Your Privacy
DEBRA Australia is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of our families, supporters and other stakeholders.
DEBRA Australia supports and is bound by the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988. Our Privacy Policies contain information about how we collect and handle personal information. The policies also contain information on what to do if you have questions, concerns or complaints.
Our commitment to your privacy and confidentiality
We are committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of everyone who participates in our programs and activities.
DEBRA Australia supports and is bound by the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988. This Privacy Policy contains information about how we collect and handle your personal information. It also has information on what to do if you have questions, concerns or complaints.
What information do we collect?
We only collect information about our families that is necessary for our work and helps us to provide the support our families need. Some examples of information that we may collect and hold are:
- Personal details, like name and date of birth
- Address and contact details
- Details about family situation
- Information on whether you meet eligibility criteria for our programs
- Information to help us measure your progress
How do we collect information?
The main way we collect personal information about you is when you give it to us, for example, when you complete an application form or give information to a DEBRA team member. We may also collect information from other sources, for example, your school or other agencies. We will always get your consent to collect your sensitive information, such as information about your health or ethnic origin.
If consent is required and the information is about a child under 18 years of age who is not living independently, we will obtain the consent of a parent or guardian.
At all times, it is up to you how much information you would like to provide to DEBRA Australia. Please be aware though that if you do not provide the information we request, you may not be able to participate in particular programs or activities or receive assistance tailored to your needs.
How do we use your information?
We use your personal information, which may include sensitive information, to assess your eligibility to participate in our programs and activities and to help us provide you with assistance and support tailored to your needs.
We may also use your information for research, to assess the effectiveness of our programs and to plan for future activities.
How do we store your information?
DEBRA Australia takes the security and confidentiality of your information very seriously.
We actively ensure that all personal information we hold is protected from misuse, interference and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. This is done through internal data protection and electronic data transmission procedures, and all communications made online through our websites are secure.
Our team members are trained in relation to privacy, and police checks are conducted for anyone who has a sensitive role within DEBRA Australia. Where information is held that is no longer needed, we will take reasonable steps to ensure the information is destroyed or de-identified.
When do we disclose your information to others?
In some cases, we may disclose your personal information to researchers, contractors or others working directly on our behalf who are also bound by privacy laws and confidentiality obligations.
In order to provide you with assistance tailored to your needs, unless you tell us otherwise we may also share your information with and seek it from our program partner organisations, your school and education authorities.
We will always get your consent to use and disclose your personal information for research (where your information is usually de-identified) or in any publicity or marketing activities.
DEBRA Australia will not otherwise disclose your personal information without your consent, unless we are required or authorised under law to do so.
How can you access and correct your information?
We will always endeavour to ensure that the information collected is accurate. You can update or correct the information we have collected or let us know your preferences for how we communicate with you, by calling (07)46937003 or emailing privacy@debra.org.au
What to do if you have a query or complaint?
If you have a query or complaint about how we manage your personal information or would like to know more, please call us on (07)46937003 or emailing privacy@debra.org.au
If you have made a complaint, DEBRA Australia will acknowledge that your complaint has been received, provide you with our contact details and advise you when we can provide a response to your complaint.
For further information email privacy@debra.org.au
Our commitment to your privacy and confidentiality
DEBRA Australia is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of our supporters. DEBRA Australia supports and is bound by the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988, the Australian Privacy Principles and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002. These privacy policies contain information about how we collect and handle personal information. It also contains information on what to do if you have questions, concerns or complaints.
How we collect and use supporter information
We only collect personal information from our supporters that is necessary for our work and helps us engage with you. We use your information to manage your support, process your donation and to respond to your comments and questions. We may also use your information for research purposes, and to keep you up to date with our initiatives that we think may interest you.
The main way we collect personal information about you is when you give it to us, for example, when you complete a donation form. We may also collect personal information from other sources, for example by obtaining details for potential future supporters from like-minded organisations or other third party suppliers.
At all times it is your choice on how much information you would like to provide in your support of DEBRA Australia, and you can change or access these details at any time. Please be aware though that if you do not provide all the information we request, we may not be able to manage your support, process your donation or respond to your queries.
Below are some examples of information that we may collect and hold:
- Personal details, like name and date of birth
- Address and contact details
- Payment information for donations
- Information about any previous interactions you may have had with DEBRA Australia.
How we hold supporter information
DEBRA Australia takes the security and confidentiality of your personal details very seriously. We actively seek to ensure that all personal information we collect is protected from misuse, interference and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. This is done through internal data protection and electronic data transmission procedures, and all donations and communications made online via our websites are secure.
Disclosure of supporter information
Personal information is sometimes supplied to, or collected by, contractors who perform tasks on our behalf (for example research agencies, tele-services bureaus and mailing houses that send our appeal letters). In limited circumstances we may need to disclose information to contractors based in a country other than Australia in order to process the data that we collect. We have put in place controls to ensure the security of our data whether it be stored domestically or internationally.
Occasionally we may share your contact details with other charitable organisations who may contact you with information that might be of interest to you. Those organisations allow us to do the same and this way we can reach more people with information about DEBRA Australia.
Where personal information is held that is no longer needed, we will take reasonable steps to ensure the information is destroyed or de-identified.
Accessing or correcting your personal information
We will always endeavour to ensure that the information collected is accurate. You can update or correct the information we have collected or let us know your preferences for how we communicate with you by calling (07) 46937003 or email privacy@debra.org.au.
Lodging a query or complaint
If you have a query or complaint about how we manage your personal information or would like to know more, please call us on (07)46937003 or email privacy@debra.org.au.
If you have made a complaint, DEBRA Australia will acknowledge that your complaint has been received, provide you with our contact details and give you an estimate of when we can provide a response to your complaint.