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Privacy Statement

Commitment to the privacy of personal information

This website collects and uses data that indirectly identifies users and in some instances, information which is personal information about users. We take steps to protect information, including personal information, against loss, unauthorised access, use, modification or disclosure, and against other misuse.

This Privacy Statement outlines measures implemented to ensure the privacy of personal information collected by the Parliament of Australia website and, in particular, information collected electronically.

This Privacy Statement will be regularly reviewed and may change from time to time.

What information do we collect and how do we use it?

Web browsing records

When you look at the pages on the this website, our computers automatically record information that indirectly identifies users in the following circumstances:

Computer Information

It is necessary that your web browser provides your devices network address, so the web server can address its replies back to the correct machine. In addition, your browser type and operating system information may be recorded.

Navigation Data

Browsing any website generates a trail of pages visited, the amount of data transferred and the time of access. This information is recorded against the network address supplied by your web browser.

The information collected during each visit referred to above is generated by the systems you are accessing, and stored in system logs. These logs are preserved and archived for possible future use for the purposes set out below.

The information is used by Department of the Senate website software, and by our support staff, only for:

  • website and systems administration, including monitoring as a security measure
  • evaluation, research and development.

The information collected will not be disclosed to a third party without your prior written consent except where it is required or authorised by law, such as in the investigation of a criminal offence, and in compliance with a search warrant or subpoena.

Electronic Mail

We will only record your email address in the event that you send a message by email. Your email address will only be used for the purpose for which you have provided it and will not be added to any mailing lists or used or disclosed for any other purpose without your prior written consent.

Parliamentary Privilege

This website contains information in relation to the activities of the Senate. In some cases this information can contain personal information of individuals and could be covered under Parliamentary Privilege. You can find further information on Parliamentary Privilege here. If you would like to request the removal of personal information please use the contact information below and the matter will be referred to the appropriate committee.

Cookies

A ‘cookie’ is an electronic token that is passed to your browser which passes it back to the server whenever a page is sent to you.

This website uses a number of types of cookies – here is how and why we use them:

  • Analytics cookies – these cookies allow us to gather analytics that are used to measure the sites effectiveness and guide future enhancements.
  • Targeting or advertising cookies – these cookies are used to help us measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

None of the above cookies are used to store personal information about you.

Most internet browsers are pre-set to accept cookies. If you prefer not to receive cookies, you can adjust your internet browser to refuse cookies or to warn you when cookies are being used.

Google Analytics

In addition to web server logs, this website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google Inc. Reports obtained from Google Analytics are used to help improve the efficiency and usability of this website.

Google Analytics uses 'cookies' to help analyse how users use this site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States.

Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of our website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google's behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google.

By using this website, you consent to Google processing data about you in the manner and for the purposes set out above. Please refer to Google's Privacy Policy.

Links to Other Sites

This website contains links to other sites. The Department of the Senate is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such websites and has no knowledge if cookies or other tracking devices are used on linked websites.

These other sites may use web measurement tools, customisation technologies and persistent cookies to inform the service they provide to users. You should read the privacy statement published on each website that you visit.

Is the information stored securely?

Yes, the information collected is stored in an appropriately secure format.

We take steps to protect the information we hold, including personal information, against loss, unauthorised access, use, modification or disclosure, and against other misuse. These steps include password-protecting access to our electronic information technology and communications systems and using controls to ensure that only staff who need to access personal information are able to access it.

When the personal information we collect is no longer required it is destroyed, in accordance with the Archives Act 1983, or de-identified.

In addition, data is usually secured in transit between your computer and our servers through the use of encryption technology and the Senate has a reliable system with data stored securely in databases managed by us in accordance with the Senate's ICT security policies and practices.

While every effort is made to secure information transmitted to this website over the internet, there may be inherent risks associated with the transmission of information via the Internet and there is therefore a possibility that this information could be accessed by a third party while in transit.

How to contact us

If you wish to contact the Department of the Senate about a privacy-related matter, including questions about this Privacy Statement, please contact us.