Privacy Statement
Dementia Inclusive Ballina Alliance Incorporated (DIBA) is committed to providing quality services to the community. This policy outlines our ongoing obligations to you in respect of how we manage your Personal Information, particularly in the context of providing dementia-related support and information.
We have adopted the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). These principles govern how we collect, use, disclose, store, secure and dispose of your Personal Information.
A copy of the Australian Privacy Principles is available from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC): https://www.oaic.gov.au.
What is Personal Information and why do we collect it?
Personal Information is any information or opinion that identifies an individual. Examples of Personal Information we may collect include:
- Names
- Addresses
- Email addresses
- Phone and facsimile numbers
- Health-related information (e.g. dementia diagnosis, cognitive function)
We collect this information in various ways, including:
- Interviews and conversations
- Correspondence via email or our website
- Sign-up forms or registration for events
- Publicly available sources
- From third parties (e.g. carers, support services, health professionals)
We collect Personal Information that is reasonable and necessary for:
- Providing services and information to individuals and carers
- Organising and promoting community events
- Managing communication and engagement
- Evaluating and improving our services
We may also use your Personal Information for closely related secondary purposes, where you would reasonably expect such use (e.g. follow-up support or service reminders). You may unsubscribe from our mailing/marketing lists at any time by contacting us in writing or via email.
Where appropriate, we will explain why we are collecting Personal Information and how we intend to use it.
We always seek express consent before collecting and using photographs.
Sensitive Information
Sensitive Information, as defined under the Privacy Act, includes:
- Health information (e.g. dementia status)
- Racial or ethnic origin
- Religious or philosophical beliefs
- Membership of professional bodies
- Criminal record
We only collect sensitive information:
- With your consent
- Where required by law
- When necessary for the primary purpose of service provision
- For directly related secondary purposes you would reasonably expect
We take additional steps to store and manage sensitive information securely.
Third Parties
Where reasonable and practicable, we collect Personal Information directly from you. In some cases, we may receive your information from third parties such as health professionals or carers.
In these cases, we will take reasonable steps to notify you or ensure you are aware that we have received your information and how we intend to use it.
Disclosure of Personal Information
Your Personal Information may be disclosed in certain circumstances including the following:
- To provide services
- To respond to enquiries
- To send information about DIBA events and community opportunities
- To third parties with your consent
- Where required or authorised by law
We do not sell or trade your information. We may use secure third-party platforms (e.g., email systems, cloud storage) that comply with Australian privacy standards.
Security of Personal Information
Your Personal Information including any data collected is stored securely in a manner that reasonably protects it from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
When your Personal Information is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was obtained, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify your Personal Information. However, most of the Personal Information is or will be stored in client files which will be kept by us for a minimum of 7 years.
Access to your Personal Information
You may access the Personal Information we hold about you and to update and/or correct it, subject to certain exceptions. If you wish to access your Personal Information, please contact us in writing.
The Dementia Inclusive Ballina Alliance INC will not charge any fee for your access request but may charge an administrative fee for providing a copy of your Personal Information.
In order to protect your Personal Information we may require identification from you before releasing the requested information.
Maintaining the Quality of your Personal Information
It is an important to us that your Personal Information is up to date. We will take reasonable steps to make sure that your Personal Information is accurate, complete and up-to-date. If you find that the information we have is not up to date or is inaccurate, please advise us as soon as practicable so we can update our records and ensure we can continue to provide quality services to you.
Policy Updates
This Policy may change from time to time and is available on our website. https://dementiainclusiveballina.org.au
Privacy Policy Complaints and Enquiries
If you have a question, concern, or complaint about how we manage your Personal Information, please contact:
Chairperson – Dementia Inclusive Ballina Alliance Inc
📧 Email: admin@dementiainclusiveballina.org.au
🌐 Contact Form: https://dementiainclusiveballina.org.au/contact/
We take all privacy complaints seriously and aim to respond promptly.
