The Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) Ltd (ALS NSW/ACT) is committed to confidentiality and privacy when handling your personal information.
This document sets out how we manage your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles outlined in the Privacy Act 1988.
Some information you provide us is also protected by other legal obligations arising between clients and lawyers.
When do we collect your personal information?
The ALS NSW/ACT may collect and store personal information about you when you:
- contact us about our services, including to obtain legal assistance
- provide your name and contact details on our website as part of a campaign
- apply to become or are a member of the ALS NSW/ACT
- donate money to us
- sign a petition that we publicise
- apply to work or volunteer with us or are employed by us
- provide feedback or make a complaint
- have business dealings with us (for example as a supplier).
Generally, we try to collect information directly from you. However, we might collect information about you from someone else, such as when another service refers you for assistance. If we collect information about you from someone else, we will try to make sure you know about that information.
What kind of information do we collect?
The kind of personal information we collect from you will usually include your name, address, email address and/or contact numbers. Other information we collect from you depends on why we are in contact with you. For example:
- If you want legal or other assistance from us, we may collect information about the matter you need assistance with, as well as other personal information such as your contact details, date of birth, Aboriginality and other information about your health, education, income and other personal circumstances.
- If you are enquiring about working or volunteering at the ALS NSW/ACT, supporting the ALS NSW/ACT or becoming a member we may collect a range of personal information about you, your work or other experiences, as well as what motivates you to engage with the ALS NSW/ACT.
We do not collect personal information from you unless we need it as part of our contact with you. For example, to determine if we can provide you with services.
Anonymity
If you want to communicate with us anonymously, we may be able to facilitate this depending on the nature of our interaction with you. In most cases, we will not be able to provide direct client services anonymously.
Why we collect personal information
We collect personal information to:
- Respond to enquiries
- Determine if we can provide you with assistance
- Provide legal and related support services
- Monitor and review our services
- Plan and report on our services
- Receive feedback and resolve complaints
- Understand trends for the purposes of advocacy and law reform work
- Engage in marketing, fundraising and campaigning activities
- Manage membership of the ALS NSW/ACT
- Recruit and manage employees
- Manage business dealings.
If we collect your personal information for another purpose, we will tell you about this at the time we collect the information.
How do we use your information?
We will only use your personal information for the purpose we collected it for, or for a directly related purpose. For example, to decide if we can assist you and to provide you with a service.
We will not share your personal information with others unless:
- you have asked us to,
- sharing your information is in line with consent you have provided, or
- where we are required to or permitted to disclose information by law.
How do we keep your information secure?
The ALS NSW/ACT ensures that all personal information collected is securely stored and safe from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
Your personal information may be stored in either electronic IT systems or physical files. Physical files are stored securely in our offices. Access to our offices is restricted to employees, volunteers and those in the company of employees. We maintain a high level of security for our electronic IT systems. Access is strictly controlled, and all information is stored digitally in Australia.
Visiting our website
If you visit our website, our hosting platform may record information about your visit including the date and time of your visit to the website, the pages accessed and documents downloaded.
ALS NSW/ACT will not attempt to identify visitors to our website or their browsing activities except where we are obliged to by law.
Your email address
The ALS NSW/ACT website will only record your email address if you provide it while sending an inquiry, signing up to be contacted, signing a petition, donating or requesting to work or volunteer with us.
Your email address and/or your postal addresses will only be used for the purpose for which you have provided them, and they will not be added to any mailing lists, or used or disclosed for any other purpose, without your consent.
While we take all measures within our power to keep your information secure, you should be aware that the internet is an insecure medium and there are inherent risks transmitting information within it. Information submitted via email or web forms may be at risk of being intercepted, read or modified.
Access and correction
You have the right to:
- Seek access to your personal information held by the ALS NSW/ACT;
- Ask us to update or correct your personal information if it is incorrect or out of date; and
- Opt out of receiving emails from the ALS NSW/ACT.
If you want to access the information the ALS NSW/ACT holds about you, or correct information held about you that is incorrect or out of date, please email us with your request: [email protected].
Making a complaint
If you wish to make a complaint about how the ALS NSW/ACT handles your personal information please contact us by using our online complaint form, by email, or by calling us on (02) 9213 4100.
A further point about privacy
We understand that your personal information is important to you. Our staff may work with you on a range of complex issues affecting your life. We realise your information can sometimes be sensitive. We take our commitment to privacy legislation seriously and for many years have provided quality confidential services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities.
