1. Introduction
Council on the Ageing Queensland is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals and organisations with whom we engage. While we do not generally collect or store personal information of individuals we engage with, we do maintain contact details of our supporters, including email addresses and phone numbers, to support ongoing interaction and engagement with older people and related seniors-interested organisations. For all surveys and formal or informal consultation activity, we always de-identify our data and will only link individuals to data where we have explicit their permission.
This policy outlines how we manage these details in compliance with relevant Commonwealth and Queensland privacy laws, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld).
This policy also aligns with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
2. Scope
This policy applies to all personal contact information collected and held by Council on the Ageing Queensland, including information from individuals and organisations who support our work. It ensures compliance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), which govern the collection, use, disclosure, security, and access of personal information.
3. Information We Collect
General
Council on the Ageing Queensland collects and holds limited contact details of individuals and organisations. For our network of supporters, this may include email address, street address and phone number.
In our interaction with the general public, we do not collect, store, or process sensitive personal information, financial data, or other identifying details beyond these contact points. Data and information collected via surveys or consultations will be de-identified.
Website
We use our website to promote our work and publish resources to help our stakeholders understand and use the legislation we administer. We do not publish personal information on our website. The personal information we collect via our website may include:
- the content of any electronic forms you submit via our website, requesting us to provide services or information, or to take actions
- information submitted if you participate in an online survey, and
- any messages or comments you submit to us via this website or to email addresses displayed on this website, which may include personal information such as name, email address and telephone number.
Any personal information you provide to us via our website will only be used for the specific related purpose, unless you consent to another use or disclosure, in emergencies or as otherwise required or authorised by law.
Email addresses provided via our website will only be used to respond to specific user queries and will not be added to any mailing lists, nor disclosed to any other party without users’ knowledge and consent, unless required by law.
We use Google Analytics to collect or view website traffic information. We also use cookies and session tools to improve your experience when accessing our website. The information collected by these tools may include the IP address of the device you are using and information about sites that IP address has come from, the pages accessed on our site and the next site visited. We use the information to maintain, secure and improve our websites and to enhance your experience when using them. These tools do not match any data collected with any personal information, which means website users browse our website anonymously.
Social Media
We use social networking services such as LinkedIn and Facebook to communicate with the public about our work. When you communicate with us using these services we may collect your personal information, but we only use it to help us to communicate with you and the public. The social networking service will also handle your personal information for its own purposes.
Formal Research and Evaluation
COTA Queensland is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct in all research activities. We adhere to the principles outlined in the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research 2018, developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), which ensures that research is conducted with integrity, transparency, and respect for individuals’ rights and privacy.
This Code outlines key principles, including honesty, accountability, fairness, and respect for the rights and dignity of all participants. It emphasises the importance of responsible management of research data, transparent reporting of results, and avoiding any form of research misconduct, such as falsification or plagiarism.
The Code also provides guidelines for the supervision of research and collaboration between researchers, ensuring that ethical considerations are integrated throughout the research process. By adhering to these guidelines, we ensure that personal data is protected, handled in compliance with legal and ethical standards, and that our research practices maintain the trust of participants and the wider community.
4. Purpose of Collecting Contact Information
Under APP 3 (Collection of Solicited Personal Information), Council on the Ageing Queensland collects information only where necessary for:
- communicating updates, news, and relevant information about Council on the Ageing Queensland’s work
- consultations and engaging with stakeholders and supporters • managing event invitations and participation
- research & evaluation purposes
We do not use collected information for commercial purposes, nor do we sell or share it with third parties.
5. Storage and Security of Information
In accordance with APP 11 (Security of Personal Information), Council on the Ageing Queensland takes reasonable steps to protect contact details from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or disclosure. Measures include:
- secure storage of electronic records
- control of access to information by individuals within our organisation
- regular security reviews to ensure data protection compliance
Your information is held confidentially by us, Council on the Ageing Queensland, and is not shared with, transferred or sold to other parties, without your explicit consent unless we are required to by law.
Council on the Ageing Queensland utilises Salesforce’s infrastructure for data storage and management. Salesforce’s data centre strategy ensures a secure, reliable, and available cloud computing service. Salesforce’s infrastructure is built to avoid single points of failure by serving instances from multiple geographically diverse data centres. Council on the Ageing Queensland’s allocated Data Centre is hosted on Salesforce’s Hyperforce infrastructure, located in Sydney, Australia (aus64).
While the majority of our services are hosted within this data centre, certain features may be hosted on different infrastructure. For instance maintenance, compliance, and disaster recovery processes are supported through regular site switches.
6. Access and Correction of Information
Under APP 12 (Access to Personal Information) and APP 13 (Correction of Personal Information), supporters and organisations may request access to or correction of their contact information at any time. Requests can be made by contacting us directly (See Section 11). We will take reasonable steps to ensure any inaccuracies are corrected promptly.
7. Opt-Out and Unsubscribing
Consistent with APP 7 (Direct Marketing), individuals and organisations may opt out of communications at any time by:
- Clicking the ‘unsubscribe’ link in our emails
- Contacting us directly via phone or email
Council on the Ageing Queensland ensures that any requests to opt-out are processed in a timely manner.
8. Disclosure of Information
In accordance with APP 6 (Use or Disclosure of Personal Information), Council on the Ageing Queensland does not disclose contact details to third parties unless required by law. We ensure that any disclosures comply with privacy obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld).
9. Management of Complaints
Council on the Ageing Queensland is committed to addressing privacy-related complaints in a timely and transparent manner. If you have a complaint regarding the handling of your personal contact information, you may contact us using the details in Section 11.
Complaints will be reviewed promptly, and we will endeavour to resolve them within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may escalate your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) or the Office of the Information Commissioner Queensland (OIC Qld).
10. Management of Data Breaches
In the event of a data breach involving unauthorised access, disclosure, or loss of contact information, Council on the Ageing Queensland will act in accordance with the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
Steps taken in response to a data breach include:
- Assessing the extent and impact of the breach
- Notifying affected individuals if there is a risk of serious harm
- Reporting the breach to the OAIC, if required
- Implementing corrective measures to prevent future breaches
11. Contact Information
For inquiries regarding this Privacy Policy, to request access, correction, or removal of contact details, or to lodge a complaint, please contact:
Attention to the CEO Council on the Ageing Queensland
Privacy Request
Phone: 1300 738 348
Email: info@cotaqld.org.au
Website: www.cotaqld.org.au
12. Policy Updates
This policy may be updated periodically to reflect changes in legislation or organisational practices. The latest version will always be available on our website.
Updates will align with changes to the Australian Privacy Principles and relevant legislation to ensure ongoing compliance.
