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Privacy policy

Statement 

EE NSW is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information which the organisation collects, holds and administers.

This Privacy Policy pertains to the activities of the Australian Association for Environmental Education NSW Chapter (AAEE NSW), trading as Environmental Education NSW (EE NSW), Sustainable Schools NSW and Sustainability Connect. For the purposes of this Policy the responsible entity will be referred to as EE NSW. This statement outlines EE NSW’s policy on how EE NSW uses and manages personal information provided to or collected by it. EE NSW is bound by the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Commonwealth Privacy Act and is compliant with the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012.

EE NSW may, from time to time, review and update this Privacy Policy to take account of new laws and technology, changes to EE NSW’s operations and practices and to make sure it remains appropriate to the changing legal environment. This privacy policy assumes that you are resident in Australia. 

By visiting our website, subscribing to our mailing list, signing a petition or a campaign appeal, applying for employment with us, making a donation or otherwise providing us with your personal information, you consent to your personal information (including your sensitive information) being collected, used and disclosed as set out in this Privacy Statement.

How to contact us

If you have any questions, comments, concerns or complaints about what is explained here or about our privacy practices, please let us know.   

You can contact us by:

  • sending an e-mail to us at project@aaeensw.org.au
  • writing to us at Environmental Education NSW, PO Box 552, Round Corner NSW 2158

What personal information we collect

We collect personal information about individuals including members, supporters, volunteers, donors, employees, contractors, job applicants and other people with whom EE NSW or a third party has contact with in connection with our activities. The personal information which we collect and hold generally includes your name, address, organisation, role, date of birth and contact details (such as your phone number and email address), payment card details, and other information about you such as your interests and your opinions on environmental issues. We also use “cookies” to track visits to our website; you can usually disable cookies in your internet browser settings.

You do not have to provide us with your personal information. However, if you do not provide us with your personal information, it will be difficult for us to contact you. Without your personal information we may not, for example, be able to issue you with a receipt, offer you employment or provide you with more information about our work.

By providing your personal information to us you consent to us collecting, using or disclosing it as specified in this Privacy Statement or as otherwise authorised by law.


How we collect personal information

We collect personal information you provide to us directly, for example, in person, over the phone, by email, via our website or by completing our online or hard copy petition forms to take action in particular campaigns we may be running. We may also collect your personal information through the use of commercial service providers who, for example, might conduct fundraising activities or run a petition on our behalf.

We may also collect your personal information from publicly available sources (including via social media), through the use of cookies on our website or from third parties (for example, local environment groups who run an event in association with us, other NGOs, petition and social change platforms) and, unless you notify us otherwise, you consent to your personal information being collected, used and disclosed as set out in this Privacy Statement. 

We will only collect personal information by lawful and fair means and, when possible, we will always collect personal information from you directly. If it is not reasonable or practicable to collect it directly from you, we will take steps to make you aware that your information has been collected.


Personal Information you provide:

EE NSW will generally collect personal information held about an individual by way of phone calls, forms, workshops, surveys, meetings etc. You do have the right to seek to deal with us anonymously or using a pseudonym, but in almost every circumstance it will not be practicable for us to deal with you or provide any services to you except for the most general responses to general enquiries, unless you identify yourself.


Personal Information provided by other people:

In some circumstances EE NSW may be provided with personal information about an individual from a third party, for example the national body of the Australian Association for Environmental Education (AAEE).


In relation to employee records:

Under the Privacy Act the Australian Privacy Principles do not apply to an employee record. As a result, this Privacy Policy does not apply to EE NSW’s treatment of an employee record, where the treatment is directly related to a current or former employment relationship between EE NSW and employee.


How will EE NSW use the personal information you provide?

EE NSW will use personal information it collects from you for the primary purpose of collection, and for such other secondary purposes that are related to the primary purpose of collection and reasonably expected, or to which you have consented.

In relation to direct marketing, EE NSW will use your personal information for direct marketing where you have provided that information, and you are likely to expect direct marketing: only then you will be sent direct marketing containing an opt out. If we use your personal information obtained from elsewhere we will still send you direct marketing information where you have consented and which will also contain an opt out. We will always obtain your consent to use sensitive information as the basis for any of our direct marketing.


Job applicants, staff members and contractors:

In relation to personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors, EE NSW’s primary purpose of collection is to assess and (if successful) to engage the applicant, staff member or contractor, as the case may be.

The purposes for which EE NSW uses personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors include:

  • for insurance purposes;
  • for the appropriate persons on the Executive Committee to contact applicants, referees and check employment details,
  • to satisfy EE NSW’s legal obligations,

Where EE NSW receives unsolicited job applications these will usually be dealt with in accordance with the unsolicited personal information requirements of the Privacy Act.


Volunteers:

EE NSW also obtains personal information about volunteers who assist EE NSW in its functions or conduct associated activities, such as to enable EE NSW and the volunteers to work together.


Marketing and fundraising:

EE NSW treats marketing and seeking donations for the future growth and development of EE NSW as important.  Personal information held by EE NSW may be disclosed to an organisation that assists in EE NSW’s fundraising, for example, EE NSW’s event management organisation.


Who might EE NSW disclose personal information to?

EE NSW may disclose personal information, including sensitive information, held about an individual to:

  • government departments;
  • people providing services to EE NSW,
  • to the national body AAEE; and
  • anyone you authorise EE NSW to disclose information to.

Sending information overseas:

EE NSW will not send personal information about an individual outside Australia without:

  • obtaining the consent of the individual (in some cases this consent will be implied); or
  • otherwise complying with the Australian Privacy Principles or other applicable privacy legislation.

EE NSW uses overseas providers of IT services including servers and cloud services.


How does EE NSW treat sensitive information?

In referring to ‘sensitive information’, EE NSW means:

“information relating to a person’s racial ethnic origin, political opinions, religion, trade union or other professional or trade association membership, sexual orientation or criminal record, that is also personal information; and health information about an individual”.

Sensitive information will be used and disclosed only for the purpose for which it was provided or a directly related secondary purpose, unless you agree otherwise, or the use or disclosure of the sensitive information is allowed by law.


Management and security of personal information

EE NSW’s staff are required to respect the confidentiality of personal information and the privacy of individuals.

EE NSW has in place steps to protect the personal information EE NSW holds from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification, interference or disclosure by use of various methods including locked storage of paper records and passworded access rights to computerised records.

In the event of any unauthorised access or disclosure of your personal information (including where information is lost in circumstances where unauthorised access or disclosure is likely to occur) that is likely to result in serious harm to you, we will investigate and notify you and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner as soon as practicable, in accordance with the Privacy Act.

When you use our website, having your cookies enabled will allow us to maintain the continuity of your browsing session and remember your details when you return. We may also use web beacons, Flash local stored objects and JavaScript. If you adjust your browser settings to block, reject or delete these functions, the webpage may not function in an optimal manner. We may also collect information about your IP address, although this may not identify you.


Updating personal information

EE NSW endeavours to ensure that the personal information it holds is accurate, complete and up-to-date. A person may seek to update their personal information held by EE NSW by contacting the Privacy Officer of EE NSW at any time.

The Australian Privacy Principles and the Health Privacy Principles require EE NSW not to store personal information longer than necessary. In particular, the Health Privacy Principles impose certain obligations about the length of time health records must be stored.

You have the right to check what personal information EE NSW holds about you.

Under the Commonwealth Privacy Act and the Health Records Act, an individual has the right to obtain access to any personal information which EE NSW holds about them and to advise EE NSW of any perceived inaccuracy. There are some exceptions to this right set out in the applicable legislation. To make a request to access any information EE NSW holds about you, please contact the Privacy Officer in writing.

EE NSW may require you to verify your identity and specify what information you require. Although no fee will be charged for accessing your personal information or making a correction, EENSW may charge a fee to retrieve and copy any material. EE NSW If the information sought is extensive, EENSW will advise the likely cost in advance.


How long will EENSW keep my information?

Under our destruction and de-identification policies, your personal information that is no longer required will be de-identified or destroyed. In many circumstances, however it will be kept for marketing purposes, as you will have consented to that in writing with us.


Contact details

All queries or complaints regarding our Privacy Statement, or requests for access to, or correction of, personal information should be directed to us as follows:

Environmental Education NSW, PO Box 552, Round Corner NSW 2158
Email: project@aaeensw.org.au


Enquiries and privacy complaints

If you would like further information about the way EE NSW manages the personal information it holds, please contact the Privacy Officer on the email listed above. If you have any concerns, complaints or you think there has been a breach of privacy, then also please contact the Privacy Officer who will first deal with you usually over the phone. If we then have not dealt satisfactorily with your concerns we will meet with you to discuss further. If you are not satisfied with our response to your complaint within 30 days from this meeting then you can refer your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) via: 

  • email:  enquiries@oaic.gov.au 
  • tel: 1300 363 992
  • fax: +61 2 9284 9666

Review and revisions to privacy policy

Our Privacy Statement will be reviewed regularly and updated as necessary from time to time.

This Privacy Statement was last updated in June 2023.

Sustainable Schools NSW acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this nation. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which we live, learn and work. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present. 

We are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society. Sovereignty has never been ceded. It always was and always will be, Aboriginal land.