Privacy 

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) recognises the importance of protecting the privacy and the rights of individuals in relation to their personal information. This document is our privacy policy and it tells you how we collect and manage your personal information.

We respect your rights to privacy under the Privacy Act 1988 and the Information Privacy Act 2000 (Vic) and we comply with all of the Acts and Victorian State requirements in regards to the collection, management and disclosure of your personal information.

What is your personal information?

In general terms, it is any information that can be used to personally identify you. This may include your name, address, telephone number, email address, and profession or occupation. If the information we collect personally identifies you or you are reasonably identifiable from it, the information will be considered personal information.

What personal information do we collect and hold?

We collect personal information about individuals including people seeking asylum and refugees, supporters, volunteers, donors, employees, contractors, job applicants and other people with whom ASRC or a third party has contact with in connection with ASRC’s activities.The type of information we collect and hold varies depending on the purpose for which it is collected. We may collect the following types of personal information from you as a supporter, donor, philanthropic trust, employee, volunteer and client of our services:

  • Name;

  • Mailing or street address;

  • Email address;

  • Telephone number (including emergency contact details);

  • Facsimile number;

  • Age or date of birth (DOB);

  • Occupation, profession or job title;

  • Personal and specific information that is information about your circumstances that is provided to our service programs such as legal, social, aid and education and claim for refugee status;

  • Any additional and necessary information to enable us to perform our function under our Constitution

Under certain circumstances such as making a donation, you do not have to provide us with your personal information and can do so with anonymity. However if you do not provide us with your personal information, it will be difficult for us to contact you. Without your personal information, we may not, for example, be able to issue you with a receipt, offer you employment, or provide you with more information about our work.

What is sensitive information?

Sensitive information’ is defined in the Privacy Act to mean information or an opinion about an individual’s

  • racial or ethnic origin;

  • political opinions;

  • membership of a political association;

  • religious beliefs or affiliations;

  • philosophical beliefs;

  • membership of a professional or trade association;

  • membership of a trade union;

  • sexual preferences or practices; or

  • criminal record

Sensitive information’ also includes health information and genetic information about an individual that is not otherwise health information.

What is sensitive could we collect and hold?

We may, under certain circumstances, collect and hold sensitive information. In the course of your engagement with us, we might collect information about your circumstances and claim for refugee status; that is provided to our service programs such as legal, casework, food and material aid and education. Any additional and necessary information that you provide to us to enables us to perform our function under our Constitution.

In any event we will only collect sensitive information directly from you and with your consent, or as otherwise authorised by law.

How do we collect and keep safe your personal information and sensitive information?

We collect personal information you provide to us directly, for example, in person, over the phone, by email, via our website or by completing any of our online or hard copy forms, applications, surveys or petitions.

We may also collect or update your personal information through the use of commercial service providers who, for example, might conduct fundraising activities on our behalf or commercial providers for contact address validation and updates.

We may also collect your personal information from publicly available sources or third parties (including social media and via the use of cookies on our website). We will only collect personal information by lawful and fair means, and when possible we will collect personal information from your directly. If it is not reasonable or practicable to collect it directly from you, we will take (reasonable) steps to make you aware that your information has been collected.

How do we collect and keep safe any sensitive information?

When required by law or to deliver our core services we may collect sensitive information. Sensitive information is subject to a higher level of privacy protection than other ‘personal information’.

We will collect sensitive information only as required and only with consent, except in specified circumstances.

For what purpose do we collect, hold, use, and disclose personal information?

We collect, hold, use and disclose personal information about you so that we can perform our functions as a not-for-profit organisation and provide you with the best possible services and outcome. Your personal information will be used for the purposes for which it was given or collected; or a related secondary purposes; or with the prior consent of the person.

We collect, hold and use your personal information for the following purposes:

  • to keep in contact with you as a supporter of the ASRC and offer you opportunities to get involved with our work and support our programs and services;

  • to manage our fundraising, marketing, sponsorship, partnership and philanthropic trust relationships and/ activities and fulfill any associate taxation record- keeping requirement;

  • to process financial transactions;

  • to access your particular needs as an asylum seeker and to provide you with the relevant assistance and care through our various services and programs;

  • to facilitate and manage your employment relationship or volunteer arrangement with the ASRC.

What do you need to know when using our website?

When you visit our website, we may collect and store your computer’s assigned IP address, the date and time of your visit, the information accessed and the referring page. We will also collect other non-identifying data for statistical purposes. This information is not linked to your personal information unless required by law.

Like many websites, from time to time our website may use cookies, tracking pixels and related technologies. Cookies are small data files that are served by our platform and stored on your device. We use cookies dropped by us or third parties for a variety of purposes including to operate and personalize the website. Also, cookies may also be used to track how you use the site to target ads to you on other websites.

Cookies may also be used to record non-personal information such as the date, time or duration of your visit, or the pages accessed, for website administration, statistical and maintenance purposes. Any such information will be aggregated and not linked to particular individuals unless required by law.

You have the ability to accept or decline cookies by modifying the settings in your browser.

Please note that some parts of the website may not function fully for users that disallow cookies.

Use of personal information for direct marketing.

Direct marketing

Direct marketing is the promotion of ASRC goods and services or campaigns, or a request for funding or support directly to you including through emails, SMS, phone calls and mail. We will only contact you via direct marketing if you would reasonably expect to receive such contact, for example if you have supported our work before either financially with a donation or provided non financial support by signing a petition or signing up to our emails, or if you have consented to that particular direct marketing activity. We will always provide a simple means for you to request not to receive any direct marketing approach or material (‘opting out’).

We will under no circumstances use your sensitive information for the purposes of direct marketing unless you have given us prior consent.

Opting out

You can opt out of receiving marketing communications from us by:

  • advising us if you receive a marketing call that you no longer wish to receive these calls;using the unsubscribe facility that we include in our electronic messages (such as email and SMS) to opt out of receiving those messages, or

  • contacting us by email at privacy@asrc.org.au, by phone on 1300 692 772 or by sending a letter to Privacy Officer, ASRC, 214-218 Nicholson St Footscray VIC 3011

To whom may we disclose your personal and sensitive information?

The ASRC will not sell or share your personal or sensitive information with any other charity for commercial purposes.

The ASRC will also not share your personal or sensitive information with other organisations or businesses other than in the course of conducting ASRC business such as a mail-houses to facilitate the delivery of mail or when it is necessary to carry out our functions or provide our services and programs (such as information technology service providers, legal service providers, and other community service providers etc).

These external service providers are strictly prohibited from using your personal and sensitive information for any purpose other than for the purpose for which you disclosed the information to us.

To any organisation for any authorised purpose without your express consent.

How can you access and correct your information?

You may request access to any personal information we hold about you at any time by contacting us by email at privacy@asrc.org.au, by phone on 1300 692 772 or by sending a letter to Privacy Officer, ASRC, 214-218 Nicholson St Footscray VIC 3011.

There may be instances where we cannot grant your access to the personal information we hold as it may be exempt under certain legislation such as the Freedom of Information Act or Privacy Act.

If you believe that your personal information we hold about you is incorrect, incomplete or inaccurate, then you may request us to amend it. We will consider if the information requires amendment.

How do we ensure the security of your personal information?

We take reasonable steps to ensure your person information is protected from unauthorized access, misuse, loss, modification, or disclosure. We may hold your information in either electronic or hard copy form. Personal information is destroyed or de-identified when no longer needed.

How can you complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles or other privacy legislation?

We at the ASRC are committed to protecting your privacy and complying with privacy legislation. If you believe that we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles or other privacy legislation, please contact our Privacy Officer with your concerns at privacy@asrc.org.au, by phone on 1300 692 772 or by sending a letter to Privacy Officer, ASRC, 214-218 Nicholson St Footscray VIC 3011.