Privacy Policy – National Vietnam Veterans Museum

The National Vietnam Veterans Museum (“the NVVM”) understands the importance the community places on confidentiality of individuals' personal and/or sensitive information. This extends to the collection and management of information held in our records regarding individuals.

This Privacy Policy is designed to comply with Australian and Victorian privacy law.

The Information Privacy Act (Vic) or IPA, sets out guidelines that regulate how organisations should treat personal and/or sensitive information they collect, use, handle or store.

These guidelines set minimum standards for:

• collection, use and disclosure of personal information which could identify a person
• quality, security and storage of that information
• giving an individual access to their information
• transferring information offshore, and
• special categories of information such as 'sensitive' information and 'health' information.

What's personal information?

• Information or an opinion about an individual whose identity is apparent or can be ascertained from that information or opinion.
• This includes names, addresses, telephone numbers, age and email address.

What's sensitive information?

This includes information about:

• racial or ethnic origin
• political opinion or association
• trade union or professional association membership
• religious beliefs or philosophical beliefs
• sexual preferences
• criminal record
• health information.

IPA Information Privacy Principles

The IPA establishes 10 principles to which an organisation must comply in regard to personal and sensitive information.

1. Data Collection
2. Use & Disclosure
3. Data Quality
4. Data Security
5. Openness
6. Access & Correction
7. Identifiers
8. Anonymity
9. Transborder data flows
10. Sensitive Information

1. Data Collection

Personal and sensitive information is only collected as is reasonably necessary to enable the NVVM to maintain its activities and deliver services to the community.

• Personal information about an individual should only be collected with the individual's consent.
• Collection will be undertaken by a method which is fair, lawful and not unreasonably intrusive.
• Individuals from whom personal information is collected are to be made aware of:
• The NVVM’s contact details
• the primary purpose for which the information is collected
• any possible secondary purpose for which the information may be used
• the names of the organisations or types of organisations to which we disclose information of any nature (if any)
• the ability of individuals to access the information held on themselves.

2. Using and disclosing information

• Information will only be used or disclosed for the primary purpose for which it was collected. In some instances, information provided by individuals may be used to keep them better informed about the NVVM activities and services, such as by way of a newsletter. Individuals have the right to opt out of receiving such additional mailings.
• Personal information about an individual will not be used or disclosed for a secondary purpose unless:
• the purpose is closely related to the primary purpose and the individual would reasonably expect the information to be used in that way; or
• the individual has consented; or
• the NVVM has a legal obligation to disclose personal information which overrides the provisions of the primary legislation.
• The NVVM will not sell or exchange or release personal information about an individual for commercial gain.

3. Data quality

Reasonable steps will be taken to ensure information collected and used is complete, accurate and up-to-date.

4. Security of information

• Reasonable steps will be taken to protect personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised use, modification or disclosure.
• Personal information will be destroyed or permanently de-identified when it's no longer needed for the purpose for which it was collected.
• The NVVM website uses secure technology for online transactions to protect credit card information.
• Our websites contain links to other websites. The NVVM does not accept responsibility for the privacy practices or the content of linked websites.

5. Openness of information

• This privacy policy setting out our management of personal information will be available on request and will be available on the NVVM website.
• Reasonable steps will be taken to allow any person, on request, to ascertain generally what sort of personal information is held, for what purpose, how it was collected, stored and used.

6. Accessibility of information

Information held on individuals is accessible to them on request (except where frivolous and vexatious) and will generally be available free of charge. Reasonable steps will be taken to ensure the information provided is accurate and up-to-date.

7. Identifiers

Identifiers used will be unique to the NVVM

8. Anonymity

To the extent possible, individuals will be given the option of not identifying themselves when dealing with the NVVM.

9. Transborder data flow

The NVVM will not sell, exchange or release personal information except where necessary for the purposes of collaborative work directly related to the original reason for the provision of information.

10. Sensitive information

The NVVM doesn't collect sensitive information about individuals unless:

• we have the consent of the individual; or
• the information is collected in the course of the NVVM activities where the individual is in regular contact in relation to those activities and the individual understands that the information will not be disclosed without consent; or

Confidentiality

• Personal and/or sensitive information will be collected and maintained on confidential databases maintained by the NVVM in support of its activities and service provision.
• Staff and volunteers who may have access to personal and/or sensitive information in the course of their duties will respect its confidentiality and not disclose the information to any third party.
• Breaches of confidentiality by staff will be dealt with in accordance with the conditions of appointment to the staff of the NVVM.

Grievance procedure relating to the Privacy Act

1. Complaint registered by an individual. This must be in writing.
2. Complaint given to the NVVM Administration Manager for assessment and investigation in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer.
3. Written response sent to individual within 7 days of complaint being received.
4. If our response is found to be unacceptable to the individual, we may suggest conciliation or arbitration on the matter.
5. If the individual makes a formal complaint to the Privacy Commissioner, the Chief Executive Officer is to be the respondent on behalf of the NVVM.

Internet use risk

You should be aware that there are risks in transmitting information across the internet. However, we take reasonable steps to protect any personal information from unauthorised access once that personal information comes into our possession.

Linking

The NVVM may contain hyperlinks to pages contained on external websites (third party websites). Unless otherwise indicated, the NVVM:

• does not endorse or authorise the content of any third party website;
• is not affiliated or associated with the owner or operator of any third party website; and
• assumes no responsibility or liability for the condition or content of any third party website or for the operation or function of any service or facility offered on any third party website.

Website personalisation features of the NVVM

Use of Cookies

A cookie is a small piece of data that is presented by a website to a web browser. The browser stores this piece of data and then returns it to the website that provided it in the first place with each subsequent requests for pages and images. Cookies can tell the difference between different browsers and store anonymous information that can be used at a later time.

The NVVM website uses first party cookies to enable users to use certain features of the website. A first party cookie is that which is created by the web site you are currently visiting – in this case the NVVM. If you do not allow cookies to be used within your browser, then you may not be able to use all the features of this website.

In using these cookies we do not retrieve or record any personal information. For example, we do not use cookies to collect names or email addresses.

Web measurement service used by the NVVM

The NVVM currently uses Google Analytics web measurement services. Google Analytics uses a first-party cookie and JavaScript code to collect information about visitors to the NVVM website. Google Analytics anonymously tracks how our visitors interact with this website, including where they came from, what they did on the site, and whether they completed any transactions on the site such as newsletter registration.

Data Collection

While the anonymous statistical data the NVVM collects may be aggregated and used in broader statistical analysis by the NVVM or the State of Victoria, at no time can we personally identify you as the source of that data.