Privacy policy

Last updated: 14 August 2023
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This policy explains how Sustainability Victoria collects, uses and discloses personal information, including through our websites. Sustainability Victoria is bound by and adopts the Information Privacy Principles set out in Schedule 1 of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) ('Act'). Sustainability Victoria views the protection of personal information as an important issue and is committed to the protection and responsible handling of personal information it collects.

This Privacy Statement may change from time to time and changes will take effect from the date of posting on our website.

About us

Sustainability Victoria (SV) is a Victorian government statutory authority delivering programs on integrated waste management and resource efficiency. Established under the Sustainability Victoria Act 2005, SV's board is appointed by the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change. SV has obligations under the Environment Protection Act 1970 for state-wide waste management strategy and planning.

Our vision is for a sustainable, thriving Victoria. Our purpose is to support Victorians to use resources more sustainably and to take practical action on climate change.

Your personal information

Personal information is information about you, whether recorded in a material form or not, from which your identity could reasonably be ascertained. The types of personal information we may collect includes name, gender, address, telephone numbers, email contact details, occupational details, certain details about your personal interests, images of you, and other information relevant to the business activities undertaken by Sustainability Victoria from time to time.

Where Sustainability Victoria requests that you provide your personal information and you elect not to provide it, Sustainability Victoria may not be able to provide you with some or all of its services.

Collection of personal information

Sustainability Victoria collects personal information from a variety of sources, including:

  • communications between you and Sustainability Victoria, including via email, telephone or in writing (for example, surveys, feedback forms, registration for events, competitions and promotions, online inquiries)
  • your participation in discussions, forums and interviews with Sustainability Victoria (including, for example, by filming or recording you) and promotions or competitions organised by Sustainability Victoria
  • when you use any services provided by (or on behalf of) Sustainability Victoria
  • when you access or register on Sustainability Victoria's websites (including www.sustainability.vic.gov.au)
  • from publicly available sources of information.

Information is collected, wherever possible, from you directly. Sustainability Victoria will collect your personal information lawfully, fairly and without undue intrusion. At the time your personal information is collected, Sustainability Victoria will take reasonable steps to advise you whether there are any consequences of not providing that information. Sustainability Victoria will not collect sensitive personal Information about you (for example, information about your racial or ethnic origin) unless Sustainability Victoria first obtains your consent.

Use and disclosure of personal information

The personal information you provide to Sustainability Victoria gives valuable insights into the views of Victorians on sustainability issues. This information can, in turn, help Sustainability Victoria to achieve its goals of finding and communicating new and effective ways for Victorians to live and work sustainably.

To do this, Sustainability Victoria may use your personal information for a variety of purposes, including the delivery of services to you and the conduct of research and analysis. Sustainability Victoria may also send you information and updates about Sustainability Victoria's initiatives, events and services and provide you with information, news and updates relating to sustainability and leading a sustainable lifestyle. If you do not wish to receive these updates or information, please email privacy@sustainability.vic.gov.au.

Sustainability Victoria also uses personal information for the purpose(s) that are communicated to you at the time of collection (or a related purpose that you would reasonably expect).

Sustainability Victoria may disclose your personal information to third parties, such as:

  • web monitoring service providers
  • other government and regulatory authorities and other organisations
  • as required or authorised by law
  • as is reasonably necessary for the assistance for law enforcement and the protection of public revenue
  • for application interoperability purposes (including to reduce the need for you to re-enter your personal information into building and planning compliance applications operated by or on behalf of those authorities or organisations)
  • its professional advisors (such as auditors)
  • organisations that assist Sustainability Victoria to conduct research or analyse data
  • other organisations that assist Sustainability Victoria to provide services to you from time to time (including hosting and software providers and email marketing service providers).

We take reasonable steps to ensure these third parties are bound by confidentiality and privacy obligations in relation to the protection of your personal information.

Data quality and security

Sustainability Victoria will take reasonable steps to:

  • ensure that the personal information it collects, uses or discloses is accurate, complete and up-to-date (however, the accuracy of your information depends on the information you provide and whether you keep Sustainability Victoria updated on changes)
  • protect your personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure and securely destroy personal information if it is not required for any purpose.

Sustainability Victoria has implemented technology and security policies, rules and measures to help protect the personal information that is under its control. However, while Sustainability Victoria strives to protect your personal information, Sustainability Victoria cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information transmitted to it online.

Access

You have a right to access the personal information we hold about you. Requests for access should be sent to Sustainability Victoria at the contact details listed at the bottom of this Privacy Statement. Alternatively, you can submit a formal application under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic). Charges may apply to cover the cost of accessing and providing this information to you.

Anonymity

Wherever it is practicable and lawful, Sustainability Victoria will allow you to interact anonymously with us.

Website privacy

You can visit and browse Sustainability Victoria's websites without disclosing your personal information. However, where you submit you personal information on a website (e.g. complete and submit a webform), your personal information will be managed in accordance with this Privacy Statement.

Sustainability Victoria's websites contain links to various other third party sites. Sustainability Victoria is not responsible for the content and the privacy practices of other websites and does not endorse or authorise the content of any third party websites. Sustainability Victoria encourages you to examine each site's privacy policy and make your own decisions about providing personal information whilst visiting those sites.

Sustainability Victoria uses a variety of web monitoring technologies (via third party service providers) to gather information to assist in improving the sites and making them more user-friendly. These technologies include:

  • Clickstream data: Clickstream data refers to visitor logs and statistics about the path a user takes while using a site. This technology is used purely for statistical purposes (such as tracking unique browsers to the sites)
  • Cookies: Cookies are small data files that are placed on a user's hard drive, which are used to collect statistical information each time a user accesses a site (for example, the number of visits to the website, documents viewed, how the site is navigated and the type of search engine used to arrive at the site)
  • Web beacons: A web beacon is a technology that monitors and records web page usage and activities.

You may be able to disable or avoid some of these technologies by adjusting your Internet browser settings, though doing so may prevent you from taking advantage of improvements to our websites. Importantly, at no time can individual users be identified from the data collected via these means.

Privacy collection statement – gift offers

As a public sector agency, Sustainability Victoria's collection of information and personal information complies with laws and related obligations including the Public Administration Act 2004 (Vic) and the Minimum accountabilities for the management of gifts, benefits and hospitality (Minimum accountabilities) issued by the Victorian Public Sector Commission.

As part of Sustainability Victoria's compliance with its obligations and with good public sector governance practice:

  • If an individual or organisation offers a gift to a board member or employee of Sustainability Victoria as a result of that person's role with Sustainability Victoria, information about the offer will be recorded, retained, and used by Sustainability Victoria.
  • Details of the information that will be recorded, retained and used by Sustainability Victoria are set out in Sustainability Victoria's policy on Gifts, benefits and hospitality – responding to gift offers ('gifts policy').
  • Sustainability Victoria's gifts policy is published on its website.
  • As set out in its gifts policy, Sustainability Victoria publishes a 'de-identified' copy of its gifts register on its website.
  • The purpose of publishing the 'de-identified' copy of Sustainability Victoria's gifts register on its website is to:
    • promote transparency in public sector decision making
    • comply with the minimum accountabilities.

If you have offered a gift to a board member or employee of Sustainability Victoria as a result of that person’s role with Sustainability Victoria you can view the information that has been recorded by contacting privacy@sustainability.vic.gov.au

Please note that, in accordance with Sustainability Victoria’s gifts policy, whilst information on both 'reportable' and 'token' gifts (as defined in the policy) are recorded, retained and used by Sustainability Victoria, only information on reportable gifts is recorded in the gifts register and steps have been taken to ‘de-identify’ personal information in the copy of the gifts register that is published on Sustainability Victoria’s website.

Contacting us

Any questions relating to this Privacy Statement or your personal information can be directed to:

Sustainability Victoria
Level 12
321 Exhibition Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

Ph: +61 (03) 8626 8700
Email: privacy@sustainability.vic.gov.au