Changes to the Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth), which took effect on 21 December 2001, impose privacy obligations on the private sector and health organisations such as the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
The new obligations are contained in a set of principles called the “National Privacy Principles”, and set standards for the collection, storage, use and disclosure of “personal information”
The Act gives individuals the right:
- To know what personal information is collected and why it is collected;
- To know how the information will be used;
- To know who else will get the information;
- To access the information and correct it if it is wrong;
- To make a complaint if their information is not being handled properly.
Collecting your personal information
MNDAWA understands and respects that individuals are concerned about their privacy and about the confidentiality and security of any information MNDAWA may obtain about them.
The nature of the personal information we collect may vary according to the purpose it is collected and may include:
- General information such as name, address, telephone, facsimile and mobile number, internet address and gender
- Banking details for the purposes of paying salaries of staff, membership fees; making donations; purchasing merchandise or other fundraising products such as raffle tickets.
- Information as above with additional details of medical history and next of kin collected for the primary reasons of providing assistance and service through the Care Advisory service, its staff and trained support volunteers.
- Details of a person’s donation history.
- Details of a person’s family history including relationship to a person with MND; employment and voluntary work with the Association.
Personal information must be collected directly from the individual concerned unless there are reasonable grounds for collecting information from another source, and with the individual’s informed consent.
Your information will be held by us in secure storage for the legal statutory time in the case of health and financial records, although you have the choice to opt out of receiving future marketing/fundraising material from us. In this case you should write to The Chief Executive Officer, MNDAWA Inc., Unit 1, 184 Raleigh Street, Carlisle WA 6101.
Safeguarding your information
MNDAWA will in accordance with the National Privacy Principles:
- take reasonable steps to ensure that all personal information held is accurate complete and up-to-date.
- take reasonable steps to protect it from misuse, loss or unauthorised access or disclosure.
- provide you with access to the information if needed (see note below)
- not use any government identifier that may identify you,
- only use the information for the purpose for which it was given.
- not disclose client information to any external source without prior authorisation of the individual; or have previously informed the client of their intentions; or are required to do so by law.
Please note that access to some of your personal information may be denied under the provisions of the Act, if access will:
- pose a threat to the life or health of anyone
- have an unreasonable impact on other people’s privacy
- be unlawful
- be related to existing or anticipated legal proceedings.
Access to information will only be given to the individual concerned in personal consultation or in written form and not over the telephone or in electronic form. It will only be given by the Chief Executive Officer or a person with delegated authority.
Alterations to personal information
We will provide opportunities, at least annually, for individuals to update their information kept by the Association. Clients can contact us to remove their information from marketing, membership and newsletter lists. Clients can, at any time, request that corrections be made or attached to their records.
Complaints about personal information.
If you believe that there has been a breach about Privacy we urge you to call the Chief Executive Officer who will investigate all complaints and respond to you within 14 days. If necessary we will change policies and procedures to maintain our high standards of service and client care.