Your privacy is important to us
Ruddicks Chartered Accountants (Ruddicks) is an independent firm located in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. Ruddicks has created this privacy policy (Privacy Policy) in order to demonstrate the firm’s commitment to privacy, and to inform you of how we manage your personal information and maintain its integrity and security.
At Ruddicks, we recognise the importance of protecting and maintaining your personal information. We appreciate that you may have concerns about your privacy and about the security, accuracy and confidentiality of personal information. Ruddicks is committed to providing you with the highest quality professional service whilst also protecting your privacy. Ruddicks is bound by the Privacy Act and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) established under the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012 and the Privacy Act 1988. You can find more information about the Privacy Act and the Australian Privacy Principles at the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s website at: www.oaic.gov.au.
Ruddicks will update this Privacy Policy as required. If it is changed, the changes will be posted on Ruddicks’ website so that you are always aware of the sort of information collected, how it will be used, and under what circumstances it may be disclosed by Ruddicks.
This Privacy Policy does not apply to acts or practices that are directly related to employee records of current or former employees.
Open and transparent management of personal information
Ruddicks manages personal information in an open and transparent way by complying with the Australian Privacy Principles. We will remain open with you about what sort of personal information we hold, how we collect it, and for what purpose we use and disclose this information.
Ruddicks’ Privacy Policy is available on our website or may be obtained by contacting the Privacy Officer. If you have any queries or complaints about Ruddicks’ compliance with the Australian Privacy Principles, please contact the Privacy Officer using the ‘How to Contact Us’ information show below.
If you believe that Ruddicks has breached the Australian Privacy Principles, please contact the Privacy Officer in writing. We will respond to you within 30 days.
Anonymity and pseudonymity
When engaging with Ruddicks, you have the option of not identifying yourself or you may use a fictitious name. Because of the nature of our business, generally this may not be practicable because we need personal information to provide services to you and if you do not provide the information requested, we may be limited in our dealings with you. If it is important to you, and your identification is not required by us, you may request that we deal with you anonymously or by using a pseudonym.
In some cases we may be required to sight, copy or obtain proof of identity documentation from you including where these are required in order for us to deal with certain government agencies on your behalf.
Collection of solicited personal information
Our ability to provide you with a comprehensive service is dependent on us obtaining certain personal information. This might include:
- Name
- Contact details
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Bank account details
- Employment details and employment history
- Details of your current financial circumstances, including your assets and liabilities, income, expenditure, investments, insurance cover and superannuation
- Documentation used for identification and verification purposed
We collect most information directly from individuals when we deal with them. The personal information we collect may be provided in forms filled out by individuals, face to face meetings, Ruddicks Virtual Cabinet client portal, email messages, telephone conversations both with you or with third parties. If you contact us, we may keep a record of that contact.
Some personal information is considered to be ‘sensitive information’. It may be necessary in some instances for Ruddicks to collect sensitive information about you, for example:
- Your Tax File Number
- Professional membership
- Health information
- Medicare number
- Information regarding racial or ethnic origins
- Criminal convictions
- Membership of trade unions
Ruddicks will collect information that is reasonably necessary for the primary purpose of providing a professional service to you, such as the preparation of financial statements, preparation of income tax returns, auditing financial information and providing taxation or accounting advice, and also for complying with our legal obligations. If this information is considered sensitive, then unless the law provides otherwise, Ruddicks will also require your consent to the collection of this sensitive information. We will only collect sensitive information where, in our opinion, if it is necessary to provide our services to you.
Ruddicks will collect personal information in a fair and lawful manner. In most instances, we will collect personal information directly from you unless it is unreasonable and impracticable to do so.
Dealing with unsolicited personal information
If Ruddicks receives unsolicited personal information that we know could have been collected from you, we will afford it the same privacy protection as if we had solicited this personal information. If the information is not reasonably necessary for one or more of Ruddicks’ functions or activities or we know that we would not normally collect that personal information, we will destroy or de-identify the information as soon as practicable, unless it is unlawful or unreasonable to do so.
Notification of the collection of personal information
Ruddicks will endeavour to collect personal information directly from you, or somebody acting on your behalf, however at times Ruddicks may need to collect personal information from a third party and when this occurs we will inform you. We will also be clear about the purpose of the collection, who we might disclose this information to, whether the personal information is required under an Australian law or a court/tribunal order and the main consequence of not collecting this information.
Use or disclosure of personal information
Ruddicks will not use or disclose personal information collected by us for any purpose other that the primary purpose for which it is collected, unless you would reasonably expect us to use or disclose the information for a secondary purpose or your consent has been obtained to use the information for additional purposes. Exceptions to this include where disclosure is:
- Required by superannuation fund trustees, insurance providers, and product issuers for the purpose of giving effect to your financial plan and recommendations made by us or other professional advisers
- Required by law or for inspection to ensure compliance with mandatory professional standards
- Reasonably necessary to assist a law enforcement agency
- To external service providers for the purposes of audit, peer reviews, legal advices, consultancy, outsourced administration, issuing statements or handling mail
- Required by reporting entities for the purpose of complying with the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-terrorism Financing legislation
- To protect the rights, property or personal safety of any member of the public or a client of Ruddicks or the interests of Ruddicks
- In circumstances where some or all of the assets or operations of Ruddicks are or may be transferred to another party as part of the sale of some or all of Ruddicks’ business
- Permitted under the Australian Privacy Principles
Where Ruddicks has collected the information from you, we may use this information for the purpose of direct marketing.
Ruddicks uses a range of service providers to help us maximise the quality and efficiency of our services and/or business operations. This means that individuals and organisations outside Ruddicks will sometimes have access to personal information held by us and may collect and use it from or on behalf of Ruddicks. This may include, but is not limited to, independent contractors and consultants, mail houses, information technology providers and debt collection agencies.
We require our service providers to adhere to our privacy guidelines and not to keep, use or disclose personal information we provide them for any unauthorised purposes.
Direct Marketing
Ruddicks may use or disclose personal information we hold about you for the purpose of direct marketing if there is a reasonable expectation that your personal information will be used for this purpose and you have not opted out of receiving direct marketing communications from us, or where you have provided consent. Direct marketing may include:
- Sending newsletters to you
- Inviting you to seminars or events hosted by Ruddicks
- Informing you of products or services that Ruddicks offers
- Informing you of developments and articles that may interest you
Ruddicks will not directly market to you using information that is considered sensitive unless you have provided consent.
Cross-border disclosure of personal information
Ruddicks may transfer or store your personal information outside Australia. If we engage with, or are required to send personal information to an overseas entity to fulfil the purpose for which the personal information was collected (or a related ancillary purpose), we may seek your consent with regards to the disclosure.
If we do disclose personal information to an overseas recipient without your consent, we are required to take reasonable steps to ensure that this recipient does not breach the Australian Privacy Principles or a similar applicable law in relation to that information.
Adoption, use or disclosure of government related identifiers
Ruddicks will not adopt, use or disclose government agency identifiers, for example, tax file numbers, as our primary means of identifying you unless it is required or authorised by or under an Australian law or a court/tribunal.
Quality or personal information
Our goal is to ensure that, at all times, the personal information that we collect, hold, use or disclose is up to date, accurate and complete. We will take reasonable steps to correct personal information. If you become aware, or believe, that any personal information we hold is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date, please contact your relationship manager or the Privacy Officer at the details provided below.
Security of personal information
Ruddicks takes the security of your personal information very seriously. We have implemented significant measures and precautions to protect the personal information we hold (electronic and physical) from such risks as misuse, interference and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. We take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify any personal information no longer required.
Access to personal information
Individuals may at any time request access to personal information that Ruddicks holds about them. Where possible, we will provide you with access to that information either by providing you with copies of the information requested or providing you with an accurate summary of the information held. If Ruddicks were to refuse to give access to the personal information, or in the manner requested, we will provide written notice of the reasons (unless unreasonable to do so) and details should you wish to complain about the refusal. Generally refusal will only be in cases where denying such access is permitted under the Australian Privacy Principles or is otherwise lawful.
All requests for access to personal information should be in writing to the Privacy Officer. We will respond to your request within a reasonable period (but not more than 30 days) after the request is made. Ruddicks may charge a fee for supplying personal information.
Correction of personal information
If Ruddicks holds information about you for a purpose and knows that the information is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading we will take steps to correct the information. If you request us to correct the information we will take reasonable steps to do so. If a third party is relying on this information, at your request we will also notify them, unless it is impracticable or unlawful to do so.
If we refuse to make a correction, we will let you know why and the complaint mechanisms that are available to you. If we continue to use this information, you may request us to associate a statement that the information is inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading.
All requests for correction to personal information should be in writing to the Privacy Officer. We will respond to your request within a reasonable period after the request is made. We will not charge you for making the request for the correction of personal information.
Privacy on our website
When you visit any part of our websites, we collect statistical data about that visit (e.g. what you looked at, the way in which you moved around the site, etc) which is not personally identifiable. We use this information for statistical purposes and to improve our website. We generally only collect personal information from our website when it is provided voluntarily by you.
How to contact us
All requests for access or correction to personal information, privacy complaints, requests for access to personal information, queries in relation to this Privacy Policy, or any other privacy related matter, should be directed to the Privacy Officer as follows:
The Privacy Officer
Ruddicks
PO Box 218
Launceston TAS 7250
T: (03) 6331 3288
F: (03) 6334 0275
E: mail@ruddicks.com.au
We will respond to your request within a reasonable time and in accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act.