We are committed to complying with the obligations of the Privacy Act and with the National Privacy Principles contained in that Act in the course of all our activities that involve the collection, use, disclosure and handling of personal information.

This statement sets out Burnet Institute’s privacy policy.

Please note that we may review and update this statement from time to time to allow for any changes to our operations, and to ensure this statement remains relevant as laws and technology change. All personal information that we hold will be subject to our most recent privacy statement as posted on Burnet Institute’s website.

What information is collected?

Burnet Institute will only collect personal information that is necessary for one or more of its functions or activities. The purposes for which we collect information include:

• undertaking medical research
• researching, planning, developing, monitoring, improving and marketing our projects, services, activities, events and initiatives communicating with our supporters
• receiving donations
• facilitating your participation in activities and events that we organise
• obtaining your consent to participate in activities and events organised by us
• internal management and reporting requirements.

Please note that unless you choose otherwise, you do not have to provide any personal information to us. However, if you choose not to provide information requested by us, we may not be able to communicate with you, receive your donations, or be able to allow your participation in activities that we organise.

Personal information about you that we may collect includes:

• contact information (name, address, email)
• date of birth
• your Burnet Institute supporter number
• credit card numbers
• health information (as discussed below).

Sensitive Information

Sometimes, the personal information that Burnet Institute collects about you is also sensitive information. Sensitive information that we may collect about you includes health information. In the course of medical research, we may ask you for details of your medical history.

When you participate in an activity or event that we organise, we may ask you to provide details of any significant medical conditions you may have. At the time of collecting sensitive information about you, we will inform you that the personal information being collected includes sensitive information.

By providing to us details of significant medical conditions from which you suffer, or your medical history or other health information, you are consenting to our collection of that information.

How information is collected

Burnet Institute will only collect personal information by lawful and fair means and not in an unreasonably intrusive way. We collect personal information from you in various ways, including:

• when you register your details with us
• when you update your details
• when you provide a product or service to Burnet Institute
• when you complete a survey or questionnaire, or participate in activities and events that we organise
• when you participate in research programs that we organise and conduct
• when you communicate with Burnet Institute by email, telephone or in writing (e.g. communicating with customer service or providing feedback to us).

Where it is reasonable and practicable to do so, we will only collect personal information about you directly from you. However, we may sometimes collect personal information from a third party. For example, your contact information may be provided to us by a third party if that third party is registering a group as participants in an activity that we have organised.

How information is used

Information about you is collected to ensure that we can:

-process donations – provide receipts – engage in medical research – send information about Burnet Institute to you – get in touch with our supporters.

In the case of donations in our annual report (and from time to time in other Burnet Institute publications and on our website) we publish a list of donors. In our annual report we do that in alphabetical order by surname and under categories specified by the amount of the donation.

In addition to these primary purposes for which the information is collected, your personal information may also be used for secondary purposes that are related to these primary purposes.

Your personal information may also be used by Burnet Institute for the purpose of marketing our business functions and activities to you. You may advise us if you do not wish to receive marketing offers or materials.

Disclosure

Burnet Institute will not share your personal information, including any sensitive information, unless you consent to such disclosure or as is permitted under the Privacy Act. Where disclosure of your health information is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to your life or health, we may disclose your health information to health care professionals.

Burnet Institute uses external suppliers to help with mailing information to you. These suppliers are required to sign an agreement to keep your personal information confidential. We may also disclose your personal information to credit providers and credit reporting and fraud checking organisations where we are legally required to do so.

Your personal information will not be transferred outside Australia unless you consent to such a transfer and Burnet Institute is satisfied that, in the handling of your personal information, the recipient of the information will uphold principles of a same standard as the National Privacy Principles.<

Website links

Burnet Institute’s website contains links to other sites. Other sites may also have links to our site. In either case, we are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or business practices of any website or company except our own. We do not use internet cookies to collect information.

Data security

Burnet Institute takes reasonable steps to protect the personal information it holds from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. The various means by which we protect your information include firewalls, secure servers and encryption of credit card transactions We will also take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify personal information that we no longer need for any purpose for which it was collected.

Giving you control: updating and access to personal information

You have the right to request access to the personal information Burnet Institute holds about you. However, we may charge a fee to cover the costs of meeting your request. We aim to ensure that all personal information that we hold is accurate, complete and up-to-date. Please advise us if you become aware that any information that we hold about you is inaccurate or incomplete.

If you want to change any information that you have previously given us, if you want to opt out of future communications, or if you do not want your donation details to be published by us, or if you would like to access the information we hold about you, you can:

• email a request to our Privacy Officer, Paul Rathbone at info@burnet.edu.au
• call us on +61 3 9282 2135
• mail a request to the following postal address:

  Burnet Institute 
  Privacy Issues
  GPO Box 2284
  Melbourne VIC 3004, Australia
  

When contacting us to change your details, please include the following information:

• your contact details (name, postal address, telephone number)
• your Burnet Institute supporter number (if you have one).

If you believe Burnet Institute has breached your right to privacy, you may make a written complaint providing full details, also to the Institute’s Privacy Officer.