The application of this privacy policy applies only to this website. It is consistent with the Service's privacy policy and applies to all activities of the Service and its programs. This website contains links to other websites which are not part of the Service. This privacy statement does not apply to those websites.

The service’s privacy policy is available from the Executive Officer.

Executive Officer
RFCS VictoriaWest Head Office
PO Box 715
Hamilton VIC 3300
admin@wswrcs.com.au

Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic): Personal information
In this privacy statement the term 'personal information' has the meaning provided in section 3 of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic).

Personal information is information or an opinion that is recorded in any form, whether true or not, about an individual whose identity is apparent or can reasonably be ascertained.

This Act is the legislation that regulates our collection and handling of personal information. Detailed information about the Act is available at the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner.

Collection of personal information
It is intended that this website can be used anonymously. However, for some functions, the collection of personal information is necessary or unavoidable. You will know if the Service is collecting personal information from you because you will be requested to provide it.

There are two exceptions to this:

  1. When someone else provides the Service with your personal information. The Service cannot prevent this. However, you are entitled to access and to correct any personal information about you collected by the Service
  2. When the Service collects website visitation statistics using a web analytics service.

The statistics in No. 2 may qualify as personal information under the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic). However, these statistics are not used to identify individual web users.
For further information regarding this, see web usage measurement (below).

How we collect information
In accordance with our privacy policy, the Service undertakes to treat any personal information provided by you as confidential and only for the purposes indicated. They include but are not limited to the following services:

Surveys
The Service uses both internally built survey software and third-party vendors for the collection, aggregation and analysis of some survey data.

They include, but may not be limited to:

SurveyMonkey Privacy Policy

The information you provide is stored in secure data warehouse in either Australia or the United States and is accessed by the Service in accordance with each privacy policy.

If you do not want your personal information being stored offshore, you can decline to provide this information by not responding to these surveys.

Social media
If you choose to engage with the Service via social network channels including Linkedin, X (was Twitter), YouTube, Instagram or Facebook you should be aware of the following:

  • The Service only collects information that you voluntarily provide via polls, responses, posts, comments, direct messages and tweets.
  • Your social media profile contact details may be used to contact you for feedback or to engage you in conversation. All contact will be made via the channels you choose to participate in.
  • Any information you post on social media sites is potentially accessible to anyone else engaging with the same social media site.
  • Your individual privacy settings for profiles and accounts on social media networks are your responsibility. The Service has no control or jurisdiction over these settings.
  • Each social network has inbuilt privacy settings. We strongly recommend that you regularly check and configure the privacy settings for your profiles and accounts to make sure that you know what information you are making available and to which audience.
  • When you choose to join our social networks or participate in any way, some of your personal information may be made visible to others. For example, if you choose to: ‘Like’ a Service post, tweet, comment or update; share a link; follow on Twitter; tweet a mention or retweet a message; or join a Facebook Group, your activity may be made visible to others within these networks.

Social media accounts managed by the Service include but may not be limited to:



Facebook tracking pixels
In addition to anonymous cookies and clickstream data we also collect identifiable information through the use of Facebook tracking pixels. A tracking pixel is a small transparent graphic image that is placed on a web page. The pixel allows us to collect information regarding the use of the web page that contains the tracking pixel. If you have used Facebook on the same device, we share the tracking pixel data with Facebook and they use the information collected from the page to optimise the advertising you see when using Facebook.

If you are a registered user of Facebook and you do not wish Facebook to track your use of pages on our website in this way, you can opt out by changing your advertisement settings.

Online Forms
The Service may request information through online forms. The Service’s Privacy Policy should be made available on the form prior to completion. If completing a form through a third-party provider it’s advised that you examine their Privacy and Security policies. 

If there is no policy present it is highly recommended you contact the contributing agency or Service directly.
If payment services are supported by third-party vendors the Service will only share your details with them to assist with either:

  • resolution of technical issues
  • detection or prevention of fraud or security issues.

Your information will be stored on secure databases which reside in Australia, and the USA. If you do not want your personal information being stored offshore, please do not submit personal information to us.

Use and disclosure of personal information
If you provide personal information, the Service’s privacy policy will regulate its use and disclosure. However, should the Service’s intended use and disclosure of personal information deviate from the Service’s general policy, a privacy statement particular to the circumstances will be made available at the time of collection.

Personal information that is collected by the Service will be used by, and disclosed to, Service employees or contractors whose duties require them to use it. Such employees and contractors are required to protect and handle your personal information in accordance with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) and any other applicable legislation regulating the collection, use, disclosure, storage and destruction of personal information.

Personal information that is collected by the Service may be compared with data already held to ensure that information is current and accurate.

Access to and correction of personal information
You may request access to any personal information that the Service may have collected about you. Also, you may request correction of your personal information if you can establish that it is not accurate, complete or up-to-date. The Victorian Privacy Commissioner has recommended that the appropriate means to access and correct information held by the Services is pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic).

TheExecutive Officer may be contacted on the details below about access to, and correction of, personal information collected by the Service or for any questions or concerns you may have arising from this privacy statement.

Executive Officer
RFCS VictoriaWest Head Office
PO Box 715
Hamilton VIC 3300
admin@wswrcs.com.au

Internet user risks
The Service does not warrant that the functions contained in the site will be uninterrupted or without error. In addition, the Service shall not be responsible for the propagation of computer worms, viruses or other harmful components transmitted from this site and other third-party sites.

The Service recommends that you ensure that your browser is equipped with updated virus protection software.

Website usage measurement
This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (Google). Google Analytics uses cookies, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyse how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States.

Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, 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 your IP address with any other data held by Google.

You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser — however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

For further information, please visit the Google Privacy Center

Email addresses
Email addresses will only be used to respond to specific user queries and will not be kept or used for any purpose other than stated. Email addresses will not be added to a mailing list or disclosed to any other party without your knowledge or consent.

Cookies
This site uses cookies to make your experience of the site easier and more efficient. A cookie is a small data file placed on your hard drive by the web page server. A cookie cannot retrieve any other data from your hard drive, pass on a computer virus, or capture your email address. Note that the cookie will remain on your computer as a record for future visits to this website.

In using cookies the Service does not record any personal information or collect names or details of commercial transactions. In addition, the Service does not use cookies as the basis for direct marketing.

You can configure your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie, providing you with the opportunity to either accept or reject it. You can also refuse all cookies by turning them off in your browser or deleting all cookies from your computer if required.

Privacy Policy