Privacy Notice – Rural Financial Counselling Service, NSW – Southern Region Limited
Rural Financial Counselling Service, NSW (RFCS NSW) is committed to protecting your privacy and your personal information as defined in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). Personal information is any 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. Due to the nature of our services, it is impracticable for us to deal with individuals who have not identified themselves, or use a pseudonym. This Privacy Notice informs you about how we manage personal information. RFCS NSW’s privacy policy can be requested by using the contact details in section 7 of this notice.
- Collection of Personal Information
RFCS, NSW collects personal information directly from you in the Client Services Agreement and while we are helping you. Personal information that we may collect includes an individual’s name, signature, address, telephone number, date of birth, bank account details, employment details and commentary or opinion about a person to record case notes. We collect personal information only where necessary to provide our services to clients and comply with our funding agreements. Examples of the services we provide are detailed in our Client Service Agreements and on our website. In providing our services we may collect information from third parties and will inform you of this need and seek your consent. To request information from third parties we will request completion of a client authority form from you. If the relevant personal information is not provided, it may impact our ability to provide the support you seek.
Personal information of one individual may also be personal information of another. While providing services to you we will collect personal information from all business partners and may collect personal information from other individuals associated with the business including beneficiaries and shareholders.
- Holding of Personal Information
Personal information we collect may be stored electronically or in hard copy records. Electronic data is stored securely using Microsoft services with network protection, application security and content protection with access requiring two-factor authentication. All data is stored in Australia.
- Use and Disclosure of Personal Information
RFCS NSW will only use or disclose your personal information for purposes associated of delivering financial counselling services or delivering other programs and support to you, or if a relevant exception is applicable. In assisting you we may disclose your personal information to third parties such as in loan or grant applications. We will seek your consent prior to the disclosure of your information for a secondary purpose unless you would reasonably expect us to use or disclose the information for that purpose. We do not disclose personal information to overseas recipients.
- Direct Marketing
Personal information we receive form you will not be disclosed for the purposes of direct marketing to third parties. We will use your personal information to communicate with you while helping you. This may also include mailing lists where relevant news, information, events or RFCS NSW updates may be communicated. You may opt out of these emails by unsubscribing at any time.
Website
- When you visit our website:
When you come to our website we may collect certain information such as browser type, operating system, website visited immediately before coming to our site, etc. This information is used in an aggregated manner to analyse how people use our site, such that we can improve our service.
- Cookies:
We may from time to time use cookies on our website. Our website may from time to time use cookies to analyses website traffic and help us provide a better website visitor experience. In addition, cookies may be used to serve relevant ads to website visitors through third party services like Google Adwords.
- Third party sites:
Our site may from time to time have links to other websites not owned or controlled by us. These links are meant for your convenience only. Links to third party websites do not constitute sponsorship or endorsement or approval of these websites. Please be aware that RFCS NSW is not responsible for the privacy practices of other such websites.
- Access and Correction of Personal Information
On request, we will give you access to your personal information we have collected where it meets our Privacy Procedure. You may request the correction of personal information we hold. To access or correct personal information, please refer to the contact information below.
- How you can complain
If RFCS NSW breaches the Australia Privacy Principles, you may complain to the Risk and Compliance Manager. Please refer to the contact information below.
- Contact Details for Privacy Requests and Complaints
Rural Financial Counselling Service, NSW – Southern Region Limited
Email: feedback@rfcsnsw.com.au
Call: 1800 319 458
Mail: Rural Financial Counselling, NSW
Attention: Risk and Compliance Manager
PO Box 26
Wagga Wagga NSW 2650
If you are unhappy with our response or we do not respond within 30 days, you may submit a complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. Complaints may only be submitted in writing.
The Privacy Commissioner can be contacted on:
Email: enquiries@oaic.gov.au
Mail: Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
GPO Box 5218
Sydney NSW 2001
Online form: accessible from
https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-complaints/lodge-a-privacy-complaint-with-us
Date: 12.12.2023
