1.0 Overview

We know that how we collect, use, exchange and protect your information is important to you and we respect and protect the privacy of our customers. This privacy policy tells you how we collect and use information and includes our policy on the handling of credit-related information.

2.0 Context

The Company is bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) upon which this policy is based. We recognise the importance our customers place on their personal information and are committed to protecting our customer’s privacy.

3.0 Purpose

This policy details how the Company will deliver on this commitment.

4.0 Definitions

Company
John Barnes & Co (Qld) Pty Ltd and its related businesses

Personal information
Any information from which your identity is apparent or can be reasonably ascertained.

5.0 Collection of Personal information

5.1 Information we collect from you

The Company will only collect information that is reasonably necessary for one or more of our legitimate functions or activities and will only do so by lawful and fair means. We collect information about you and your interactions with us and collect information in a variety of ways. These include when you:

request a product or service whether by email, telephone or in person
make a credit card purchase
visit our website or mobile applications
apply for an account

If you contact us the information that we collect from you may include identifying information such as name, phone number, email address. Clients have the option of not identifying themselves, however, if you choose not to provide personal information it may be impractical to conduct business with you.

5.2 Sensitive information

The Company will not collect sensitive information without your consent and will only be requested if the information is required for one or more of the Company’s functions or activities or the information is required or authorised by or under an Australian law.

5.3 How your information is held

Personal information we collect is held hardcopy format and/or electronic databases. We take the necessary steps to preserve your personal information from loss, misuse and interference, as well as unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Only people who have a business need to access customer personal information held on our databases or in hardcopy can access this information.

We take steps to ensure that the personal information we hold is accurate, up to date and complete. When no longer required, personal information whether hardcopy or electronic are destroyed/deleted in a secure manner, in accordance with Company’s Records Management Procedure.

5.4 How we use and disclose your personal information

We only use personal information for the purpose for which it is collected. Personal information collected by the Company is, or may be used for:

billing purposes
to maintain your account
to notify you about new products or services that we think may be of interest to you
to manage our relationship with you and provide customer support
to provide you with products, services or information that you have requested
to streamline and personalise your experience while dealing with the Company

Personal information collected by the Company shall not be used or disclosed to anyone else unless:

You consent to it being used or disclosed for another purpose
You would reasonably expect us to use or disclose the information for another purpose and that purpose is related to the purpose for which it was collected
Its use or disclosure is required or authorised by an Australian law or a court or tribunal order
The use or disclosure is reasonably necessary for the purposes of a confidential alternative dispute resolution process such as mediation
The use or disclosure is reasonably necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of a legal or equitable claim.

6.0 Exchange of information

6.1 Third parties

We may exchange your information with third parties where this is permitted by law or for any of the purposes mentioned in Section 5.4. Third parties include:

those to whom we outsource certain functions, for example, subcontractors and debt recovery
claims related providers, such as assessors and investigators, who help us with claims
government and law enforcement agencies or regulators
credit reporting bodies

6.2 Notification of the collection of personal information

When we collect personal information from someone other than the individual, for example, body corporates, real estates, centre managements or other ‘landlords’, we shall notify the individual as soon as practicable.

6.2 Notification of the collection of personal information

6.3 Credit checks and credit reporting

When you apply to us for a credit account we need to know that you are able to meet payments. Upon application for an account the Company may carry out a credit check on your organisation. One of our checks involves obtaining a credit report about you.

The information that we can exchange includes your name, your credit limit, outstanding amounts and whether or not you have met payment obligations and if you have committed a serious credit infringement.

7.0 Accessing, updating and correcting your information

You may request access to personal information about you that we hold subject to some exceptions allowed by law. You may ask us to correct your personal information if you find that it is not accurate, up-to-date or complete. These services are usually free of charge but in some cases there may be a charge to cover the time spent locating, photocopying, and compiling the information you have asked for.

To protect your privacy and the privacy of others, we will need evidence of your identity before we can grant you access to information about you or change it.

We take all reasonable precautions to ensure that the personal information we collect, use and disclose is accurate, complete and up-to-date. However, the accuracy of that information depends on the information that you provide. That is why we recommend that you let us know if there are any errors in your personal information and keep us up-to-date with any changes to your personal information such as name, address, contact details.

8.0 We protect your personal information

To help protect the privacy of data and personal information we collect and hold, we maintain physical, technical and administrative safeguards. We update and test our security technology on an ongoing basis.

We train our employees about the importance of confidentiality and maintaining the privacy and security of your information. Access to your personal information is restricted to employees who need it to provide benefits or services to you.

9.0 Website analytics

To improve your experience on our site, we may use ‘cookies’. Cookies are an industry standard and most major web sites use them. A cookie is a small text file that our site may place on your computer as a tool to remember your preferences. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however, please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of our website.

Our website may contain links to other websites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of these other sites. When you go to other websites from here, we advise you to be aware and read their privacy policy.

Our website also uses interfaces with social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and others. If you choose to “like” or “share” information from this website through these services, you should review the privacy policy of that service. If you are a member of a social media site, the interfaces may allow the social media site to connect your visits to this site with other personal information.

10.0 Making a complaint

You can contact us by email, or send your request or complaint to the postal address below. We undertake to respond within 30 days. If the request or complaint will take longer to resolve, we will provide you with a date by which we expect to respond.

11.0 Contact us about your privacy concerns

Phone
07 3275 8888

Email

Mail
Privacy Officer
John Barnes & Co (Qld) Pty Ltd
PO Box 344
Salisbury QLD 4107

Privacy Policy