Privacy & Legals
Privacy & Legals
The Better Business Partnership is joint Council funded by Ku-ring-gai, North Sydney and Willoughby City Councils. The BBP Waste Saver Service is supported by the NSW EPA Waste Less Recycle More initiative, funded by the Waste Levy.
Information obtained by the Councils (Ku-ring-gai, North Sydney and Willoughby City Councils) through the program will be disclosed and used by personnel of the Better Business Partnership, the Councils and personnel of the NSW EPA and others connected with the program but otherwise will be treated as confidential and dealt with in accordance with the Privacy and Personal Information Act 1998.
The electricity and/ or gas and/or water and/ or waste account numbers, usage data, meter numbers and demographic markers such as premises type, zoning and the like will be collected as part of the program. This information will be used to assist the Better Business Partnership to assess and implement measures for and to track and measure the energy, water and waste savings achieved through behavioural changes and/or the installation of energy and/or water and/or waste efficiency improvements undertaken as part of the Better Business Partnership.
Ku-ring-gai Council is the legal entity hosting the Better Business Partnership website and as such the Privacy Policy is in line with the Ku-ring-gai Council Privacy Management Plan as outlined below.
On 18 October 2011 Ku-ring-gai Council adopted a new Privacy Management Plan. The Plan deals with Council’s obligations under the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (PPIPA) and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (HRIPA). These Acts regulate the way Council must deal with personal and health information so as to maintain an individual’s privacy.
Collection of personal or health information in application forms, etc.
All forms collecting personal or health information should be reviewed to include the appropriate privacy message.
Council collects personal or health information when, for example, a person completes an application form for a Council service. Council can only collect personal information if it is necessary, if it is for a lawful purpose that relates to Council’s activities, it is not excessive and generally if it comes only from individuals themselves (information can be provided by a parent or guardian for a person under the age of 16 years).
When collecting personal or health information Council must advise the person the fact that the information is being collected, the purpose for which the information is collected, who will be using and storing the information, whether supply of the information is required by law or is voluntary, the consequences if the information is not provided and how the information may be accessed and corrected.
Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act
The Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 introduces a range of responsibilities for local councils in New South Wales when dealing with ‘personal information’. The Act establishes 12 ‘Information Protection Principles’ and also prescribes what ‘personal information’ may be accessed from a Public Register. ‘Personal information’ is any information that identifies – or could lead to the identification of – a person. The information may be held in hard or electronic copy.
How will this ‘Personal Information’ be used?
Ku-ing-gai Council will collect ‘personal information’ from you only if it is required to fulfil a lawful purpose related to Council’s functions. When seeking ‘personal information’ Council will advise you how that information will be used, whether it is being requested voluntarily or you are legally obliged to provide the information. You will also be told within which part of Council the information will be held. Your ‘personal information’ will not be on-sold. It will be passed onto another government agency only where it is necessary for that agency to have this information to fulfil its functions. Council will collect only that information required for the purpose, ie. excessive or superfluous information will not be collected, and the information will be held only as long as necessary.
How do I know what ‘Personal Information’ is held about me?
Subject to various legislative exemptions, you are entitled to know what ‘personal information’ about you may be held by Council and to access that information. If the ‘personal information’ is not correct then Council must amend it and, if practicable, advise any other parties that may have received this inaccurate information. Application forms are available from Council’s Administrative Offices. Access to documents and records may also be provided under Freedom of Information legislation and various provisions of the Local Government Act and the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act.