Consultation period

20 May 2024 - 5:00 pm To 10 July 2024 - 11:59 pm

Centrepay Reform Discussion Paper, Public Consultation – Privacy Collection Notice

Centrepay Reform Discussion Paper, Public Consultation – Privacy Collection Notice

Your personal information is protected by law, including under the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act). This privacy collection notice is designed to ensure you are aware of certain matters in relation to the Department of Social Services (Department, we, us, our) collection and handling of your personal information, as required by the Privacy Act. More information about how your personal information is handled by the Department is set out in the Department’s Privacy Policy.

Information about how your personal information is handled by Services Australia (the agency) to carry out its functions or activities is available at Privacy Policy – Services Australia.

Purpose of this consultation

Services Australia is currently inviting the public to provide their views on the Centrepay program, to inform future policy and program enhancements. You can read more about Services Australia’s role in its reform of the Centrepay Program, here.

The agency, as the sole policy owners of the Centrepay program, is conducting this consultation using the Department’s platform (DSS Engage Platform) for information collection purposes only to receive your submissions.

The Department’s access to submissions and personal information (if you choose to provide it), will be in accordance with the agency and Department’s Privacy Policies and with due regard to the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

Who is collecting your personal information?

Your personal information is being collected by the Department and by Services Australia, utilising the Department’s Engage Platform. The Department will be assisting the agency with some of the logistical aspects of the consultation.

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. This applies whether the personal information is true or not or recorded in a material form or not. For example, personal information can include an individual’s name, signature, residential address, phone number, email address, date of birth, photographs, employment information, location information from mobile devices and internet protocol addresses.

‘Sensitive information’ is a subset of personal information. It includes information or an opinion about an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs, membership of associations or unions, sexual orientation or practices, criminal record, or health, genetic or biometric information. Health information includes any information regarding whether an individual has a disability and the nature of their disability.

What personal information we collect

Through your participation in the consultation, and in providing your views and experiences on the Centrepay program, we may collect a range of personal information, and possibly sensitive information where you choose to provide it. For example, if you:

  • provide your first or full name,
  • identify yourself through information you provide about your circumstances or experiences or affiliations, or
  • identify other people either by name or indirectly through other information you provide, such as family relationship or role in a community,

If you include personal information or sensitive information in your response it may be included in internal reports prepared by the agency, redacting any identifying factors.

You may wish to remain anonymous when providing your feedback. 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 your response). It is also possible that other individuals may be identified, or reasonably identifiable, from the information you provide in your response. With this in mind, please do not include any personal information in your submission that you do not want to be public.

When you interact with our website, the Department also collects technical information including the IP address for the device you are using.

How we collect your personal information

If your personal information is collected, we will do this by collecting information from your response to the consultation (which is undertaken through the Department’s website: Engage.dss.gov.au).

Why we collect your information

Your personal information is collected for the purposes of improving policy and operational processes to the Centrepay service managed and delivered by Services Australia.

If you do not provide your personal information (including sensitive information), we will still be able to consider your views as part of the consultation process and your identity will remain anonymous.

Who we disclose your information to

Your response and any personal information or sensitive information collected from this consultation process is accessible to the Department and Services Australia staff involved in the relevant consultation process.

Your submissions are disclosed to:

  • Services Australia staff who are responsible for the Centrepay Reform consultation.
  • the public. Where you have provided your consent, your submission will be published on the DSS Engage Platform and will be made available to the public. In completing your submission, you will be provided the option to advise the Department / agency, that you do not wish for your submission to be published.
  • other parties where the disclosure is required or authorised by law. This may include, for example, if a response raises serious concerns about the welfare of any person.

All entities contracted by Services Australia and the Department are subject to strict confidentiality, privacy, and security obligations.

If you have any concerns about the disclosure of your information please contact CENTREPAY.REFORM.ENGAGEMENT@servicesaustralia.gov.au.

Any demographic information you provide in your consultation response will only be used for internal analysis in aggregated statistics.

Storage of your personal information

Storage of personal information (and the disposal of information when no longer required) is managed in accordance with the Australian Government records management regime, including the Archives Act 1983, agency-specific records authorities and general records authorities. This ensures your personal information is held securely by the agency and the Department.

All personal information collected by the Department is stored on Services Australia’s cloud storage, on servers located in Australia. Services Australia and the Department retains effective control over any personal information held on our cloud, and the information is handled in accordance with the APPs.

Any information disclosed to third parties (such as entities contracted to provide services to assist the agency with the Centrepay Reform) will be handled in accordance with the Privacy Act and stored in accordance with agreed security protocols.

More information

If you have any concerns or questions, you can contact us at Centrepay.Reform.Engagement@servicesaustralia.gov.au.

Confirmation and consent

By providing personal information as part of your consultation response, you consent to:

  • the Department’s collection and handling of your personal information in accordance with this collection notice and the Department’s Privacy Policy.
  • the Department disclosing your personal information to Services Australia; and
  • Services Australia handling your personal information to reform the Centrepay policy,, in accordance with its Privacy Policy – Services Australia.

Please note that you do not need to provide personal or sensitive information if you do not wish to do so.