GENERAL PRIVACY & SECURITY STATEMENT
- Introduction
- What personal information do we collect
- How we collect information
- How we use your personal information
- Tax File Numbers
- Disclosure of personal information to third parties
- Access and correction of information we hold about you
- Keeping your personal information up to date
- Resolving your concerns
- Changes to this Privacy Statement
- Contact Details
Introduction
ComSuper is required to comply with the Information Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988 in the collection, storage, use and disclosure of personal information in its possession. There is also other Commonwealth legislation which protects the security of your information.
This Privacy Statement explains in general terms how ComSuper protects the privacy of your personal information under the Information Privacy Principles. This statement will apply to any personal information you provide to us:
- When you send documents or forms to us;
- When you access our website (Website Privacy and Security Statement);
- When you contact us by telephone via our contact centre; and
- At any other time you contact us or provide us with information.
This Privacy Statement also applies to any information about you that is provided to us by your department or agency on your behalf, or your solicitor, accountant, tax agent or any other authorised agent.
You can also obtain further information from the Privacy Commissioner’s website (www.privacy.gov au) or through direct personal contact with that agency.
What Personal Information do we collect?
The types of personal information that we collect will depend on the circumstances of collection and on the type of service we are providing to you.
For example, when you or your former spouse are or were a member of the CSS, PSS, PSSap, MilitarySuper or DFRDB superannuation schemes, we may collect details such as your name, date of birth, address, salary, and other employment details, medical information, tax file number, marital status and previous employment information.
At other times, we may collect information such as salary changes, bank account details, doctor’s reports, and date of death. Information will only be collected from you where it is lawful and fair to do so and where the information collected directly relates to the functions or activities of ComSuper.
How we collect Personal Information
We may collect personal information when you deal with us over the telephone, send us correspondence (whether by letter, fax or email), join the Australian Public Service or Australian Defence Force, change your employment, visit one of our websites or when you have contact with us in person.
As well as collecting information directly from you, there may be occasions when we collect information about you from a third party, such as:
- from your employer acting on your behalf;
- in invalidity cases - from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the Department of Defence and treating doctors;
- in relation to deceased members - from the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages; and
- from market research companies such as ORIMA contracted by us to obtain information so that we may improve and market our products and services.
How we use your Personal Information
We generally collect your personal information to administer our superannuation schemes for the following purposes:
- to maintain and record your contributions to your scheme;
- to allow correct and timely payment of any benefit;
- to allow us to report to you on the status of your benefit;
- to allow correct identification of people who fall into a special class of member, such as recipients of spouse or orphans benefits, or limited benefits members;
- to conduct surveys to evaluate ComSuper’s performance (see further information below);
- to provide information to CSS, PSS and PSSap members about State Super Financial Services (SSFS) which provides financial planning advice (see further information below).
Some of the personal information we collect is essential for us to be able to accurately carry out the service required of us by our members. Other types of personal information we collect helps us to profile the needs of our members and what improvements can be made to our services.
Tax File Numbers
Tax file numbers are only used where permitted by law. Tax file numbers are stored in a way that prevents their access by staff except where required to fulfil the request of a client.
Disclosure of Personal Information to third parties
General Principles
We will disclose your personal information under the following circumstances:
- with your consent;
- when it is reasonably expected that you are aware that the information is usually passed to that person, body or agency;
- to prevent a threat to life or health;
- when authorised or required by law;
- when reasonably necessary to enforce the criminal law or of a law imposing a pecuniary penalty, or for the protection of the public revenue;
State Super Financial Services (SSFS)
State Super Financial Services is an investment of the ARIA Board which allows members to take up the opportunity to access professional responsible financial planning advice.
In order to give members an understanding about the various products being offered by State Super Financial Services, members who have given their consent will be provided with literature from time to time. An “opt out” provision is available to anyone not wishing to receive the literature.
If the member wishes to take advantage of the products available from State Super Financial Services, with the member’s agreement some personal information will be provided to State Super Financial Services in order to comply with such a request. Again a member can at any time “opt out” from receiving information directly from State Super Financial Services.
Family Court Arrangements
Under the Family Law Act 1975 (as amended), ComSuper must provide information about the member’s superannuation interest to assist the parties in negotiating a property settlement. This information may be requested by:
- the member;
- the spouse of the member; or
- a person who intends to enter into a superannuation agreement with the member.
The information provided by ComSuper is used to calculate the value of the member’s superannuation interest.
Before ComSuper will release any information regarding the member’s superannuation interest for Family Law purposes, the member or non-member spouse must lodge a Form 6 application and declaration.
Family Law matters are also covered by the usual Privacy legislation requirements that apply to members. The Family Law legislation also prohibits ComSuper from providing any indication to the member that a request for information has been made by the non-member spouse. Release of the member’s address, including postal address, to the non-member spouse is also prohibited.
Surveys
ComSuper monitors and evaluates its performance against the standards set out in the Service Charters.
To continually improve our service we have commissioned an independent firm, ORIMA, to assess our performance against those standards.
For this purpose your name, address and telephone number may be passed to ORIMA to undertake random surveys.
These surveys may take the form of a telephone survey or a written request for your feedback, should you choose to participate. An “opt out” provision is available to anyone not wishing to participate in a survey. However, your valuable feedback would be appreciated.
The information collected will only be used to evaluate ComSuper’s performance and ORIMA are required to protect all details collected under the provisions of the Privacy Act 1988.
Contractors
We may have to disclose your personal information to third parties, such as to contractors to whom we contract out certain services. For example we currently engage third party contractors to:
- Print and distribute annual statements and pension increase advice letters;
- Provide programming services; and
- Provide internal audit services.
In these and all other situations, we prohibit the third party contractor from using personal information about you except for the specific purpose for which we supply it. Contractors are required to agree to uphold the Information Privacy Principles.
Access to and correction of Personal Information we hold about you
We will, on request, under the Freedom of Information Act 1982, provide you with access to the information we hold about you, including for the purpose of correcting or updating that information.
In most circumstances, no charge will be incurred for releasing your personal information. If we do impose a fee, this will be based on the fees and charges set out in the Freedom of Information Regulations.
Your request to access information will be dealt with in a reasonable time.
If we refuse to provide you with access to information, we will provide you with reasons for the refusal and details of your appeal rights. Requests for the release of information should be sent to the Freedom of Information Officer. Contact details are below.
Keeping your Personal Information up to date
We take reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information is accurate, complete, and up-to-date whenever we collect or use it.
If the personal information we hold about you is inaccurate, incomplete or out-of-date, please contact us and we will take reasonable steps to either correct this information or, if necessary, discuss alternative options with you.
Resolving your Concerns
If you wish to gain access to your personal information, have a complaint about a privacy issue or wish to query how your personal information is collected or used, please forward your request, complaint or query to the address below. We will respond as soon as possible.
Changes to this Privacy Statement
We may amend this Privacy Statement as our business requirements change or as the law changes. Any changes to this Privacy Statement will be updated on this website, so please visit this website periodically to ensure that you have our most current privacy statement.
Contact details
Privacy Officer and Freedom Information Officer
Telephone 02 6272 9081
ComSuper
PO Box 22
Belconnen ACT 2617
| ABN 77 310 752 950 |