Privacy Policy

To outline a framework for NTWC to responsibly manage the information provided  to NTWC by individuals and organisations. 

This policy applies wholly or in part to NTWC Board, Employees, Reviewers, Contractors and Suppliers, Service users / Clients. 

NTWC acknowledges  and  respects  the  privacy  of  individuals  and  organisations and supports the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Acts.  

Accordingly NTWC will: 

• only collect information with prior knowledge and consent; 
• only use the information provided for the purposes for which it was collected; • not disclose information to a third party without consent; 
• not disclose information to other institutions and authorities except if required  by law or other regulation; and 
• remove information  from  records when it is no longer  required  (except where  archiving is required). 
• Not seek or collect information that is not needed 

The information held on a client or organisation will be up-to-date, relevant, non-obtrusive  and objective. NTWC will take reasonable steps to correct inaccurate, incomplete or out-of date information on a  regular basis. NTWC will have processes and policies  to protect  the  information that NTWC has under its control from: 

1. a) unauthorised access; 
2. b) improper use; 
3. c) alteration; and 
4. d) unlawful or accidental destruction and accidental loss. 

Personal  Information  is  defined  by  the  Privacy  Act  as  “information  about  an  individual  who’s  identity  is  apparent,  or  can  reasonably  be  ascertained,  from  the  information  or  opinion”  which  is  maintained  electronically,  on  video  or  in  written  form;  and/or  verbal  information  given  to  an  employee  about  an  individual.  Although  exempt  under  the  Act,  NTWC includes employee and Board records under this policy.

Individuals as defined by NTWC are: 

• Board members; 
• members; 
• employees; 
• reviewers; 
• members of the public accessing NTWC programs, services and/or website; • donors; 
• suppliers/contractors; 
• job applicants; and 
• referees 
• clients / service users 

Although the Privacy Act only relates to individuals, NTWC will apply the same principles to  the  collection  of information about  organisations and  businesses. Where  this  policy  refers  only to individuals it applies equally to organisations/businesses. 

Employee and Board Records means  a  record  of  personal  and  professional  information  relating to the employment of the employee or appointment of a Board member. Examples  may include any or all of the following: 

• engagement, training, discipline or resignation; 
• termination of the employment of the employee; 
• terms and conditions of appointment; 
• personal and emergency contact details; 
• performance and conduct details; 
• hours of employment or in kind support; 
• employee’s salary or wages; 
• Board member or employee’s membership of a professional or trade association; • employee’s trade union membership; 
• employee’s recreation, long service, sick, personal, maternity, paternity or other leave;  and 
• employee’s taxation, banking or superannuation affairs; 

• employee’s relationships to any of NTWC’s peer or priority populations or communities.

• The Executive Director is responsible for the effective implementation of this policy. 
• The  Executive  Director is  responsible  for  maintaining  this  policy,  work  instructions  and  associated documents on the NTWC server.
• All  Board  members,  staff,  consultants  and  reviewers  (including  consumer  reviewers)  are  responsible for complying with this policy.
• Staff  are  responsible  for seeking  a  documented exemption  from  the  Executive  Director  in  any situations where they are unable to follow policy or procedure.

Practice Guidelines: The following guidelines establish the professional practice framework  for all areas of activity within NTWC. 

• NTWC regards having the confidence of individuals/organisations as a privilege. 6.1.2 Individual/organisations’ access to information about them is a right.
•  The  collection  and  storage  of  unnecessary  information concerning  individuals/organisations is considered a breach in privacy and is inappropriate.
• The  formation  of,  or  expression  of  a  professional  assessment/opinion  must  be  recorded  with  care.  Sensitive  information  will  only  be  recorded  with  the  individual’s/organisation’s consent unless: the collection is required by law; the collection is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to  the life or health of any individual, where the individual whom the information  concerns  is  physically  or  legally  incapable  of  communicating  consent  to  the  collection physically, and the collection is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defense of a legal  or equitable claim.
• All individuals/organisations have the right to be informed on who has access to their  information.
• Individuals  have  a  right  to  challenge  the  accuracy  of  personal  information  recorded  about them.
• At,  or  before,  the  time  information  is  collected  or  recorded  (or,  if  that  is  not  practicable, as soon as practicable after), the individuals/organisations concerned  should be  made aware of the: nature of the contents of the information; identity of the organisation (NTWC or its agents or partner organisations) and how  to contact it; individuals/organisations  right  to  make  reasonable  requests  to  access  that  information; purpose for which the information is collected; period of time for which the information is kept; organisations (or types of organisations) to which NTWC may disclose  information; • any law or process of law that requires the particular information to be collected;  and main consequences (if any) for the individual if all or part of the information is not  provided.
• Formal  and  informal  team-briefing  and  supervision  within  NTWC is  considered  a  professional  contract  which  is  based  on  professional  ethics  of  confidentiality.  The  information derived  from  team briefing and  supervision  remains confidential between  the  participants except where:
• It is agreed by the parties to communicate information to third parties. • NTWC has a legal obligation to communicate information to third parties • The  information  relates  to  allegations  of  misconduct,  grievances  or  formal  complaints 
• NTWC policy  requires  the  information  to  be  communicated  to  designated  third  parties.
• Wherever  it  is  lawful  and  practicable,  individuals  must  have  the  option  of  not  identifying themselves or using a pseudonym.

Use of Disclosure of Personal Information:

• The  purpose  for  which  information  is  collected  will  be  identified  on  all  forms.  The  following statement will be used: NTWC requests this information in order to  (INSERT REASON). Information collected maybe  entered into the NTWC database which is kept private, secure and password protected. Only  NTWC staff may access information for the purposes stated above, except where there is a  legal requirement to provide information to a government agency.  
• Where  NTWC may  use  this  information  in  the  public  domain  (e.g.  for  promotional/marketing  purposes,  Annual  Report  etc)  written  consent  is  to  be  obtained.  Individuals  will  not  be  photographed  or  filmed  without  seeking  prior  permission  which  outlines the proposed use of the image/s. 
• In  the  context  or  external  reviews  of NTWC’s  services  or  functions, NTWC routinely  discloses  contact  information  and  details  about  the  professional  skills  and  experience  regarding  potential  reviewers  to  clients  and  other  stakeholders,  in  order  to  inform  the  external review process. Written consent for this will be obtained from the reviewer. 
• A  legal  requirement  to  disclose  personal  information  may  override  national  privacy  principles. Situations where this may occur include the following:
• 6.2.4  A  legal  requirement  to  disclose  personal  information  may  override  national  privacy  principles. Situations where this may occur include the following: 
  • when serious criminal acts are known; 
  • where there is serious risk of abuse or physical harm to  the individual or other person  including the organisation’s employees; or 
  • where NTWC has mandatory reporting obligations, eg the abuse or neglect of minors. 

• Where  the  question  of  a  legal  need  for  disclosure  arises  in  practice,  the  employee  concerned must inform and  discuss  the issue with the Executive Director, who  then  takes  responsibility for any decision around breaching privacy and confidentiality.  

• Privacy Act 1988 
• Privacy Amendment Act 2012