Introduction
Protecting our clients’ privacy is of paramount importance to Ausena Accountants, (and its related entities or referred to below as “Ausena”, “us”, “we” or “our”). We are committed to protecting your personal information and ensuring its privacy, accuracy and security. We handle your personal information in a responsible manner in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use and store your personal information. We may, from time to time, update this Policy if changes are required. The Policy is displayed on our website for your periodic review. By using our services, or giving us your personal information, you agree to your information being collected, stored, used and disclosed as set out in this policy.
Collection
We collect and hold personal information about you, that is information that can identify you and is necessary and relevant to providing you with the professional services that you are seeking. The kinds of information we typically collect include your name, address, date of birth, gender, job titles and any other information that may be relevant to the provision of accounting services, such as bank account details, credit card details, shareholdings, details of investments and tax file numbers. It may occasionally be necessary to collect sensitive information about you, for example, your professional memberships, criminal record or health information. Except as otherwise permitted by law, we only collect, use and disclose sensitive information about you if you consent to the collection, use and disclosure of the information and if the information is reasonably necessary for the performance of our functions and activities.
In some circumstances we may collect personal and sensitive information from you relating to your employees, members, customers, third parties, your spouse and family to provide professional services. If you provide us with someone else’s personal information, you should only do so if you have their authority or consent to provide us with their personal information. You should also take reasonable steps to inform them of the matters set out in this Privacy Policy.
We may obtain your personal information from a range of sources including from you, contractors, business partners and government agencies such as the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC). We may also collect personal information that is publicly available. Examples of how personal information may be collected, include but are not limited to, when you request or provide a product or service, apply for employment or communicate with us either by email, telephone, in writing or via our website.
You may choose not to provide personal information, however, because of the nature of our business, this may limit the service we are able to provide and may jeopardise our ability to provide a complete, accurate and comprehensive service.
Holding
We hold your personal information in hard copy and electronic formats. Ausena takes reasonable steps to protect the personal information we hold about you from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. We have in place technology and operational security of a reasonable commercial standard to protect the information we hold.
If we hold personal information about you and that information is no longer needed by us for business or legal purposes, we take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify the relevant information.
Use
We use your personal information only for the business purposes for which it was collected and to operate our business. We may also, from time to time, use personal information to send you information that has not been explicitly requested such as a newsletter or other information relevant to you or your circumstances. If at any time you receive material that you did not request and/or do not want to receive, please contact the person responsible for managing your affairs or the Director of Ausena Accountants.
Personal information may also be used to protect our rights and that of our users and, where appropriate, to comply with legal process.
Disclosure
We may use and disclose personal information for the primary purpose for which it was collected, for reasonably expected secondary purposes which are related to the primary purpose and in other circumstances authorised by the Privacy Act. You may also provide consent for us to provide personal information to third parties on your behalf.
In general, the types of organisations to which we would usually disclose personal information include the Australian Tax Office, financiers, other accountants and auditors, legal advisers and other professionals.
Access and correction
We will take reasonable steps to ensure that personal information we collect, use or disclose is accurate, complete and up to date. However, the accuracy of that information depends to a large extent on the information you provide. For this reason, we recommend that you let us know if there are any errors in your personal information and keep us up to date with changes to your information.
Internet
Registration is not required for you to use our website. If you are merely a visitor, we do not collect any personal information about you.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We reserve the right to modify this privacy policy at any time, so please review it frequently. Changes and clarifications will take effect immediately upon their posting on the website. If we make material changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated, so that you are aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.
If our business is acquired or merged with another company, your information may be transferred to the new owners so that we may continue to provide services to you.
Contacting us
If you have any questions regarding our Privacy Policy or complaints about the collection, storage or use of your personal information, please contact the person responsible for managing your affairs or the Director of Ausena Accountants. We will seek to address any concerns that you have through our complaints handling process.
Ausena
PO Box 730, Springwood QLD 4127
Phone: 07 3209 4088
Email: admin@ausena.com.au
Web: www.ausena.com.au