Privacy

Abacus - Australian Mutuals
Privacy Policy

Last updated: 1 September 2009

Abacus – Australian Mutuals is committed to protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your personal information.
This Privacy Policy describes how we manage personal information that we may collect, hold, use or disclose for the purposes of our functions and activities.

About Abacus - Australian Mutuals

Abacus – Australian Mutuals ACN 137 780 897 is a company limited by guarantee, and is the industry association for the mutual financial services sector.

Abacus represents Australia’s credit unions, mutual building societies and friendly societies, who are our member organisations.
Abacus was formed to:

(i)      Act as a single voice for mutual financial services providers;
(ii)     Advocate to influence and improve the regulatory and operating environment for its members;
(iii)    Support its members with high quality advice and services; and
(iv)    Facilitate industry events, liaison and education on relevant topics.

Information that we collect and maintain

Personal information that we collect and hold may include your name, title, date of birth, address, other contact information, name of the organisation you work for, workplace location, committee membership, qualifications and information about your opinions, policies, statements and writings.

Why we collect personal information

We only collect, use and maintain personal information that is reasonably necessary for the performance of our legitimate functions and activities.

Generally, we collect use and maintain personal information in order to:

• Enable us to contact our member organisations about matters relating to their membership;
• Ensure that the services we provide and programmes we run are relevant to the needs of our members, including carrying out surveys and other research;
• Represent members and publicise to the community issues of concerns;
• Lobby government agencies and other relevant bodies about matters of concern to our member organisations;
• Identify, understand and respond to policies, ideas and opinions of our members;
• Communicate with our members and other organisations and individuals in the context of our work as an industry representative organisation.

How we collect personal information

We may collect personal information from you directly.  We may also collect personal information from other sources such as oral sources and correspondence and other written material sent to us, as well as information from publicly available sources such as newspapers, electronic media, records or proceedings and public registers.

Disclosure of your personal information

We will use and disclose your personal information for the primary purpose for which it was collected.  We may also use and disclose your personal information for related or ancillary purposes (such as invoicing, sending invitations to seminars and other events, market research, and to improve our service and communications).

We may disclose personal information to:

• Our member organisations;
• Those organisations as required or authorised by law;
• Your representatives, including your legal advisers;
• Our representatives, such as our legal advisers;
• Service providers such as printers and posting services and organisations involved in the provision and maintenance of our business systems and infrastructure; and
• Those organisations where you have given your consent.

We do not disclose personal information we collect to third parties for the purpose of allowing them to direct market their products and services.

Where your personal information is disclosed, we will seek to ensure that the information is held, used or disclosed consistently with the National Privacy Principles and other applicable laws and codes.

Management of your personal information

Abacus stores personal information collected about you securely, having regard to its nature and source.  Information is safeguarded against modification, loss and misuse.  Access is only allowed to those members of our staff and management who are authorised, and then only for the purpose for which it was collected.

Abacus will delete from its records personal information that is no longer required.  We will ensure that deletion of information is carried out securely.

How you can access and amend your personal information

You may request access to your personal information held by Abacus. You may also request that your personal information be up-dated or corrected.

If we hold information about you that you are legally entitled to access, we will provide you with that information on request within a reasonable period of time, if we are able to do so. There are some exceptions to our general obligation to give you access to your personal information held by us—for instance, if it would be unlawful for us to do so, or if your request is frivolous or vexatious, or if the information is relevant to a legal dispute, and in some other circumstances.

Abacus will also take reasonable steps to correct your personal information held by us to ensure that that information is accurate, complete and up-to-date.

You can request access to your personal information, or that your personal information be updated or corrected, by writing to us at the address provided below (see Contact details).

Changes to this policy

If we decide to change this Privacy Policy, we will post our changed policy under Privacy on our website (www.abacus.org.au).

Complaints about privacy

If you believe we have breached your privacy, you may make a complaint to us (see Contact details below).  Abacus will promptly acknowledge and investigate all complaints.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you are entitled to lodge a complaint with the Federal Privacy Commissioner on 1300 363 992 or www.privacy.gov.au.

Contact details

If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy, telephone 02 8035 8421, write to the Privacy Officer, Abacus – Australian Mutuals Limited, GPO Box 4686 Sydney NSW 2001 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Further information about privacy

Further information about privacy law and your rights can be found on the Commonwealth Government Privacy Commissioner’s website (www.privacy.gov.au).