Policy last updated: May 2024
Purpose and nature
We at the Australian Jewish Fertility Network (ACN 630127067) (AJFN,or the Company, or we / us) recognise the importance of your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we intend to collect, store, use, disclose, protect and otherwise handle your personal information having regard to the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act).
This Privacy Policy does not constitute a contractual representation, promise, guarantee or warranty by AJFN to you as to the manner in which AJFN will or may collect, store, use, disclose, protect or otherwise handle your personal information. Some matters are beyond our control, such as third party malicious or criminal attacks.
What is personal information?
Personal information is information or an opinion about you from which you can be reasonably identified.
Why do we collect personal information?
We collect personal information for the primary purpose of providing, administering, improving and personalising our services which includes providing emotional and financial support to individuals or families experiencing fertility-related challenges. We also collect your personal information so that we can send you information, invitations and other notices, request and process donations, and undertake marketing. We may also use your personal information for secondary purposes closely related to these primary purposes. If we do not collect your personal information, we may not be able to provide you with these services.
What personal information do we collect?
The types of personal information collected by us include:
- names;
- contact details (including address, email address, telephone number(s) and other contact details);
- dates of birth;
- tax returns;
- banking details;
- health information and records;
- gender;
- marital status;
- religion; and
- other information you provide to us.
- Sensitive Information
The personal information collected by us may include sensitive information, which is defined in the Privacy Act as information or an opinion about such things as an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of a political association, religious or philosophical beliefs, membership of a trade union or other professional body, criminal record or health information. We will only use sensitive information:
- for the primary purpose for which it was obtained;
- for a secondary purpose that is directly related to the primary purpose;
- with your consent; or
- where required or authorised by law.
- How do we collect your personal information?
We will collect personal information only by lawful and fair means and not in an unreasonably intrusive manner. When you provide us with personal information you consent to the use, disclosure and handling of your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and any subsequent amendments (see the section below entitled ‘Changes to our privacy policy and information handling practices’).
Collecting information from you
If it is reasonable and practical to do so, we will collect personal information directly from you.
Depending on how you choose to interact with us, we may collect your personal information when you contact, or are contacted by, us or our service providers by telephone, by email, through our website and through social media or when you complete a form or document and provide it to AJFN.
Collecting information from third parties
We may also collect information about you from other people (e.g. a third party administrator) or independent sources. However, we will only do so where it is not reasonable and practicable to collect the information from you directly. Where we have collected your information from a third party, such personal information will be held, used and disclosed by us in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
Collecting information from visits to our website
We may also collect information based on how you use the AJFN website, including through ‘cookies’, web beacons and other similar technologies.
Cookies are small text files that are transferred to your computer’s hard drive through your web browser to enable AJFN’s systems to recognise your browser and record non-personal information such as the date, time or duration of your visit and the pages accessed, for website administration, statistical and maintenance purposes (Cookie Information).
We use cookies to provide you with a more consistent experience across our services. No attempt is made by us to use Cookie Information to personally identify you. However, if Cookie Information is linked with personal information as set out above, this Cookie Information becomes personal information and will be treated in the same manner as the personal information to which it has been linked.
You can remove or reject cookies by adjusting the settings on your web browser. Please note that some parts of the AJFN website may not function fully for users that disable cookies.
Unsolicited information
If we receive personal information that we have not requested and determine that the personal information received is not reasonably necessary to provide our services, we will take all lawful and reasonable steps (if any) to de-identify or destroy that personal information.
Anonymity
Where possible and practical, we will allow you to interact with us anonymously or using a pseudonym. For example, if you contact us with a general question we will not ask for your name unless we need it to adequately handle your question.
However, in order to provide most of our services to you, we will need your name and contact information.
How do we hold your personal information?
The security of your personal information is important to us. Accordingly, we take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. These steps include the implementation of the following safeguards:
- password protection on any computers that hold personal information;
- undertaking staff and volunteer training in relation to confidentiality and protection of personal information;
- establishing internal systems and processes relating to how staff handle and disclose information; and
- establishing a plan outlining steps to be taken in the event that information held by AJFN is misused, lost, interfered with or accessed or disclosed without authorisation.
We will take reasonable steps to permanently de-identify or responsibly destroy personal information if it is no longer needed for the purpose for which the information was used or disclosed.
Security breach procedures
Our data security practices have been adopted with a view to protecting the data held by AJFN. Notwithstanding this, individuals should be aware that there are inherent risks associated with the transmission of data over the internet and other mediums. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee any transmission will be completely secure.
How do we use your personal information?
We may hold, use or disclose your personal information so that we can provide our services to you, this may involve us liaising with your healthcare professionals, paying your fertility specialists and/or connecting you with volunteers to provide you with emotional support and provide any additional services or assistance that you request.
We may also hold, use or disclose your personal information to:
- consider any concern or complaint that you raise against AJFN or to manage any legal action between you and AJFN;
- prevent or investigate any actual or suspected fraud, unlawful activity or misconduct; or
- comply with any relevant laws, regulations, codes of practice and court orders.
- Direct marketing
We may also use your personal information to identify and promote products or services that may be of interest to you.
At any time you may opt out of receiving direct marketing communications from us. To do so, you may use the opt out link within an email we send you, or contact our CEO using the contact details set out at the base of this Privacy Policy. Unless and until you opt out, your consent to receive direct marketing communications from us and to the handling of your personal information for this purpose will continue.
How is personal information disclosed to others?
We do not sell, rent or trade personal information to, or with third parties.
We may disclose your personal information to third parties in limited circumstances, including in connection with liaising with your healthcare professionals, paying your fertility specialists, arranging in-kind fertility services for you from fertility specialists and/or connecting you with volunteers to provide you with emotional support.
The AJFN website may contain certain links to other websites. AJFN does not share your personal information with those websites and it is not responsible for the privacy practices applying in respect of those websites.
Cross-border disclosure
We may transfer your personal information to an entity which is in a foreign country to assist us in providing our products and services. For example, your personal information may be provided to current or potential contracted overseas services providers or partners where the provision of our products or services requires the transfer of the information. Such foreign countries may include South Africa, the US, the UK and countries in the EU.
We will take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to ensure that the information that is transferred to third parties located outside of Australia will not be held, used or disclosed by the recipient of the information in a manner that is inconsistent with the APPs.
How you may access or correct your personal information
You may contact us to request access to the personal information AJFN holds about you at any time. You may also ask us to correct information about you that you may believe is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.
Please contact us using the contact details set out at the base of this Privacy Policy. We will need to verify your identity before giving you access to, or correcting, your personal information. We will respond to the request within a reasonable period after the request is made. There is no charge to make a request, however we may charge a reasonable fee to cover the administrative costs of retrieving your personal information.
In certain circumstances, we may refuse, or be unable, to correct or provide you with access to your personal information. In these circumstances, we will write to you to explain the reasons why this is the case.
How you may complain if you have concerns about how we have managed your personal information
If you have a complaint related to how we have managed your personal information, please contact us using the contact details set out in clause 11. We may ask you to place your concerns in writing so that we can fully understand and investigate your complaint.
We will provide you with an estimated response timeframe in relation to your complaint. In any event, we will endeavour to respond to your complaint with 30 days.
If a complaint remains unresolved, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au to have the complaint heard and determined.
How to contact us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or AJFN’s management of your personal information, please contact us on:
Attention: Justine Saidman, CEO
Tel: 02 7906 8366
Email: [email protected]
Mail: Suite 1, Level 4, 2 Grosvenor Street, Bondi Junction, New South Wales, 2022
Changes to our privacy policy and information handling practices
This Privacy Policy is subject to change at any time so we encourage you to review this Privacy Policy at regular intervals. If we changes this Privacy Policy an updated version will be posted on AJFN’s website to notify you of this change. By continuing to use AJFN’s services after that time you will be deemed to have accepted any changes to our Privacy Policy.