Introduction

1. In the course of conducting business in Australia, there are situations in which we collect personal information. This privacy policy has been crafted to ensure the proper handling of such information.

2. Our commitment to complying with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act) regarding all personal information we collect is demonstrated in this policy. The Privacy Act encompasses the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), which dictate the treatment of personal information.

3. This privacy policy also encompasses our approach to managing credit information (see especially section 8 onwards).

Who Does the Privacy Policy Apply To?

4. This policy applies to any individual for whom we currently hold or may collect personal information in the future.

What Information Does the Privacy Policy Apply To?

5. This policy pertains to personal information, which broadly refers to information or opinions related to a specific individual that can be identified. Information that cannot be linked to an identifiable individual is not considered personal information.

How Do We Manage the Personal Information We Collect?

6. We manage the personal information we collect through various means, including:

   • Identifying and addressing privacy risks at all stages of the information lifecycle.
   • Implementing security systems to safeguard personal information from misuse, unauthorized access, and more.
   • Providing regular privacy training to staff.
   • Properly supervising staff who handle personal information.
   • Establishing procedures for reporting privacy breaches and handling complaints.
   • Engaging specialists to ensure secure information storage.
   • Regularly destroying or de-identifying personal information when it is no longer needed.
   • Appointing a designated privacy officer to monitor compliance.
   • Offering individuals the option of not identifying themselves or using pseudonyms in certain situations.

7. We will take appropriate steps to destroy or permanently de-identify personal information that is no longer necessary.

8. In some cases, individuals may use pseudonyms or remain anonymous when dealing with us, though providing personal information is typically required when ordering products or services.

What Kinds of Information Do We Collect and Hold?

9. We may collect and hold various types of personal information, including but not limited to:

   • Sensitive information (as described below).
   • Contact information.
   • Financial information.
   • Date and place of birth.
   • Gender.
   • Employment details and history.
   • Trade qualifications.
   • Details of associated businesses.
   • Marketing preferences.
   • Credit information.
   • Banking and credit card details.
   • Any other information necessary to provide requested products or services.

10. Sensitive information is a subset of personal information and includes data that could have serious consequences for an individual if misused. Sensitive information may include health information and membership in professional or trade associations.

11. We will not collect sensitive information without the individual’s consent, unless permitted under the Privacy Act.

How and When Do We Collect Personal Information?

12. We typically collect personal information directly from individuals. Additionally, we may collect it in other ways, including from government bodies, trade associations, referrals, credit reporting bodies, publicly available sources, third-party providers, and more.

How Do We Hold Personal Information?

13. We store personal information both physically (securely on-site and off-site) and electronically (on secure servers, private clouds, and with third-party data storage providers).

14. Security measures include secure archiving, regular document destruction, strong access controls, unique usernames and passwords, and secure storage of sensitive documents.

Why Do We Collect, Hold, Use, or Disclose Personal Information?

15. We operate a landscaping supply business that serves businesses and consumers in Queensland. We use personal information primarily to provide requested landscaping products and services.

16. Additionally, personal information may be used or disclosed for secondary purposes related to the primary purpose of collection. These purposes may include transaction records, informing individuals of new products or services, marketing, delivery, and credit provision.

17. Personal information may be disclosed to government bodies, service providers, contractors, third parties with consent, and third-party technology providers, as permitted by the Privacy Act.

Will We Disclose Personal Information Outside Australia?

18. We do not disclose personal information outside of Australia.

How Do We Manage Your Credit Information?

What Kinds of Credit Information May We Collect?

19. In the course of providing products or services, we may collect and hold various types of credit information, including identification information, credit history, repayment records, and more.

20. In some cases, we may collect credit information and personal information from credit reporting bodies and other credit providers.

How and When Do We Collect Credit Information?

21. Typically, we collect credit information directly from individuals. We may also collect credit information from government bodies, credit reporting bodies, banks, other individuals, and other suppliers and creditors.

How Do We Store and Hold Credit Information?

22. We store and hold credit information using the same methods outlined in section 5 of this policy.

Why Do We Collect the Credit Information?

23. We collect credit information primarily to provide the requested product or service. It may also be used to process payments, assess credit eligibility, and for other purposes related to landscaping products and services.

Overseas Disclosure of the Credit Information

24. We will not disclose credit information to entities outside Australia unless expressly requested to do so.

How Can I Access My Credit Information, Correct Errors, or Make a Complaint?

25. You can access and correct credit information, or make complaints as outlined in section 9 of this policy.

How Do You Make Complaints and Access and Correct Your Personal Information or Credit Information?

26. It is essential to keep your information up-to-date; please contact us if your personal or credit information changes.

Access to Information and Correcting Personal Information

27. You can request access to and correction of personal information through the provided contact details. Access will be granted as soon as possible, subject to certain circumstances.

28. Access may be denied if the request is unreasonable, could impact another person’s privacy, poses a serious threat to life or health, compromises government or licensing obligations, or for other legal grounds.

29. A reasonable fee may be charged for responding to access requests, and this fee will be disclosed in advance.

30. We will take reasonable steps to correct inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated personal information.

Complaints

31. If you wish to complain about a privacy breach, follow the outlined process, which includes contacting us in writing and, if necessary, escalating the issue to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

Who to Contact

32. For complaints, access, and correction requests, please contact our Privacy Officer using the provided contact details.

Changes to the Policy

33. We may update, modify, or remove this policy without prior notice. Any changes will be published on our website.

Log Files

34. Like many other websites, we use log files that contain information such as IP addresses, browser types, ISPs, date/time stamps, referring/exit pages, and click statistics. This information is used to analyze trends, administer the site, and gather demographic data. It is not linked to personally identifiable information.

Cookies and Web Beacons

35. Our website utilizes cookies to store visitor preferences and record user-specific information. This allows us to customize web content based on browser type and other information sent via browsers. If you wish to disable cookies, you can do so through your browser’s settings