Privacy
Under the Information Privacy Act 2009 council must observe privacy principles which place strict obligations upon the collection, storage, use and disclosure of personal information.
Council is committed to protecting privacy of individuals.
Privacy law
Under the Information Privacy Act 2009 council must observe privacy principles which place strict obligations upon the collection, storage, use and disclosure of personal information.
Privacy policy
Sunshine Coast Regional Council Privacy Policy (PDF, 239.54KB).
Amending or updating your personal information
Here are some of the different ways that you can access, amend or update your personal information:
- MyCouncil allows registered users to view and change their information and request various services
- You may contact council if you have a query about amending, updating or accessing your personal information
- If the above options are unsuitable you may wish to lodge a formal personal information amendment application form (PDF) and submit it to council.
Note: council takes steps to verify the identity of individuals.
More information
- overview of the information privacy principles - Office of the Information Commissioner
- email [email protected]
- call council's customer service centre.
Policy purpose
The policy applies to all the following:
- The Mayor, Councillors, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Group Executives, managers, employees, contractors, work experience students, apprentices, volunteers, consultants, contingent works, vendors, contracted external service provides and outsourced business functions which handle personal information on behalf of Council.
- All personal information, collected, stored, used, and disclosed by Council, regardless of format, medium and sources, unless otherwise exempted by legislation.
- All administrative and technological environments in which Council’s business is conducted.
- Information systems regardless of whether manual or automated.
Policy statement
Sunshine Coast Council (Council) is committed to managing and protecting the personal information of individuals in accordance with the IP Act.
The IP Act places obligations on Council, including the need to comply with:
- the privacy principles in schedule 3,
- restrictions on transfer of personal information outside of Australia (section 33),
- rules regarding contracted service providers (sections 34-37), and
- rights of individuals to access and amend their own person information 1.
Further to this, the right to privacy and reputation is recognised under the Human Rights Act 2019. Council recognises and is committed to act compatibly with these human rights.
This policy is further supported by guidelines which must be complied with in accordance with this policy.
Policy application
What information we collect
What information we collect
Council may collect personal information of individuals when it’s reasonably necessary for, or directly related to, a function or activity of Council.
Council collects various kinds of personal information of individuals, including:
- name, address, contact details and date of birth
- details about interactions with Council including phone and email enquiries
Furthermore, personal information held by Council may relate to different functions in relation to complaints, properties, animals, compliance, public consultation, community programs, library membership, employment and more.
How we collect information
How we collect information
Council may receive or obtain personal information from sources such as:
- Directly from an individual whom the information is about .
- From the Queensland titles registry as part of property ownership changes.
- When people make complaints which relate to someone else.
Why we collect information
Why we collect information
Council will necessarily deal with personal information in the course of fulfilling its functions under the Local Government At 2009.
Personal information is collected where it is reasonably necessary for, or directly related to, one or more of Council’s functions or activities. Follow these links for further details why Council collects your information for:
- property and rates [including development services]
- waste
- animals
- libraries
- food businesses
- community consultation
- community programs including:
- Healthy Sunshine Coast
- Travel Smart
- employment and recruitment [including staff information]
- biometrics
- holiday parks?
- event venues?
- optical surveillance cameras
- Quarries
- Council websites?
Sharing of personal information across the organisation.
How we store personal information
How we store personal information
Council takes reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. These steps include:
Restricting access to personal information so that it is only accessed by authorised personnel and only for a permitted purpose.
- Authorised personnel receive regular training about privacy and their responsibilities when handling personal information.
- Ensuring systems maintain an audit trail to log each time personal information is accessed.
- Ensuring Council buildings and physical premises are secure.
- Regularly updating and auditing information security systems and practices.
- Any third parties engaged to store or handle personal information are contractually bound to ensure compliance with privacy legislation and requirements.
When no longer required, Council will destroy or archive personal information in a secure manner.
How we share information outside Australia
How we share information outside Australia
How to access and correct information about you
How to access and correct information about you
Individuals have the right to ask for access to their personal information which is held by Council.
Individuals also have the right to ask for correction to their personal information. If you ask, we must give you access to your personal information, and take reasonable steps to correct it if we consider it is incorrect, unless there is a law that allows or requires us not to.
How to make a complaint about privacy
How to make a complaint about privacy
An individual may make a complaint to Council in relation to how their personal information has been handled. The IP Act allows a minimum of 45 business days for Council to respond and/or to resolve the subject matter to the satisfaction of the individual.
Complaints about privacy will be managed in accordance with Council’s Administrative Action Complaint Management Policy. If an individual is dissatisfied with the outcome of an investigation of their complaint about privacy, the individual can refer their complaint to the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC).