Please read these terms and conditions of use carefully before using this website.

At www.austparents.edu.au, the Australian Parents Council (‘APC’) (‘we’, ’us’, ’our’) is committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (‘APPs’). This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store and disclose your personal information, and how you can access or correct your personal data or make a complaint.

1. What is personal information?

‘Personal information’ means information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable, whether the information is true or not, and whether recorded in a material form or not.

2. Collection of personal information

We collect personal information in order to provide services, communicate effectively, and meet legal obligations. By providing your personal information, you consent to its collection, use, and disclosure as described in this policy You may provide personal information such as:

• Name
• Phone number
• Email address

• Postal address
• Preferences and feedback

This information may be collected:

• Through online forms and surveys
• During customer support communications
• When subscribing to newsletters or updates

Providing your information is voluntary, but if you choose not to, we may not be able to offer certain services.

3. Use of personal information

We may use your personal information to:

• Deliver our services and process transactions
• Respond to enquiries and provide customer support
• Send newsletters or direct marketing (if you have opted in)
• Improve our website and service offerings
• If you no longer wish to receive marketing communications, you may unsubscribe at any time or contact us at [email protected].

4. Disclosure of personal information

We do not sell or lease your personal information. We may disclose your personal information:

• To service providers assisting us in delivering our services (e.g., IT providers, email platforms)
• When required by law (e.g., court orders, subpoenas)
• To protect the rights, property, or safety of APC or its users
• In the event of a business transfer (e.g., merger, sale)

Where we disclose personal information to service providers, we require them to comply with privacy obligations equivalent to those under the APPs.

5. Overseas disclosure

Some of our service providers may be located outside Australia. When disclosing personal information overseas, we take reasonable steps to ensure that the recipient does not breach the APPs regarding your information.

6. Security of your information

We use secure servers and encryption technology to protect your data. All personal information is stored securely to prevent unauthorised access, misuse, or disclosure. Credit card information is not stored on our servers.

7. Access and correction

You may request access to the personal information we hold about you or request corrections by contacting us at [email protected]. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe (usually within 30 days). If we cannot provide access, we will explain why.

8. Cookies

Our website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and analyse website traffic. Cookies do not collect personal information. You may choose to disable cookies via your browser settings; however, this may limit your use of some website features.

Third-party services (e.g., Google AdWords) may also use cookies to display relevant ads. These cookies are subject to the privacy policies of the respective third parties.

We recommend reviewing your browser settings and our cookie banner for options to manage your cookie preferences. If you are accessing the site from the European Union, you may also have additional rights under the GDPR.

9. Links to third-party sites

Our website may contain links to other websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of linked websites. We encourage users to read the privacy statements of any external site that collects personal information.

10. Complaint handling

If you have a concern or complaint about the handling of your personal information, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days. If you are unsatisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (‘OAIC’) at www.oaic.gov.au.

11. Data retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Criteria for determining retention periods include legal obligations, the nature of our relationship with you, and our legitimate business needs.

12. User rights

Under the Privacy Act 1988 and the APPs, you have the right to withdraw consent, request data portability, and object to the processing of your personal information. For more details, contact us at [email protected].

13. Children’s privacy

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 18. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected such information, we will take steps to delete it.

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes take effect immediately upon posting on our website. Please review this policy periodically. We will notify you of significant changes via email or a prominent notice on our website.

15. Accessibility

This Privacy Policy is accessible on our website. For any accessibility issues, please contact us at [email protected].