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Privacy Policy

Karumah / Privacy Policy

Your privacy is important 

This statement outlines Karumah’s policy on how Karumah uses and manages personal information provided to or collected by it. 

Karumah is bound by the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Commonwealth Privacy Act and is compliant with the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012. 

The Karumah may, from time to time, review and update this Privacy Policy to take account of new laws and technology, changes to the Karumah’s operations and practices and to make sure it remains appropriate to the changing legal environment. 

What kind of personal information does the Karumah collect and how does the Karumah collect it? 

The type of information the Karumah collects and holds includes (but is not limited to) personal information, including sensitive information, about: 

  • Your current, previous and ongoing health, in particular your HIV status;
  • Your employment and/or financial position, housing or living circumstances, past or ongoing legal issues;
  • Personal relationships; including family, partners and friends.
Personal Information you provide: 

The Karumah will generally collect personal information held about an individual by way of verbal conversation in-person or over the phone, but also via text-based messaging services. You do have the right to seek to deal with us anonymously or using a pseudonym, but in almost every circumstance it will not be practicable for us to deal with you or provide any services to you except for the most general responses to general enquiries, unless you identify yourself. 

Personal Information provided by other people: 

In some circumstances the Karumah may be provided with personal information about an individual from a third party, for example when we receive a referral from a health service.

In relation to employee records: 

Under the Privacy Act the Australian Privacy Principles do not apply to an employee record. As a result, this Privacy Policy does not apply to the Karumah’s treatment of an employee record, where the treatment is directly related to a current or former employment relationship between the Karumah and employee. However, the Karumah must provide access and ensure compliance with the Health Privacy Principles under the Victorian Health Records Act 2001.

How will the Karumah use the personal information you provide? 

The Karumah will use personal information it collects from you for the primary purpose of collection, and for such other secondary purposes that are related to the primary purpose of collection and reasonably expected, or to which you have consented.

In relation to direct marketing, the Karumah will use your personal information for direct marketing where you have provided that information, and you are likely to expect direct marketing: only then you will be sent direct marketing containing an opt out. If we use your personal information obtained from elsewhere we will still send you direct marketing information where you have consented and which will also contain an opt out. We will always obtain your consent to use sensitive information as the basis for any of our direct marketing.

We may use video surveillance for security purposes and the footage will be used only by the Karumah and by the providers of our security services for security purposes. Surveillance videos are not used by the Karumah for other purposes and the footage is not publicly available. Surveillance cameras are not located in any bathrooms or change room facilities.

Job applicants, staff members and contractors:

In relation to personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors, the Karumah’s primary purpose of collection is to assess and (if successful) to engage the applicant, staff member or contractor, as the case may be. 

The purposes for which the Karumah uses personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors include: 

  • in administering the individual’s employment or contract, as the case may be;
  • for insurance purposes;
  • to satisfy the Karumah’s legal obligations, 

Where the Karumah receives unsolicited job applications these will usually be dealt with in accordance with the unsolicited personal information requirements of the Privacy Act.

Volunteers: 

The Karumah also obtains personal information about volunteers who assist the Karumah in its functions or conduct associated activities, such as to enable the Karumah and the volunteers to work together. 

Who might the Karumah disclose personal information to? 

The Karumah may disclose personal information, including sensitive information, held about an individual to: 

  • government departments; 
  • people providing services to Karumah, 
  • services and organisations we are referring you to; and 
  • anyone you authorise the Karumah to disclose information to. 
Sending information overseas: 

The Karumah will not send personal information about an individual outside Australia without: 

  • obtaining the consent of the individual (in some cases this consent will be implied); or 
  • otherwise complying with the Australian Privacy Principles or other applicable privacy legislation. 

We do not use overseas providers of IT services but may use overseas servers and cloud services.

How does the Karumah treat sensitive information? 

In referring to ‘sensitive information’, the Karumah means: 

“information relating to a person’s racial ethnic origin, political opinions, religion, trade union or other professional or trade association membership, sexual preferences or criminal record, that is also personal information; and health information about an individual”.

Sensitive information will be used and disclosed only for the purpose for which it was provided or a directly related secondary purpose, unless you agree otherwise, or the use or disclosure of the sensitive information is allowed by law. 

Management and security of personal information 

The Karumah’s staff are required to respect the confidentiality of personal information and the privacy of individuals. 

The Karumah has in place steps to protect the personal information the  Karumah holds from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification, interference or disclosure by use of various methods including locked storage of paper records and passworded access rights to computerised records. 

Updating personal information 

The Karumah endeavours to ensure that the personal information it holds is accurate, complete and up-to-date. A person may seek to update their personal information held by the Karumah by contacting us at any time.

The Australian Privacy Principles and the Health Privacy Principles require the Karumah not to store personal information longer than necessary. In particular, the Health Privacy Principles impose certain obligations about the length of time health records must be stored. 

You have the right to check what personal information the Karumah holds about you. 

Under the Commonwealth Privacy Act and the Health Records Act, an individual has the right to obtain access to any personal information which the Karumah holds about them and to advise the Karumah of any perceived inaccuracy. There are some exceptions to this right set out in the applicable legislation. To make a request to access any information the Karumah holds about you, please contact the Privacy Officer in writing. 

The Karumah may require you to verify your identity and specify what information you require. No fee will be charged for accessing your personal information or making a correction.

How long will the Karumah keep my information?

Under our destruction and de-identification policies, your personal information that is no longer required will be de-identified or destroyed. 

Enquiries and privacy complaints

If you would like further information about the way the Karumah manages the personal information it holds, please contact the General Manager. If you have any concerns, complaints or you think there has been a breach of privacy, then also please contact the General Manager who will first deal with you usually over the phone. If we then have not dealt satisfactorily with your concerns we will meet with you to discuss further.

If you are not satisfied with our response to your complaint within 30 days from this meeting then you can refer your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner via:

Email:  enquiries@oaic.gov.au

Tel:  1300 363 992

Fax:  +61 2 9284 9666