First Nations Disability Forum – Privacy notice
Your personal information is protected by law, including under the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act).
The Department of Social Services (Department, we, us, our), collects personal information about individuals for a range of purposes to enable it to carry out its functions. More information about how we handle your personal information is set out in our Privacy Policy.
This privacy collection notice is designed to ensure you are aware of certain matters in relation to the Department’s collection of your personal information, as required by the Privacy Act.
In making your submission through DSS Engage, you will be asked for your consent for the Department of Social Services to collect and handle your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Notice.
What is the purpose of the collection?
The Australian Government is seeking the views of the community to develop options for a First Nations Disability Forum.
Information provided to the Department during face to face and online engagements will be used by the Department, the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) and First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN) to inform the development of the First Nations Disability Forum.
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.
Sensitive information is a subset of personal information. It includes information or an opinion about 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 health, genetic or biometric information.
What we collect
Individuals
Through your participation in this engagement, we may collect a range of personal information, some of which could be sensitive information. The questions are optional and you do not have to provide answers.
In making your submission through DSS Engage, we will ask for personal information, including:
- If you are a First Nations person
- If you are a person with disability or a carer, parent or family of a person with disability
- If you live in a rural, regional or remote area
- Your personal experiences, that you choose to share
Please only provide information about other individuals where they have consented to you sharing the information with us or you are otherwise authorised to disclose the information to us (for example you are a parent or guardian to a child or the primary carer of a person who is incapable of providing consent).
Organisations
Through your participation in this engagement, we will ask you about what type of organisation you represent — for example, if you represent a First Nations peak, community-controlled organisation, support provider, or Disability Representative Organisation — and in what geographic areas your organisation operates. Your 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 and use your personal information
The Department will collect your personal information for the purpose of scoping the First Nations Disability Forum. We will usually collect it from you or someone you authorise to share it with us.
If you choose to participate in face to face or online consultation events, the Department will collect your personal information by:
- Recording your registration details for consultation events
- Taking notes of what people choose to share during events, including keeping a record of comments made in chat function for online consultations; and
- Recording video and audio of the face to face and online consultations and keeping transcripts of what was said during events.
We will not publish your submission at the end of the public consultation period.
However, we may use parts of some submissions to provide information to governments and the community. For example, we may use some of your words as a quote in a paper that summarises what we heard and describes options for a forum. We will not publish your personal information or include any content that may identify you.
In making your submission through DSS Engage, you will be asked for your consent for the Department of Social Services to quote you.
If you do consent to us using part of your submission in our Report and later change your mind, you can contact us to withdraw your consent by emailing adsfirstnations@dss.gov.au
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 Department.
Any information disclosed to third parties will be handled in accordance with the Privacy Act and stored in accordance with agreed security protocols.
More information
The Department’s Privacy Policy contains more information about how we handle personal information, 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 the Australian Privacy Principles, as set out in the Privacy Act.
If you have any concerns or questions, you can contact us at complaints@dss.gov.au.
Confirmation and consent
You consent to the Department collecting your personal information and handling your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Collection Notice by:
- providing your personal information when participating in a consultation event