure personal information?

The Organisation handles personal information electronically and in hard copy form, both at our own premises and with the assistance of our service providers. In either case, a range of measures are implemented to protect the security of that personal information. We also take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify personal information where it is no longer needed for a permitted purpose.

How does the organisation treat information disclosed through its website?

Using our websites

When you visit our website to read, browse or download information, our system may record information such as browser type, operating system, the date and time you visit the websites, the pages accessed and any information downloaded. This information is used to analyse how people use our website so that we can improve our offerings.

Cookies

Like many other websites, our website may use an internet browser feature from time to time called 'cookies'. A cookie is a small data file that may be placed on a web user's computer (usually in the browser software folder) the first time that a computer visits a website that operates cookies. Cookies by themselves cannot be used to personally identify you – they only identify the computer used to visit our website and help us maintain the continuity of your browsing session by remembering your preferences for when you return. You can configure your web browsing software to reject cookies, however this may limit the functionality of our website or prevent you from accessing some parts of our website.

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to inform and optimise content based on your past visits to our website.

Google Analytics informs us of how visitors use our website based on their browsing habits, so that we can improve our website, and make it easier to find information. Google also receives this information as you browse our website and other websites on the Google Display Network using remarketing.

If you would like to opt-out of customised Google Display Network services and Google Analytics for Display Advertising you can do so through Google "Ad Settings". You can also use the "Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on" so you are not tracked by Google Analytics.

Third party websites

Our website may contain links to other websites that are not owned or controlled by us. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or policies of those websites.

How can you request access or amendments to your personal information or make a complaint?

Please contact us using the details set out below if you have any queries or concerns about privacy or wish to access or correct any personal information we may hold about you. We may need to verify your identity.

If you are making an access or correction request, please provide details of the particular information you seek, to help us to locate it. If we deny any request for access or correction, we will provide our reasons. Where we decide not to make a requested correction to your personal information and you disagree, you may ask us to make a note of your requested correction with the information.

The Organisation takes your privacy concerns very seriously. Where you express any concerns that we have interfered with your privacy, we will respond to let you know who will be handling your matter and when you can expect a further response.

Contact: Kieren Fitzpatrick

Email: apf@asiapacificforum.net

For information about privacy generally, or if your concerns are not resolved to your satisfaction, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au and on 1300 363 992.

Publication of this privacy policy

The Organisation will publish and update this policy on its website (www.asiapacificforum.net) and make hard copies available on request.