Privacy policy
Our privacy commitment to you
In this privacy policy we explain how we collect, store, use and disclose personal information and the steps we take to comply with privacy laws. It also explains how you may access and seek correction of the personal information we hold about you and make privacy related enquiries or complaints. This privacy policy may be updated from time to time if our practices or obligations change.
Application of this privacy policy
This privacy policy applies to personal information we collect about our clients and their nominated contacts and representatives (including trustees, company directors and officers, officers of co-operatives and associations, client’s spouse and dependents) and to other individuals whose personal information we collect or that our clients or their representatives provide to us in the course of our services. It also applies to applicants for positions with us.
In this policy ‘we’ or ‘us’ means Austens Pty Ltd ABN 46 006 468 248.
If you find any links to other websites on our website, this privacy policy does not apply to them. Always check the privacy policy of any website you access.
Types of personal information we may collect about you
We will only ask for personal information that is relevant to our relationship with you and if it is reasonably necessary for one or more of our functions or activities. We may ask you for your:
Name, address, telephone number, email and other contact details.
Date of birth, gender and marital status.
Financial and investment information including shareholdings, debts or debts owed and bank account details.
Government identifiers including your tax file number.
Superannuation and insurance information.
How we collect personal information from you and from others
We will usually collect personal information directly from you. For example, we collect personal information directly from you via documents and materials you provide to us, when you complete a form on our website, when you subscribe to one of our publications, from our conversations with you in person and over the telephone, and from mail and electronic communications with you.
Sometimes we may collect information about you from someone else. For example, from someone acting on your behalf or your representatives (such as financial advisers, accountants, and solicitors), your employer (if they are our client), your insurers or brokers, publicly available sources (such as publications and online profiles), referees, referrers or other intermediaries.
The purposes for which we collect your personal information
We collect retain, use and disclose your personal information to enable us to provide our services, to respond to your inquiries, assess your employment application and to comply with the law.
Some of the purposes for which we use your personal information are to:
Provide professional services to you or to other clients.
Communicate with you, including responding to your inquiries and feedback, keeping you informed of news and events, and sending you publications and other material that we think may be of interest to you.
Develop and provide system and technology solutions for you.
Conduct client satisfaction feedback activities.
Conduct administration activities.
Manage our conflict of interest and independence obligations.
Undertake recruitment activities for us.
To comply with legislative and regulatory requirements including under the Corporations Act, the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (Cth), and taxation and employment laws.
Marketing purposes (see the section below titled ' Marketing our services to you').
Your election
You may decide not to provide us with your personal information we ask for. However if you do so, or if you provide us with personal information that is inaccurate or incomplete, we may not be able to respond adequately to your inquiries or provide you with the services you or our other clients require.
When and to whom we may disclose personal information
Depending on the nature of your relationship with us, for the purposes listed in the section above we may provide your personal information to:
Austens Financial Services Pty Ltd, including its employees.
Our professional advisers and specialist consultants.
Brokers and agents who refer your business to us.
Any person acting on your behalf, such as your financial advisor, solicitor, settlement agent or administrator.
Insurers.
Vendors and other third parties who provide services to us, including data processing, audit and quality review activities, and market research.
Agents who assist us to dispose of property or equipment.
Investors, advisers, and trustees.
Professional associations and organisations.
Industry regulators, government agencies or courts and tribunals.
Your referees (to confirm details about you as part of recruitment activities).
Overseas disclosures
The entities described above to whom we may disclose your personal information may be located overseas. We will take reasonable steps to ensure that these overseas recipients maintain the same protection of your personal information that we do, and that they comply with the requirements of the Australian Privacy Principles.
Disclosure required by law
We may be required to disclose your personal information by law e.g. under Court Orders or Statutory Notices, or under laws relating to sanctions, anti-money laundering or counter terrorism financing, corporations law, taxation and employment.
Marketing our services to you
From time to time we may also use and disclose your personal information to inform you about other services and products we provide which we think may be of interest to you.
If at any time you do not wish to receive direct marketing communications from us you may:
use the opt-out link provided on direct marketing related material,
contact is at info@austens.com.au, or
telephone us.
Accessing and correcting your personal information
We take reasonable steps to make sure that your personal information is accurate, complete and up to date. You may request access to and correction of your personal information by contacting your us by phone or in writing. We will need to verify your identity to deal with your request and we will endeavour to deal with your request within a reasonable timeframe. In some circumstances we may not be able to give you access to all of the personal information we hold about you, as authorised under the Australian Privacy Principles.
If you request us to correct or update any personal information that we hold about you, for example if you think it is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date we will take all reasonable steps to correct the information. If we decide not to correct the information, you can ask us to include with the information a statement that the information is not correct.
If we cannot grant you access to your personal information, or we cannot agree as to correct it, we will confirm our reasons in writing, unless it would be unreasonable to do so. If you do not agree with our decision you may ask us to review the decision via our complaint handling procedures which we will explain to you.
How we handle complaints
If you believe we have not complied with our privacy obligations you can submit a complaint to us in writing by either of the following methods:
Emailing the Privacy Officer at info@austens.com.au.
Mailing the Privacy Officer at Locked Bag 33, Port Melbourne, Vic 3207.
We will respond to your complaint as soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of your written complaint. We will need to verify your identity and we may need to ask you for further information. If you do not agree with our decision or the way we have handled your complaint you can refer your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
How we store your personal information
We hold personal information in both electronic and hardcopy formats. We will take reasonable steps to protect the security of personal information. We have document management and retention policies and processes in place, and we employ physical controls such as swipe card access to our buildings. Our electronic records are protected by a range of security measures, for example, firewalls, passwords, virus scanning software, and data encryption.
Our retention and destruction practices
We retain your personal information while there is a legal or a business need for us to do so. When we no longer require your personal information we will take reasonable steps to destroy it.
How to contact us
You can contact us about this policy by:
Telephoning our office and asking to speak to the Managing Partner or the Privacy Officer.
Emailing the Privacy Officer at info@austens.com.au.
Mailing the Privacy Officer at Locked Bag 33, Port Melbourne, Vic 3207.
Updates to this policy
We will update this policy as required to reflect changes to our privacy practices.
This policy was updated 25 July 2018.