Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of the personal information that we hold. BCNA must only collect personal information necessary for its functions and activities. Privacy of information is very important to BCNA. We hope that members will share information to assist BCNA in our work to improve services but this is not a requirement of membership. We understand that breast cancer is a very personal thing and we do not want anyone to feel uncomfortable about the information we keep.
This Policy sets out BCNA’s personal information management practices. It covers the following areas:
- Application of privacy laws
- Personal information collected
- Collection, use and disclosure of personal information
- Accessing and updating personal information
- Security of personal information
- BCNA websites
- Contact details
- Publication of this policy
- Policy update
- Further information
This Policy refers to collection of “personal information” which is information which identifies an individual or from which the individual’s identity may reasonably be ascertained. This includes electronic or paper records.
In addition to the provisions of this Privacy Policy, there may also be specific and additional privacy terms that apply to certain functions of BCNA. Because those specific and additional provisions also apply to those functions, BCNA recommends that these are reviewed wherever they are provided. In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions of this Privacy Policy and those other specific and additional provisions, the specific and additional provisions will prevail.
1. Application of privacy laws
BCNA is bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and other laws which protect the privacy of individuals. BCNA sometimes handles personal information relying on exemptions under these laws, for example in relation to employee records and services to provided to or for government authorities. Any permitted handling of personal information under such exemptions will take priority over this Privacy Policy to the extent of any inconsistency.
2. Collection of personal information
BCNA collects personal information about individuals including:
- Members
- Directors
- Consumer Representatives
- Community Liaisons
- Review and Survey members
- Forum attendees
- Supporters/Donors
- Employees/Prospective employees
- Volunteers
- Members of the public who request information from BCNA
- Users of our Websites
Personal information collected about individuals may include name, address, telephone, email and fax contact details, details of their experience of breast cancer. For donors it may include credit card or other financial details.
We collect personal information through individuals’ interactions with us, including any contact by telephone, email or online. We collect personal information directly from individuals as well as from third parties including public sources and the parties described under ‘Use and disclosure of personal information’ below.
Where we collect sensitive information, such as health information about individuals, we will do so only with their consent, where it is provided voluntarily or where otherwise authorised by law. No one is obliged to provide any information and consent to hold particular information can be withdrawn at any time.
3. Use and disclosure of personal information
We may use and disclose individuals’ personal information on an ongoing basis for purposes including to:
- send requested resources (My Journey Kit, The Beacon, Inside Story, My Care Kit etc.)
- send survey or research requests, unless the individual has asked not to receive these
- process donations
- respond to comments or queries
- provide limited promotional information about BCNA events or activities by telephone, electronic messages (eg. email), online and other means, unless the individual has asked not to receive these
- assess any application to become a volunteer, contractor or employee
- carry out administrative tasks including research, internal reviews, analysis and production of consolidated statistics
BCNA may not be able to do these things without individuals’ personal information. For example, BCNA may not be able to contact, issue receipts to or offer employment to individuals where certain personal information is not provided.
Many of BCNA’s tasks are performed with the assistance of contractors and volunteers, and BCNA may share personal information with them. BCNA may also provide personal information to service providers who assist BCNA provide its services. These may include organisations that assist BCNA with archival, research, mail and delivery, auditing, accounting, financial and legal advisory, banking, payment, security, technology, customer contact, data processing, data analysis, investigation and marketing services.
BCNA may otherwise use or disclose personal information where required or authorised by law, which may include emergency situations and assisting law enforcement agencies.
Some of the third parties described above may be located in other countries such as the United States and while they will often be subject to confidentiality or privacy obligations, individuals agreeing to this Privacy Policy accept that those third parties may not always follow the particular requirements of Australian privacy laws.
4. Accessing and updating personal information
Individuals wishing to request to access or correct any personal information BCNA holds about them are encouraged to contact BCNA using the details set out in the “Contact details” below. BCNA asks that individuals provide as much detail as possible about the particular information sought, in order to help BCNA retrieve it. Appropriate identification is required before access can be provided. In certain circumstances, BCNA may not be required by law to provide access or to correct an individual’s personal information. If that is the case, BCNA will give reasons to explain this. Where BCNA does not make an individual’s requested correction to their personal information, the individual may ask us to make a note of the requested correction with the information.
5. Security of personal information
BCNA is required to take reasonable steps to protect all the personal information it holds from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. This protection applies to information stored both electronically and in hard copy form.
6. BCNA websites
If someone visits www.bcna.org.au or fieldofwomen.org.au (the “Websites”) to read, browse or download information, our system may record information such as the date and time of their visit to the Website, the pages accessed and any information downloaded. This information is used for statistical, reporting and website administration and maintenance purposes only.
Where any information preference is set to “public” then users should be aware that it may be viewed by other users of bcna.org.au including third party search engines.
Like many websites, the Websites may use “cookies” from time to time. Cookies are small text files that the Websites transfer to a user’s hard drive through their web browser to enable the Websites’ systems to recognise the user’s browser. Cookies may also be used to record non-personal information such as the date, time or duration of a user’s visit, or the pages accessed, for website administration, statistical and maintenance purposes. The default settings of browsers like Internet Explorer always allow cookies, but users can easily erase cookies from their hard-drive, block all cookies, or receive a warning before a cookie is stored. Please note that some parts of the Websites may not function fully for users that disallow cookies.
When we send emails or other electronic messages, we may record where recipients open the message and click on particular links. This helps us to better understand what information is of interest to those recipients.
The Websites may use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics uses cookies to help analyse use of the Websites. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the Websites (including the IP address of users’ computers) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating individuals’ use of the Websites, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google's behalf. Google will not associate IP addresses with any other data held by Google. By using either of the Websites, individuals consent to the processing of data about them by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.
While BCNA takes great care to protect personal information on the Websites, unfortunately no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. Accordingly, BCNA cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information sent to or from BCNA online. This is particularly true for information sent to BCNA via email. BCNA has no way of protecting that information until it reaches BCNA. Once BCNA receives personal information by email, BCNA protects its security in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
The Websites may contains links to other sites. BCNA is not responsible for the privacy practices or policies of those sites.
7. Contact details
Questions or comments about privacy should be directed as set out below. We take individuals’ privacy concerns seriously. Where an individual expresses any concerns that we have interfered with their privacy, we will respond to let them know who will be handling their matter and when they can expect a further response.
Breast Cancer Network Australia
293 Camberwell Rd, Camberwell, VICTORIA 3124
Tel: 03 9805 2500 or 1800 500 258
Website: www.bcna.org.au
Get in touch contact form
8. Publication of this policy
BCNA will publish this policy on our Websites and will make copies available by request.
9. Policy update
BCNA’s Privacy Officer is responsible for monitoring changes in privacy legislation and for reviewing this policy.
10. Further information
For information about privacy generally, or for individuals whose have further privacy concerns not resolved to their satisfaction, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner can be contacted on 1300 363 992 or via www.oaic.gov.au.
Breast Cancer Network Australia
ABN 16 087 937 531
Last updated 21 March 2016
