Your Privacy is Important
This statement outlines the policy of the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria (CECV) on how the CECV uses and manages personal information provided to or collected by it. The CECV is bound by the National Privacy Principles contained in the Commonwealth Privacy Act.
The CECV may, from time to time, review and update this Privacy Policy to take account of new laws and technology and changes to the CECV's operations and practices, and to make sure it remains appropriate to the changing CECV environment.
Details regarding the latest privacy policies can be accessed by contacting the CECV. Contact details are noted at the conclusion of this policy.
What kind of personal information does the CECV collect and how does the CECV collect it?
The type of information the CECV collects and holds includes (but is not limited to) personal information, including sensitive information, about:
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pupils and parents and/or guardians ('parents') before, during and after the course ofa pupil's enrolment at a Catholic school in Victoria;
teachers in Catholic schools in Victoria;
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job applicants, staff members, volunteers and contractors; and
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other people who come into contact with the CECV.
Personal information you provide
The CECV will generally collect personal information held about an individual by way of forms filled out by them, face-to-face meetings and interviews, and telephone calls.
Personal information provided by other people
In some circumstances the CECV may be provided with personal information about an individual from a third party, for example information provided by a health professional or from another employer or source.
Exception in relation to employee records
Under the Privacy Act, the National Privacy Principles do not apply to an employee record. As a result, this Privacy Policy does not apply to the CECV's treatment of an employee record where the treatment is directly related to a current or former employment relationship between the Commission and employee.
How will the CECV use the personal information you provide?
The CECV will use personal information it collects from you for the primary purpose of collection, and for such other secondary purposes that are related to the primary purpose of collection and reasonably expected, or to which you have consented.
Pupils and parents
In relation to personal information of pupils and parents, the CECV's primary purpose of collection is to enable the CECV to provide educational support.
The purposes for which the CECV uses personal information of pupils and parents include:
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assisting with pupils' educational, social and medical well-being;
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to satisfy the CECV's accountability and legal obligations and allow the CECV to discharge its duty of care.
In some cases where the CECV requests personal information about a pupil or parent, if the information requested is not obtained, the CECV may not be able to provide appropriate assistance.
Teachers
In relation to personal information of teachers in Catholic schools in Victoria, the CECV's primary purposes of collection are:
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the implementation of the Long Service Leave Scheme for employees in Catholic education in Victoria;
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to facilitate transfer and storage of information between employers in Catholic schools in Victoria.
Job applicants, staff members and contractors
In relation to personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors, the CECV's primary purpose of collection is to assess and (if successful) to engage the applicant, staff member or contractor, as the case may be. The purposes for which the CECV uses personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors include:
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administering the individual's employment or contract, as the case may be;
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for insurance purposes;
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to satisfy the CECV's legal obligations, for example, in relation to child protection legislation.
Volunteers
The CECV also obtains personal information about volunteers who assist the CECV in its support functions.
Who might the CECV disclose personal information to?
The CECV may disclose personal information, including sensitive information, held about an individual to:
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a school or another Catholic Education Commission or Office;
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government departments;
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health practitioners;
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people providing services to the CECV;
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anyone you authorise the CECV to disclose information to.
Sending information overseas
The CECV will not send personal information about an individual outside Australia without:
How does the CECV treat sensitive information?
In referring to 'sensitive information', the CECV means: information relating to a person's racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religion, trade union or other professional or trade association membership, sexual preferences or criminal record that is also personal information; and health information about an individual.
Sensitive information will be used and disclosed only for the purpose for which it was provided or a directly related secondary purpose, unless you agree otherwise, or when the use or disclosure of the sensitive information is allowed by law.
Management and security of personal information
The CECV is required to respect the confidentiality of individuals' personal information and the privacy of individuals.
The CECV has in place steps to protect the personal information it holds from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure by use of various methods including locked storage of paper records and security-protected access rights to computerised records.
Updating personal information
The CECV endeavours to ensure that the personal information it holds is accurate, complete and up to date. A person may seek to update his/her personal information held by the CECV by contacting the Executive Director of the CECV at any time.
The National Privacy Principles require the CECV not to store personal information longer than necessary.
You may seek access to the personal information the CECV holds about you
Under the Commonwealth Privacy Act, an individual may seek access to personal information which the CECV holds about him/her. There are some exceptions to this set out in the Act.
To make a request to access any information the CECV holds about you, please contact the Executive Director of the CECV in writing.
The CECV may require you to verify your identity and specify what information you require.
Consent and rights of access to the personal information of pupils
The CECV respects every parent's right to make decisions concerning their child's education.
Generally, the CECV will refer any requests for consent and notices in relation to the personal information of a pupil to the pupil's parents. The CECV will treat consent given by parents as consent given on behalf of the pupil, and notice to parents will act as notice given to the pupil.
Parents may seek access to personal information held by the CECV, about them or their child, by contacting the Executive Director of the CECV. However, there will be occasions when access is denied. Such occasions would include where release of the information would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of others, or where the release may result in a breach of the CECV's duty of care to the pupil.
At its discretion, the CECV may, on the request of a pupil, grant that pupil access to information held by the CECV about him/her, or allow a pupil to give or withhold consent to the use of his/her personal information, independently of his/her parents. This would normally be done only when the maturity of the pupil and/or the pupil's personal circumstances so warranted.
Enquiries
If you would like further information about the way the CECV manages the personal information it holds, please contact:
The Executive Director
Catholic Education Commission of Victoria
James Goold House
228 Victoria Parade
EAST MELBOURNE VIC 3002
Correspondence
PO Box 3
EAST MELBOURNE, VIC 3002
Telephone: (03) 9267 0228
Facsimile: (03) 9415 9325
Email: director@ceo.melb.catholic.edu.au
CECV March 2003