GHA Offices - Homebush

Gift & Homewares Australia - Privacy Statement and Policy

Gift and Homewares Australia (GHA) is covered by the 10 National Privacy Principles, (the NPPs), as set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (amended by the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000).

To comply with our obligations under the NPPs, we have a Privacy Policy that sets out how we manage privacy in our organisation.

Privacy Policy

Gift and Homewares Australia takes its obligations under the Privacy Act seriously and would like to take all reasonable steps in order to comply with the Act and protect the privacy of the personal information that we hold. This policy sets out how we intend to do so.

Gift and Homewares Australia collects and holds personal information including, but not limited to:

• Names
• Dates of birth
• Address
• Occupation
• E-mail address
• Opinions
• Membership of Associations and Professional Bodies

Why we collect Personal Information?

The Association collects, uses and discloses personal information in accordance with our Collection Statement.

Access to your Personal Information

Gift and Homewares Australia provides access to the personal information that we hold about you. Access will be provided in accordance with our Access Policy. If you require access to your personal information please contact our offices.

GHA will make every reasonable effort to ensure that your information is up to date. If you are aware of any errors or out of date information in our files, please let us know so that we can correct this information and ensure that we deliver the best possible service to you.

Australian Gift & Homewares Association Ltd trading as Gift & Homewares Australia (GHA)
ABN:49 061 196 290

Complaints

If you have any complaints about our privacy practices or wish to make a complaint about how your personal information is managed please contact the Association’s Chief Executive. Complaints will be handled under our Privacy Complaints Policy.

Storage

We will take all reasonable steps to protect the security of the personal information that we hold. This includes appropriate measures to protect electronic materials and materials stored and generated in hard copy.

Contract

We do contract out some of our data storage or processing functions. Where we do contract out we take measures to protect the information by ensuring that our contractors are aware of their obligations under the Privacy Act (1998) and that they put in place reasonable measures to prevent the unauthorised disclosure of personal information.

Collection Statement

GHA collects personal information in a number of ways:

* Directly from you, such as when you apply for membership or register for our fairs
* From third parties such as our endorsed suppliers, contracted service providers and members.
* From publicly available sources of information.

Video/Photographic Images

In some cases information we collect will include a video or a photographic image of you. Our cameras located at our fairs collect this. This is collected on a random basis and is done as part of our general promotional strategy. These images may appear in promotional material prepared by the Association.

Use and Disclosure

Depending on the type and source of information we may use it for:

• Promoting our products and services
• Processing payment
• Market or industry research
• Providing reference checks and credit checks
• Verifying your membership status
• Delivering our member benefit program/services
• Promoting member products
• Providing assistance to members and associate members
• Facilitating entry to our fairs, seminars and other events
• Providing industry participants with useful information
• Furthering the interests of the gift and homewares industry
• Pursuing moneys owed to the Association
• Assisting members with debt collection

GHA will usually disclose information to:

• Our insurers
• Our solicitors
• Endorsed/recommended suppliers
• Members
• Businesses operating in the gift and homewares industry at either the retail or wholesale level
• Members of the media making inquiries about products, trends, or the state of the gift and homewares industry;
• Members of the public making inquiries about member products;
• Financial institutions
• Potential employers
• Members of Parliament and their advisers, Government Departments and Agencies as part of our efforts to promote the interests of the industry
• Organisations/Contractors appointed to undertake work on behalf of the Association such as market or industry research, publishing, registrations, shell scheme construction etc.

It should be noted that disclosure would only take place for a relevant purpose. For example, we would make a list of our members available to a publishing company appointed to produce a directory of Members. On the other hand, we would not make available to this company details of an individual who had applied for employment with GHA.

Reed Exhibitions

GHA and Reed Exhibitions have introduced a common access card for entry into each organisation’s gift and homewares fairs. This is designed to simplify visitor access and reduce the amount of paperwork you are required to complete in order to visit these fairs. Under this arrangement GHA will share information from your trade fair registration form with Reed Exhibitions. This will facilitate your entry into their fair and allow them to provide you with information on Reed Gift Fairs.

Legal reasons why we collect the personal information

Some of the information we collect is gathered in order to comply with our legal obligations such as the Export Market Development Grants Act and relevant company legislation.

Competitions

From time to time the Association conducts competitions. The information collected will be used solely for the purpose of the particular competition, unless clearly stated otherwise.

Website

Our website records some information beyond the on-line forms. Whenever a page is requested from our web server, we record the time, date and URL of the request, along with information on the browser software that is being used. The website also uses “cookies”. Cookies are pieces of information that a website can transfer to an individual’s computer hard drive for record keeping. Cookies can make using our website easier by storing information about your preferences. The use of cookies is an industry standard and most major websites use them. Most internet browsers are preset to accept cookies. If you prefer not to receive them, you can adjust your browser to disable them or to warn you when cookies are being used.

Our website also includes links to other websites. GHA does not make any warranties with respect to the privacy of your personal information whilst you are using or browsing these sites.

What happens if you choose not to provide the information

You are not obliged to give us your personal information. However, if you choose not to provide us with the information requested we may not be able to provide you with access to some or all of the products or services that we make available.

Access
You can gain access to the personal information that GHA holds about you. If you wish to do so please refer to our Access Policy.

Overseas

The organisation does not currently send information overseas. If we do so in the future, and the laws of the receiving countries do not have privacy protection laws we will take all reasonable steps to make contractual arrangements that provide for privacy protection of the personal information that we send.

Access Policy

This policy is directed to those individuals whose personal information is held by our organisation.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to set out how the Gift and Homewares Australia will provide you with access to your personal information. The Policy is part of our Privacy Policy and our desire to provide for, maintain and give effect to your right to privacy.

Overriding Principles

At all times the conduct under this Policy will be governed by the following principles:

• All requests for access will be treated seriously
• All requests will be dealt with promptly
• All requests will be dealt with in a confidential manner
• Your request to access your personal information will not effect your existing obligations or effect the commercial arrangements between you and the Association.

Form of Access

Gift and Homewares Australia will provide access by allowing you to inspect, take notes of or receive copies or print outs of the personal information that we hold about you.

You can make your request by writing to the Chief Executive, Gift and Homewares Australia, Locked Bag 103 Silverwater NSW 1811. Facsimile (02) 9746 9955. You can also email us at contact@agha.com.au. You may also contact us by phone, however we may ask for further details from you, to be provided in writing.

To obtain access you will have to provide proof of your identity. This is necessary to ensure that personal information is provided only to the correct individuals and that the privacy of others is not undermined.

When will Access be denied?

Access will be denied if:

• the request does not relate to the personal information of the person making the request;
• providing access would pose a serious and imminent threat to life or health of a person;
• providing access would create an unreasonable impact on the privacy of others;
• the request is frivolous and vexatious;
• the request relates to existing or anticipated legal proceedings
• providing access would prejudice negotiations with the individual making the request;
• access would be unlawful;
• denial of access is authorised or required by law;
• access would prejudice law enforcement activities;
• access discloses a ‘commercially sensitive’ decision making process or information; or
• any other reason that is provided for in the National Privacy Principles (NPPs) set- out under the Privacy Act.

Where possible, the Association will favour providing access. It may do so by providing access to the appropriate parts of the record or by using an appropriate ‘intermediary’.

Where there is a dispute about the right or forms of access these will be dealt with in accordance with our Grievance Policy.

Time

We will take all reasonable steps to provide access within 30 days of your request. In cases where the request is not complicated or does not require access to a large volume of information, we will normally provide information within 14 days.

Costs and charges

Gift and Homewares Australia will recoup the following costs involved in providing information requested:

• Photocopying —$1.10 per page.
• Delivery cost of information stored off-site — where information is stored off-site, the cost of obtaining access to the information will be charged at $25 per record requested.
• Access to electronic databases — providing access to information contained on our internal databases will be charged at the rate of $25 per hour, or part thereof.

Privacy Complaints: How we handle privacy complaints

Introduction

Gift and Homewares Australia sees the importance of privacy to the organisation, its customers and other stakeholders. As such we are committed to protecting the privacy of the personal information that we hold. This is part of our:

1. Legal obligations under the Privacy Act 1988
2. Ethical and business obligations
3. Service to you

We place a high priority on effectively dealing with any complaints dealing about privacy that you may have.

Overriding principles

At all times the conduct under this policy will be governed by the following principles:

1. All complaints will be treated seriously
2. All complaints will be dealt with promptly
3. All complaints will be dealt with in a confidential manner
4. The privacy complaint will not effect your existing obligations or the commercial arrangements that exist between this organisation and you

If you have provided us with personal information you have a right to make a complaint, have it investigated and dealt with under this policy.

What is a privacy complaint?

A privacy complaint relates to any concern or dispute that you have with our privacy practices as it relates to your personal information. This could include matters such as:

1. How personal information is collected
2. How personal information is stored
3. How this information is used or disclosed
4. How access is provided

What do I do if I have a complaint about privacy practices?

If you have a complaint about privacy please contact the Chief Executive. The Association will record details of all complaints, and you may complain orally or in writing.

Grievance procedure

Once the complaint has been made, we can then resolve the matter in a number of ways:

1. Request further information and investigation: We may request further information from you. You should be prepared to give as many details as possible including details of any relevant dates and documentation. This will enable us to investigate the complaint and determine an appropriate and useful solution. All details provided will be kept confidential.

2. The complaint may be investigated: The organisation will try to do so within 4 business days. It may be necessary to contact others in order to proceed with the investigation. This may be necessary in order to progress your complaint.

3. Discuss options: We will discuss options for resolution and if you have suggestions about how the matter might be resolved you should discuss these with us. We may also suggest other solutions or give examples of how the personal information can be revised or stored in a different way.

4. Refer to Board: If your complaint is not resolved initially, it will be referred to the Association’s Board. The Board would be provided with the history and may discuss the complaint with the employees, or other parties that are involved.

5. Resolution: You will be informed of the outcome and the reasons for the decision. If this does not resolve the complaint, the matter will be referred to a mutually agreed intermediary.

6. If after the above steps have been followed and you are still dissatisfied with the outcome you may refer the complaint to the Federal Office of the Privacy Commissioner.

Records

The organisation will keep a record of your complaint and the outcome.

Anonymous complaints

Gift and Homewares Australia is unable to deal with anonymous complaints as we are unable to investigate these properly and follow-up such complaints.

Information

For any further information about this policy please contact the Association’s Chief Executive.