Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Trees For Life Inc (ABN 20 439 529 086) (“we”, “us” and “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy and will endeavour to handle your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles.

Personal information means information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable whether the information or opinion is true or not; and whether the information or opinion is recorded in a material form or not. Examples of the types of personal information that we may collect include your full name, date of birth, gender, address or other contact information, and credit/debit card details.


Trees For Life will:
  • Collect only information which the organisation requires for its primary function;
  • Ensure that stakeholders are informed as to why we collect the information and how we administer the information gathered;
  • Use and disclose personal information only for our primary functions or a directly related purpose, or for another purpose with the person’s consent;
  • Store personal information securely, protecting it from unauthorised access;
  • Provide stakeholders with access to their own information, and the right to seek its correction
  • Provide an avenue for redress / complaints from stakeholders.

 

2. Details
Collection of personal information
  • TFL collects personal information from people who are connected to our operations and activities – including employees, members, donors, sponsors, volunteers, research study participants, participants in campaigns or promotion projects, professionals, suppliers and service providers.
  • Where possible, we will collect your personal information directly from you (in person, on the phone, or online). Our website collects only personal identifying information from visitors which is provided on a voluntary basis.
  • We may also obtain personal information from third parties such as contractors, including fundraising service providers. If we collect personal information about you from a third party and it is unclear that you have consented to the disclosure of your personal information to us, we will take reasonable steps to contact you and ensure that you are aware of the circumstances surrounding the collection and purposes for which we collected your personal information.
  • Where practicable, you will be given the opportunity to engage with us on an anonymous basis, or using a pseudonym.

Why the information is collected

Personal information is collected for a number of purposes, including but not limited to:

  • Marketing and Promotions / Fundraising
  • Volunteering
  • Research
  • Other matters relating to TFL operations, activities and objectives.

Use & disclosure of personal information

Information will only be used or disclosed for the primary purpose for which it was collected or a directly related secondary purpose.
Personal information may be disclosed to others in order to carry out TFL activities, e.g.

  • To external contractors and service providers who perform services on TFL’s behalf or provide a service to TFL, such as mailing houses, information technology service providers, database contractors.
  • For legal reasons, or where disclosure is required to prevent serious and imminent threat to life, health or safety.

Wherever it is necessary to disclose personal information to a third party for a reason not outlined above, TFL will provide a Collection Notice which explains the circumstances in which the personal information is to be disclosed.


Opt-out provisions

Where we use your personal information to send you marketing and promotional information by post, email or telephone, we will provide you with an opportunity to opt-out of receiving such information. By not electing to opt-out, we will assume we have your implied consent to receive similar information and communications in the future. Our opt-out notices are always clear, noticeable and easy to take up.
We continue to be bound by the Do Not Call Register Act 2006 (Cth) when we undertake direct marketing and we comply with the provisions of these Acts.


Storage of personal information

Your personal information may be stored electronically on our customer relationship database or in hard copy at our registered office.
All reasonable steps will be taken to protect your personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure but we are not liable for any unauthorised access or use of that information.
Information stored on our database remains there indefinitely until/unless you advise us you would like it removed, unless we de-identify it, or unless we destroy it in compliance with a legal requirement.


Website use and cookies

The only personally-identifying information collected from visitors to our website is that which is provided to us on a voluntary basis. When you access our website, we may use software embedded in our website and we may place small data files (or cookies) on your computer or other device to collect information about which pages you view and how you reach them, what you do when you visit a page, the length of time you remain on the page, and how we perform in providing content to you.
A cookie does not identify individuals personally, but it does identify computers. You can set your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie and this will provide you with an opportunity to either accept or reject it in each instance.


Payment information

TFL uses Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates which is the industry standard for encrypting credit card and debit card numbers and name and address. This acts to prevent viewing by any third party over the internet.


Access to your personal information

At the request of the person whose information is held, and subject to applicable privacy laws, TFL may provide access to the personal information. However, the type of information requested must be clearly identified and the person’s right to access personal information is not absolute. TFL is not required to grant access in certain circumstances, such as where:

  • Providing access would pose a serious threat to the life, safety or health of any individual, or to public health or public safety
  • Providing access would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of other individuals
  • The request for access is frivolous or vexatious
  • Denying access is required or authorised by a law or a court or tribunal order
  • Providing access would be unlawful, or
  • Providing access would reveal commercially sensitive information (such as that which may prejudice commercial negotiations, legal proceedings, enforcement activities or appropriate action being taken in respect of a suspected unlawful activity or serious misconduct)
  • Other exclusions as provided for or required by the Australian Privacy Principles.

The TFL Privacy Officer is responsible for determining whether or not access is to be granted.
If we refuse to grant you access to your personal information, we will provide you with our reasons for that decision (unless it is unreasonable to do so) as well as information regarding how you might complain about that refusal.


Updating or correcting your personal information

You may ask us to update, correct or delete the personal information we hold about you at any time. We will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before granting access or making any corrections to or deletion of your information. We also have obligations to take reasonable steps to correct personal information we hold when we are satisfied that it is inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading for the purpose for which it is held.
 

Complaints

Queries or complaints relating to TFL’s Privacy Statement, or the manner in which personal information is/was handled, must be marked ‘confidential’ and directed to the TFL Privacy Officer as follows:

Privacy Officer
Trees For Life
GPO Box 165
BROOKLYN PARK SA 5032

The Privacy Act requires that any complaint be made in writing and that a reasonable time is given for TFL to respond.
All efforts will be made to respond to complaints and queries within 30 days of their receipt.
If the complainant is not satisfied with TFL’s response they may then refer the matter to the Commonwealth Privacy Commissioner at:

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
GPO Box 2999
CANBERRA ACT 2601