We understand how important the privacy of your information is to you and we are committed to ensuring the confidentiality of your personal information. 

This Policy Statement explains how we manage and protect your personal information.

Collection

We collect most personal information directly from you. For example, we may collect personal information when you open an account, fill in an application form, deal with us over the telephone, send us a letter, visit our web site or when you have contact with us in person.

The types of personal information we collect and hold will depend on the particular products and services you request from us.

The personal information we collect includes your name, contact details (eg. telephone number, email, postal and residential address), tax file number, date of birth and transactional information about the use of the product or service. Where relevant (for example, in the case of a loan application), we will also collect and hold information about your financial position, place of work, credit history and transaction history. In certain circumstances, we may collect sensitive information such as health details.

There may be occasions when we need to source personal information about you from a third party. For example, we may collect personal information from a credit reporting agency or an insurer of your mortgage (but only if you authorise us to do so).

The only personal information which we collect about you when you use our website is what you tell us about yourself, for example, by completing an online form such as a loan application or by sending us an email.

When you visit our website, our server attaches a small data file known as a "cookie" to your hard drive. A cookie is packet of information that allows the website to identify and interact more effectively with your computer.

When you use our website, we send you a temporary cookie that gives you a unique identification number. A different identification number is sent each time you use our website. Cookies do not identify individual users, although they do identify a user's browser type and your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

To evaluate the effectiveness of our website, we may use third parties to collect statistical data. No personal data will be collected on these occasions.

You can configure your browser to accept all cookies, reject all cookies, or notify you when a cookie is sent. If you configure your browser so that it does not receive cookies some of the functionality of this and other sites will be lost. In particular, the use of on-line services creates the need for us to be able to identify the customer and cookies are used for this purpose. If you disable them the service will not recognise you.

Use and Disclosure

We collect and use your personal information for the primary purpose of:

• opening an account for you;
• assessing an application by you for a product or service;
• providing you with the product or service that you have requested.

We may use or disclose your personal information for purposes related to the main purpose for which we collect it, such as:

• administering, monitoring, evaluating and managing the product or service you have with us;
• internal accounting and administration;
• providing you with information about other products and services offered by us;
• complying with regulatory requirements;
• managing our relationship with you;
• protecting you and the Credit Union from error and fraud.

We may disclose your personal information when we contract out some of our functions to external service providers who conduct specific activities for us such as mail-outs. However, the information remains the property of the Credit Union and the external service provider will be subject to strict confidential and non-disclosure obligations.

If you do not wish to receive direct marketing information from us, you can tell us and we will stop sending you such information.

Furthermore, we may disclose your personal information if, for example:

• you have given us your express or implied consent to disclose the information;
• the disclosure is required by law (such as, under a Court order or subpoena or a law that allows a Government agency, such as the Australian Taxation Office, to demand that we disclose information about your account);
• the disclosure is permitted or authorised by law (such as, under the Privacy Act 1988);
• we need to protect our interest (such as, in legal proceedings to which we are a party);
• the disclosure is required in the public interest (such as, where a crime or fraud had been committed).

We will not disclose names and address to third parties for the purpose of enabling them to direct market their products and services to you.

Security

We will take reasonable precautions and security measures to keep your personal information secure and protect it from loss and misuse and from unauthorised access, modification and disclosure.

Updating your personal information

If we have accurate personal information about you, it enables us to provide the best possible service.

We take reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information is accurate and up-to-date whenever we collect or use it.

If you find that current personal information we hold about you is inaccurate or out-of-date, please contact us immediately and we will correct it.

If we disagree with you about the accuracy, completeness or currency of a record of your personal information held by us, we will if you request us to do so, take reasonable steps to associate with that record, a statement to the effect that you claim this to be the case.

Access to personal information

You can ask us to provide you with access to the personal information we hold about you. If we are able to, we will provide you with access. A fee may apply to such access. In some cases, we are entitled under the National Privacy Principles to refuse to give you access to your personal information. This includes circumstances where giving you access would prejudice negotiations we are having with you, prejudice investigations or unlawful activity or prejudice activities carried out by or for a law enforcement agency.

If we deny your request for access, we will let you know why.

Changes to this Policy Statement

We may change this Policy Statement from time to time, but will remain bound by any legislative requirements.

Further information and complaints

You can also ask us for more information about the way we manage your personal information.  If you have a complaint or would like access to your personal information, please contact:

The Privacy Officer
Nova Credit Union Ltd
45 Hunter St
Newcastle NSW 2300

PO Box 789
Newcastle NSW 2300

Fax No: (02) 4929 4751
Phone No: (02) 4926 1428
Email address: novacu@hunterlink.net.au