The Australian Psychological Society Limited (APS)

We are committed to the protection of your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (C’th) (Act). 

This policy sets out how we collect, use, manage and store your personal information.
Where applicable, we will rely on the employee records exemption in the Privacy Act and any other applicable exemptions in other relevant legislation.

1.1 ‘Personal information’ is defined in the Act.  Essentially, it means information from which your identity is reasonably apparent.  This information may include information or an opinion about you (whether true or not) and may also include sensitive information.

1.2 ‘Sensitive information’ is any information about your racial or ethnic origin, political opinion, membership of a political association, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs, membership of a professional, or trade association, membership of a trade union, sexual preferences or practices, criminal record or health information.  We will not ask you to disclose sensitive information unless it is necessary for providing our services to you.  However, if you elect to provide unsolicited sensitive information it may be captured and stored.

2.1 The kinds of personal information that we collect or hold may include your:

• name
• contact details (including postal address, email address and telephone numbers)
• date of birth
• payment information (including credit card details)

2.2 For members or applicants for membership, the personal information held by us may also include:

2.3 For persons holding or applying for a position with us (for example, as an employee, a contractor or a volunteer) or undertaking or applying for a student placement, we may also hold health information (for example, relating to a disability or condition relevant to the performance of your role, or relating to an injury sustained in the course of our activities).

3.1 We collect personal information in a number of ways, including:

• in the course of conducting our services
• correspondence and telephone calls
• conference and other event registration forms
• if you provide us with your business card at a function or event
• order forms for APS products
• applications for assessment of overseas qualifications
• applications to be included in the "Find a Psychologist" service
• when you place an advertisement with the "PsychXchange" service
• membership application forms (online and offline)
• annual subscription forms (online and offline)
• responses to calls for nominations for awards or positions
• applications for membership of member groups
• when you participate in APS member services and benefits or privileges programmes
• if you contact us in person or through social media (such as LinkedIn and Facebook)
• when you purchase a product through the online "APS Shop"
• when you apply for a position with us (for example, as an employee, a contractor or a volunteer) or a student placement
• from publicly available sources of information

4.1 We collect, use and disclose personal information for the purpose of conducting our operations and providing our services, which include:

• processing registration of members
• identifying, creating and providing membership services and benefits
• maintaining membership and service/benefit records
• identifying, creating and providing services to psychologists, other persons, members of the public or bodies involved in the practice of psychology
• establishing and operating continuing professional development programmes
• establishing user/customer accounts for psychologists, other persons, bodies, corporations or other legal entities accessing and/or using services, directories or information provided by us through our website or programmes operated or managed by us
• in the case of potential staff, volunteers and students, assessing a person's application for employment or engagement by or placement with us
• resolving disputes and responding to queries
• verifying your identity when you deal with us
• obtaining goods or services from you
• conducting surveys of members and others
• direct marketing to promote our or third parties' goods or services to you, including by mail, telephone, email, SMS or targeted digital marketing [you may contact us at any time to unsubscribe from direct marketing]

4.2 We may also collect, use and disclose your personal information:

• for purposes which should be reasonably expected by you and are related to the above purposes;
• for other purposes to which you have consented; and
• as otherwise authorised or required by law

4.3 We may disclose personal information as follows for the above purposes:

• to outsourced service providers who assist us in the delivery of some of the services you receive, by providing functions such as:
  • mailing systems 
  • information technology services 
  • conference organising
• to other providers of services to us (for example, our insurers)
• to external providers of member services, benefits and privileges, in order to confirm that the member is a member
• to our professional advisers, including auditors
• to government authorities, as required or authorised by law
• to providers of insurance or other products offered by us
• where you otherwise provide your consent, whether express or implied
• where otherwise required or permitted by law

4.4 In addition, for APS members:

• your nominated contact telephone number will be released to the public upon request [if you do not wish to have your telephone number listed in the Directory of Members or released to the public upon request, please send a letter outlining your concerns addressed in confidence to the Privacy Officer at the address listed below]
• if you are a Member, Fellow or Honorary Fellow of APS, your title, name, contact telephone number, and your membership of APS Colleges and Divisions will be included in the Membership Directory on the APS website, which is accessible only by APS members
• in response to a request from a psychologist registration board, we may, at our discretion, disclose information held about your qualifications, experience and practice as a psychologist
• we may seek your consent to have the same details as those included in the Membership Directory made accessible to other allied health organisations for the purpose of increasing access by and to appropriately qualified professionals for the purpose of referrals

4.5 Where practical, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that third parties to whom we disclose your personal information have a commitment to protecting your personal information at least equal to our commitment or are subject to confidentiality requirements in relation to that information or you have consented to us making the disclosure.

Some of the third parties to whom we may disclose your personal information may operate globally and be located or based outside Australia (including the USA) so that they can provide us with services in connection with the operation of our business, such as marketing services, survey tools and data storage.  The use of such third party providers, where appropriate, may nevertheless be subject to further internal policies and protocols to better ensure that your privacy is protected.

6.1 Cookies are pieces of information that the APS's website transfers to your computer's hard drive for record keeping purposes.  Most web browsers are set to accept cookies.  We use cookies to make your experience of our website and services as convenient as possible.  While cookies do not personally identify you, they do identify your browser.

6.2 Cookies are used to estimate the number of users and determine overall traffic patterns through our website.  If you do not wish to receive any cookies, you can set your browser to refuse cookies.  However, this may mean you will not be able to take full advantage of our services.

7.1 We take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we hold is secure and may only be accessed by authorised persons.  

7.2 However, except to the extent that statutory liability cannot be excluded, we exclude all liability (including in negligence) for the consequences of any unauthorised access to, disclosure of, misuse of or loss or corruption of your personal information.  Nothing in this Privacy Policy restricts, excludes or modifies any statutory consumer rights under any applicable law (including the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (C’th)). 

8.1 We strive to keep accurate, complete and up-to-date records of the personal information we collect, so far as practical. Accuracy depends on the information provided to us. Members can update their personal details in the restricted access "Manage your membership" section of the APS website. Any non-members who wish to query the accuracy of personal information held about them or update that information may contact the Privacy Officer as set out below.

8.2 You have a right to seek access to your personal information held by us and that right extends to correction of the information if it is inaccurate, out-of-date or incomplete.  To seek access to your personal information, please contact the Privacy Officer as set out below.

8.3 It is our policy to provide a summary of the personal information that we hold, rather than copies of individual documents. We do not provide access to evaluative information generated within the organisation in connection with commercially sensitive decision-making processes.

8.4 If we are unable to provide you with access to or correction of your personal information, we will provide you with a written notice that sets out the reasons for our decision and mechanisms available to you to lodge a complaint.

8.5 All requests for access and/or correction of personal information are subject to verification of the identity of the person making the request.

8.6 In the event that copies of individual documents are requested and we agree to meet that request, the fee for provision of documents via post, fax or email is $1.00 per page (or such other reasonable fee as we specify), payable prior to delivery.

If you have any questions in relation to how we handle personal information, or wish to lodge a complaint about our management of personal information or a request for access to or correction of your personal information, please call our Privacy Officer: Monday - Friday between 8.45am - 5.15pm Melbourne time on (03) 8662 3300 from Melbourne, or 1800 333 497 from elsewhere.

Alternatively, you can write to the Privacy Officer by:

Mail addressed to:

​The Australian Psychological Society Limited

PO Box 38
Flinders Lane Victoria 8009

Email:

[email protected]

The Privacy Officer will co-ordinate the investigation of any complaint and any potential resolution of a complaint.  We will aim to resolve all complaints as soon as practicable.

We may change this Privacy Policy at any time.  If we make changes to this Privacy Policy we will notify you by publication on our website.  The revised version of this Privacy Policy will be effective at the time we post it.

Last updated: May 2017