Privacy Policy

QPILCH recognises the importance of your privacy and understands your concerns about the security of your personal information. This privacy policy describes generally how we manage your personal information and safeguard your privacy.

At QPLICH we aim to make sure that:

• your privacy is protected when using our service
• any personal information we collect is up to date, and
• you are able to access your information if you wish.

The National Privacy Principles

From 21 December 2001, most private sector organisations in Australia must by law comply with the National Privacy Principles ("NPPs") pursuant to the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). We are bound by the NPPs.

Collecting personal information about you

We only collect personal information that is necessary for us to perform our functions.  If you do not provide us with this information it is unlikely your matter will be accepted by a member law firm.

The kinds of personal information we collect and hold will depend upon the services you request from us. However, it may include:

• information you give us when you request a service from us. This information will include your name, address and contact details;
• information about individuals we collect in the course of assessing your application and compiling a brief for referral;
• communications between us and you; and
• Information that may be considered sensitive, for example any other legal matters you are or have been involved in.

Use of your personal information

To perform our function we will forward the information we have collected from you to our member law firms and other organisations, such as Legal Aid Queensland, so that your application can be assessed for pro bono status.

To ensure that all our privacy policies follow tough confidentiality guidelines, and for insurance purposes, we may need to allow other legal agencies or organisations to randomly check our files. Your file, or information held by QPLICH about you, may be included in this check. The legal agencies or organisations carrying out this check will also keep your information confidential.

Storage and security of your information

At QPLICH, all reasonable efforts are taken to ensure that any information about you is protected from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure in any way other than in accordance with this policy or the Privacy Act 1988.

The information collected by us is stored either in electronic or hard copy form in files or computer systems for 7 years from the date the information was last updated. QPLICH is located in a protected building where all computer systems and hard copy files are safely locked away.

Our computers are regularly updated for viruses and all electronic information saved on computer is protected from system break downs. All computer systems are also protected by passwords only known to employees and volunteers.

All QPLICH employees and volunteers are required, as part of their service, to treat any information held as highly confidential.

Access to your personal information

In most cases, you can gain access to personal information that we hold about you. We will handle requests for access to your personal information in accordance with the NPPs.

We encourage all requests for access to your personal information to be directed to us by email contact@qpilch.org.au or by writing to the address below.

We will deal with all requests for access to personal information as quickly as possible. Requests for a large amount of information, or information which is not currently in use, may require further time before a response can be given. In some cases, consistently with the NPPs, we may refuse to give you access to personal information we hold about you. This includes circumstances where giving you access:

• would be unlawful (for example, where a record which contains personal information about you is subject to a claim of legal professional privilege);
• would have an unreasonable impact on other people's privacy;
• would prejudice negotiations we are having with you;
• would prejudice an investigation of unlawful activity; or
• would prejudice activities carried out by, or for, a law enforcement agency.

If we refuse to give you access we will provide you with reasons for our refusal.

Keeping your information up to date

Generally, if you request us to do so we will amend any personal information about you held by us which is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date. If we disagree with your view about the accuracy, completeness or currency of a record of your personal information held by us, and you ask us to associate with that record a statement that you have a contrary view, we will take reasonable steps to do so.

How to contact us

If you would like more information about the way we manage personal information which we hold about you, or are concerned that we may have breached your privacy and wish to make a complaint, please contact us by email, fax or mail at the following addresses:

• email address: contact@qpilch.org.au;
• postal address: GPO Box 1543, Brisbane Qld 4001; or
• facsimile number: (07) 3012 9774.

We will endeavour to respond to your enquiry as soon as possible.

Changes to our privacy policy

From time to time it may be necessary for us to review and revise our privacy policy. We reserve the right to change our privacy policy at any time.

We may notify you about changes to this privacy policy by posting an updated version on our website www.qpilch.org.au.

QPILCH
GPO Box 1543
BRISBANE QLD 4001
T: 07 3012 9773
F: 07 3012 9774
E: contact@qpilch.org.au