Privacy Statement
Council considers that the responsible handling of personal information is a key aspect of democratic governance, and is strongly committed to protecting an individual's right to privacy. Council will comply with the Information Privacy Principles as set out in the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014.
Council has in place a standard operating procedure that sets out the requirements for the management and handling of personal information.
If you have any queries regarding this Privacy Statement, please contact the Freedom of Information Officer on 03 5355 0200.
Collection and Disclosure of Personal Information
Council will only collect personal information supplied by you to this website when it is necessary to do so. The information will be used for purposes including but not limited to the following,
- To contact you where it is necessary to do so to aid in providing Council Services directly requested by you e.g., obtaining a permit via our website or applying for a job.
- To contact you where it is necessary to do so to resolve issues relating to Ararat Rural City services or functions which you have brought to our attention e.g., where you have reported a matter you require to be resolved by Council such as reporting a fallen tree branch via our website or a suggestion on service improvement.
- To supply you with material concerning Council initiatives and programs where you have supplied personal information to Council for this purpose e.g., where you request to be included on a mailing list for a Council publication via our website.
- To process any online payments via Council's website.
Council will take all necessary measures to prevent unauthorised access to or disclosure of your personal information and ensure that your personal information is not disclosed to other institutions and authorities outside Council except if required or authorised by law.
Council will protect the personal information it holds form misuse, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. When no longer required, Council will take reasonable steps to lawfully and responsibly destroy personal information.
We are not liable for events or consequences arising from unauthorised access to your personal information.
Please keep your contact details and passwords for Council online services confidential. If you provide private information regarding any customer service requests (such as your email address or request number) to a third party, we cannot guarantee the security of your personal information.
Access and Correction of Personal Information
Individuals may seek access to their personal information held by Council and may request corrections. Requests for access and correction will be handled in accordance with the Victorian Freedom of Information Act 1982.
If you wish to alter any personal information you have supplied to Council whilst using this site you should telephone the Ararat Rural City Council on 5355 0200 or email [email protected]
Requests for access to documents containing personal information are managed under the Freedom of Information Act and should be addressed to:
Freedom of Information Officer
Ararat Rural City Council
PO Box 246
Ararat 3377
or email: [email protected]
Links to other websites
This statement applies to the council website. It does not apply to linked websites which have been provided in good faith as a community service. When navigating to a linked website, we recommend you read and familiarise yourself with the privacy statement of that site.
Site Visit Data
Non-personal information is automatically recorded by our web server, which may be used for statistical and administrative purposes only. This anonymous data can be used to ensure that our website is providing relevant information. This data may include:
- The Internet Protocol number (the number assigned to your computer when you access the internet);
- The domain name of the account you are using to access the internet (eg/ .com.au, .gov.au, .edu.au);
- The date and time of your visit;
- The pages you accessed and downloaded;
- The address of the last site you visited (if you linked to our site from another site);
- The operating system you are using (eg/ Windows, MAC);
- The type of browser you are using (eg/ Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator).
To the extent that this data makes you identifiable, Council will not attempt to identify individuals from the records automatically generated by the server unless it is necessary to investigate a breach of law or regulation.
Feedback
On occasion, you may be invited to take part in a survey or to sign up to an online forum (e.g., Have Your Say). You can participate in surveys and provide feedback anonymously (without disclosing or leaving personal information).
Should you wish to receive updates or participate in competitions, Council will need to collect some personal information. Your details may be added to a database for this purpose only. Your information will not be provided to third parties, or otherwise used without your knowledge or consent, unless specifically required by law.
When signing up to participate in an online forum, Council will collect information from you including:
- Username (this is published on the site alongside any public comments you make);
- Email address (this is not made public and will only be used if you wish to receive a new password or wish to receive certain news or notifications by email)
- Phone number (if you wish to be contacted)
- Any comments you make like to make
Contact Us
If you have any queries or need further information regarding privacy issues, please contact:
Governance and Risk Lead
Address: 59 Vincent Street, Ararat, Victoria, Australia 3377
Mailing Address: PO Box 246, Ararat, Victoria, Australia 3377
Phone: 03 5355 0200
Email: [email protected]
If you provide your email address via this site, it will only be used to respond to your specific enquiry. Your email address will not be added to any mailings lists/databases, or otherwise used without your knowledge or consent, unless specifically required by law.
Additional information is available from the FOI Commissioner website and the Commissioner for Privacy and Data Protection website.