This statement outlines the Catholic Schools Office (CSO) policy on how the CSO uses and manages personal information provided to or collected by it. The CSO is bound by the National Privacy Principles contained in the Commonwealth Privacy Act. The CSO may, from time to time, review and update this Privacy Policy to take account of new laws and technology, changes to a CSO's operations and practices and to make sure it remains appropriate to the changing CSO environment.
The type of information the CSO collects and holds includes (but is not limited to) personal information, including sensitive information about:
The CSO will generally collect personal information held about an individual by way of forms filled out by parents or pupils, face-to-face meetings and interviews, and telephone calls. On occasions people other than parents and pupils provide personal information.
In some circumstances the CSO may be provided with personal information about an individual from a third party, for example a report provided by a medical professional.
Under the Privacy Act the National Privacy Principles do not apply to an employee record. As a result, this Privacy Policy does not apply to the CSO's treatment of an employee record, where the treatment is directly related to a current or former employment relationship between the Trustees and employee.
The CSO 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 personal information of pupils and parents, the CSO's primary purpose of collection is to enable the CSO to provide for the pupil. The purposes for which the CSO uses personal information of pupils and parents include:
In relation to personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors, the CSO'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 CSO uses personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors include:
The CSO also obtains personal information about volunteers who assist the CSO in its functions or conduct associated activities to enable the CSO and the volunteers to work together.
The Privacy Act allows each CSO, being legally related to each of the other CSOs conducted by the Diocese of Lismore to share personal information with other CSOs conducted by the Diocese. Other Diocesan CSOs may then only use this personal information for the purpose for which it was originally collected by the Diocese. This allows CSOs to transfer information between them, for example, when a pupil transfers from a Diocesan CSO to another CSO conducted by the Diocese.
The CSO may disclose personal information, including sensitive information, held about an individual to:
The CSO will not send personal information about an individual outside Australia without:
In referring to 'sensitive information', the CSO means: information relating to a person's racial or 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.
The CSO's staff are required to respect the confidentiality of pupils and parents personal information and the privacy of individuals. The CSO has in place steps to protect the personal information the CSO holds from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure by use of various methods including locked storage of paper records and pass worded access rights to computerised records.
The CSO 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 CSO by contacting the Director of Schools at any time. The National Privacy Principles require the CSO not to store personal information longer than necessary.
Under the Commonwealth Privacy Act, an individual has the right to obtain access to any personal information which the CSO holds about them and to advise the CSO of any perceived inaccuracy. There are some exceptions to this right set out in the Act. To make a request to access any information the CSO holds about you or your child, please contact the Director of Schools in writing. The CSO may require you to verify your identity and specify what information you require. The CSO may charge a fee to cover the cost of verifying your application and locating, retrieving, reviewing and copying any material requested. If the information sought is extensive, the CSO will advise the likely cost in advance.
If you would like further information about the way the CSO manages the personal information it holds, please contact the Director of Schools.