A draft Quality Framework for the Disability Employment Services Program – Privacy
Your personal information is protected by law, including under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act).
This privacy collection notice is designed to ensure you are aware of certain matters in relation to the Department of Social Service’s (Department) collection of your personal information, as required by the Privacy Act.
What is the purpose of this Consultation?
We are currently inviting participants to provide their views on the proposed implementation of a new Quality Framework for the Disability Employment Services program (Consultation).
We are seeking your input to help inform the continued development of this policy framework which has been drafted with reference to a range of existing employment and disability services performance frameworks. Your submissions will guide the next stage of policy thinking and implementation planning.
While the Discussion Paper focuses on the performance of program providers, submissions on the draft framework are welcome from anyone – this includes people with disability, and also includes family members, carers, advocates, service providers, peak bodies and organisations. The draft framework, which is outlined in the Discussion Paper, includes a number of discussion questions to guide (but not limit) your feedback. You can share your own views or provide the views of a person you are representing or assisting. You can share your views by addressing some or all of the questions outlined in the Discussion Paper, or you may choose to provide us with your feedback and thoughts without responding to any particular discussion question.
If you are an individual making a submission on behalf of an organisation (such as a Disability Employment Service provider, a peak body or other organisation), we will ask for your name, position title, and the name of the organisation that you make the submission on behalf of. We will handle your ‘personal information’ in accordance with the Privacy Act, as detailed in this Privacy Notice and in accordance with the Department’s broader Privacy Policy.
If you are not making a submission on behalf of an organisation, you will not be required to provide your name and email address. You can choose to remain anonymous. However, any submissions that you email directly to the Department may include your personal information, such as your name, email address and other identity details.
The Department’s intention is for individuals who wish to provide feedback to have the choice to not be identified or be reasonably identifiable. However, even where individuals choose to remain anonymous, it is possible that the individual may still be identifiable due to various factors (for example, if you include personal information in the free text submission box or where your emailed submission includes your information). It is also possible that other individuals may be identified, or reasonably identifiable, from the information you provide in your submission. Where we are able to identify or can reasonably identify you or another person from your submission, we will handle your response in accordance with the Privacy Act as it will be ‘personal information’ that has been collected by the Department.
What is ‘personal information’ and ‘sensitive information’?
Personal information is information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable from that information or opinion.
Sensitive information is a subset of personal information. It includes information or an opinion about your health (including whether you are a person living with a disability), your racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs, membership of associations or unions, sexual orientation or practices, criminal record, or your genetic or biometric information.
What personal information we collect
Individuals
Through your participation in this Consultation, we will only collect the personal information that you choose to provide. If you or another individual can be reasonably identified from the information that you provide, this will be ‘personal information’ (some of which could be ‘sensitive information’) and might include:
- submission type, such as whether you are making the submission as an individual living with a disability, or as a carer for someone with a disability;
- identity details (specifically your name and email address); and
- your personal views and any information you choose to provide in your submission.
This information is not required to be completed to enable you to share your thoughts on this Consultation, so you can choose to omit details that you are not comfortable providing.
Organisations
Through your participation in this Consultation, we will collect your name, your position title and the name of the employer organisation that you are making the submission on behalf of. Your ‘personal information’ will be handled in accordance with the Privacy Act and this Notice and in accordance with the Department’s broader Privacy Policy.
How we collect your information
If your ‘personal information’ is collected, we will do this by:
- collecting information from your responses to the Engage.dss.gov.au survey; or
- collecting information from you directly through an email submission.
Why we collect your personal information
Your personal information is collected for the purposes of seeking submissions with respect to the development of a draft Quality Framework for the Disability Employment Services Program. Submissions collected as part of this Consultation will be summarised in an aggregated and de-identified format into a summary report, which will be provided to the Minister for Social Services.
Some of the information collected by us from our targeted or public consultations or surveys has research value in developing policies that extend beyond the specific consultation or survey for which it was originally collected. Where this is the case, the information that we collect from this Consultation may be used for our other research purposes. In doing so, we will apply the Australian Privacy Principles to the handling of any personal information.
Individuals
If you do not provide your ‘personal information’ (including sensitive information), we will still be able to consider your views as part of this Consultation process and your identity will remain anonymous.
Organisations
If you are making a submission on behalf of an organisation, you are asked to provide your name, position title and the name of your organisation. If this information is not provided, you are unable to make a submission on behalf of the named organisation. You may, alternatively, wish to make a submission as an individual.
Where you make a submission on behalf of an organisation, you are confirming that you have authority to do so.
Who we disclose your personal information to
Any personal information or sensitive information collected from this Consultation process is only accessible to you and staff involved in the relevant Consultation process.
We will not provide your personal information to anybody else, unless we are authorised or required to by law. We will not disclose your personal information to anybody overseas.
More information
More information about how we handle your ‘personal information’ is set out in our Privacy Policy. Our Privacy Policy contains information about how you can access any ‘personal information’ that we hold and how to seek correction of that ‘personal information’. It also contains information about how to make a complaint about a breach of your privacy. If you have any concerns or questions, you can contact us at compaints@dss.gov.au.
Confirmation and consent
This section only applies if you are providing ‘sensitive information’ as part of your Consultation response. Please note that you do not need to provide your sensitive information if you do not wish to do so.
By providing your ‘sensitive information’ as part of your Consultation response, you consent to the Department collecting your sensitive information and handling your sensitive information in accordance with this privacy notice.