Privacy Policy & Collection Statement
Lives of Substance is an educational website created by researchers at Curtin University’s National Drug Research Institute (‘we’, ‘us’ or ‘our’). We have implemented this Privacy Policy to provide users of this website with information about how we collect, hold and use Personal Information you provide to us through the Contact Us page on the website, or if you contact us via the contact details listed on the website.
In the context of the Lives of Substance website, the University is not subject to the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) or any State privacy legislation but it nevertheless commits to comply with the Australian Privacy Principles set out in the Privacy Act as if it were a Commonwealth organisation.
Members of the research team are also bound by Curtin University’s general Privacy Statement at http://rim.curtin.edu.au/privacy/. This Privacy Policy supplements our general Privacy Statement and focusses specifically on the Lives of Substance website. To the extent of any inconsistency between the general Privacy Statement and this Privacy Policy, the Privacy Policy will prevail.
In addition, under its Guiding Ethical Principles, members of the Curtin University community are responsible for respecting an individual’s right to privacy. Our researchers, as members of the University community, are therefore required to respect each individual’s right to privacy.
By providing your Personal Information to us through the website, you consent to its use, storage and disclosure in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
We may, from time to time, review and update this Privacy Policy, taking into account, amongst other things, new laws, regulations, practices and technology. All Personal Information collected by us through the website will be governed by our most recent Privacy Policy, posted on our website.
1. What Personal Information do we collect?
1.1. ‘Personal Information’ is information or an opinion, whether true or not, and whether recorded in a material form or not, about an identified individual or an individual who is reasonably identifiable.
1.2. Personal Information collected may include (but is not limited to) your name and email address
2. When and why we collect Personal Information
2.1. We collect your Personal Information to allow us to conduct our organisational functions, to respond to any queries that you submit to us, and for the specified purposes set out in paragraph 4.1.
2.2. We may collect your Personal Information when you:
a) send us a message via the Contact Us page on the website; or
b) contact us by telephone, fax, email, post or in person.
Where we engage with you multiple times over a short period in relation to the same matter, we may not provide you with a separate notice about privacy each time we engage with you.
3. Cookies
3.1. We use digital cookies to remember your preferences and collect online traffic data, which is analysed using Google Analytics. For more information on the use of cookies, please see our web standards page.
4. How is your Personal Information used?
4.1. We use the Personal Information we collect about you for our organisational functions and activities, specifically to communicate with you if and to the extent necessary in response to any message you send us via the website.
4.2. If we wish to use your Personal Information for any other purpose, we will make it known to you at the time we collect or use the information, or as soon as practicable thereafter, and you will have an opportunity to withhold consent to that use.
4.3. We do not otherwise disclose your Personal Information without your permission, unless the disclosure is:
a) in accordance with this Privacy Policy or any agreement you enter into with us; or
b) required or authorised by law, including without limitation the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
5. To whom we disclose your Personal Information
5.1. Your Personal Information will only be disclosed to members of the Lives of Substance research team for purposes associated with the Lives of Substance website.
5.2. Information may be disclosed to third parties in limited circumstances expressly permitted by the Privacy Act. This may include, for example, disclosure to State and Australian Government agencies where required or authorised by law.
5.3. Personal Information may also be disclosed to third parties in some instances where this is necessary for the University to carry out its normal functions and activities. Accordingly, for example, Personal Information may be incidentally handled by IT contractors (including outsourcing providers) or other external service providers engaged by the University.
5.4. Some Personal Information which is handled by a third party may be stored overseas or in the ‘cloud’ environment. This means that the data may, in some circumstances, not be regulated by the Privacy Act and it may be located in a jurisdiction which has less stringent privacy laws than Australia. This will only be permitted where the transfer of data complies with the relevant constraints contained in the Privacy Act relating to overseas data transfers.
6. Accessing and updating your Personal Information
6.1. You have the right to access your Personal Information held by us and also to seek correction of such information if it is inaccurate, misleading, out-of-date or not complete. There may be some legal or administrative reasons that entitle us to deny access. If we refuse your request to access your Personal Information, we will provide you with reasons for the refusal.
6.2. A request for access can be made by contacting our Privacy Officer in any of the ways specified in paragraph 8.
6.3. We take all reasonable steps to ensure that any Personal Information we collect and use is accurate, complete and up-to-date. To assist us in this, you need to provide true, accurate, current and complete information about yourself as requested, and properly update the information provided to us to keep it true, accurate, current and complete. Please contact us in any of the ways specified in paragraph 8 if you believe that the Personal Information is inaccurate or incomplete, and we will use all reasonable efforts to correct the information.
7. Storage and security of Personal Information held by us
7.1. We aim to keep your Personal Information secure. Any Personal Information that is collected via our website or which is held on our computer systems is protected by safeguards including password-protected email accounts.
7.2. If we find that we have no further need for your Personal Information we may remove it from our systems and destroy all record of it.
8. What to do if you have a question, problem or complaint about our use of your Personal Information or this Privacy Policy
8.1. If you have any queries about privacy at Curtin University, or specifically in relation to the National Drug Research Institute, please contact:
Information Disclosure Compliance Officer
Tel: +61 8 9266 1036
Email: foicoordinator@curtin.edu.au
8.2. You may make a complaint about a breach of privacy through the Integrity and Standards Unit (ISU) portal. Please see the ISU portal for details. We will investigate your queries and complaints within a reasonable period of time of receiving the complaint and will notify you of the outcome of our investigation.