ABS Privacy Policy for Statistical Information
ABS Privacy Policy for Statistical Information
We take the security of your personal information seriously. We set strict standards for protecting your privacy, and the security and confidentiality of your information. We secure all our information in accordance with the Protective Security Policy Framework. The cyber security controls for our IT systems comply with the Australian Signals Directorate's (ASD) Information Security Manual. An independent ASD certified security assessor has certified our IT platforms at a very high (protected classification) level. Identifiable information, such as name and address, is deleted when no longer needed in accordance with the Administrative Functions Disposal Authority and our internal records authorities (2001/00000540 and 2007/00105946). We assess the impact of our activities on your individual privacy. These assessments are called Privacy Impact Assessments. They help the ABS design new processes, manage change, and keep your information safe. This includes when we change how your personal information will be handled. Our legislative responsibility Our staff are legally bound to protect your data. It is an offence to reveal any information collected under the Census and Statistics Act 1905. Breaching this requirement can result in heavy penalties, including significant fines and imprisonment. We also comply with all relevant federal legislation including the:
We sometimes use third-party providers to help us collect statistics, such as call centre operators. These third-party providers are legally bound to meet privacy standards and our expectations. They will also have their own privacy policies, processes and security protections which we review to ensure their approach to privacy reflects our own. How we use your personal information We use your personal information only to perform our work under the Census and Statistics Act 1905 and the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975. This can include combining your information with other sources of data to help policy makers and researchers gain a better understanding of Australia. This is known as data integration. This often helps reduce the number of questions you need to answer when completing a survey. We will not share your personal information The ABS will not share any personal information provided for statistical purposes in a way that is likely to identify you, unless:
Accessing and correcting your personal information You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information. We will take all reasonable steps to address your request. In some cases, we won’t be able to provide your personal information as we have:
We are committed to protecting your privacy. We will treat any accidental or unauthorised disclosure of your personal information seriously and respond to it promptly. If you wish to make a complaint, we will take the following steps:
If you are not satisfied with our response to your complaint, you can request a review be undertaken by the ABS Privacy Officer or you may refer your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. Contact us If you would like more information on anything covered in this policy please contact: Email: privacy@abs.gov.au Phone: National Information Referral Service on 1300 135 070. Post: Privacy Officer Policy and Legislation Section Australian Bureau of Statistics Locked Bag 10 Belconnen ACT 2617 Please contact us for a hard copy of this policy. |