Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy


This privacy policy sets out how we collect, use and protect any information that you give us when you use this website.

We are committed to ensuring your privacy is protected.

Ground and Water Pty Ltd (Ground and Water) is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information obtained through our operations as a business. We appreciate that we collect and hold a range of information in our role. Accordingly, we maintain our commitment to adhere to the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) and any relevant privacy code registered under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act).

 

Definitions

“Personal information” is information or an opinion that identifies or could reasonably identify an individual.

 

What personal data we collect and why we collect it

Ground and Water collects personal information that is reasonably necessary for, or directly related to, providing the services you have requested from us, e.g. field mapping, water supply design, impact evaluations and other hydrogeological services.

The specific types of personal information Ground and Water may collect and hold include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • name;
  • postal and business addresses;
  • sight location;
  • title;
  • contact details;
  • nature of business;
  • bank account details;
  • signature.

Ground and Water does not collect any personal information other than information reasonably necessary for, or directly relating to, the purpose of which you have engaged or may engage us.

As set out below, Ground and Water also collects certain information that is not directly and specifically provided by third parties, such as an IP address, browsing pattern on the website, click stream, and the status of cookies placed on a computer and web beacons from email newsletter campaigns.

The law does not require us to collect personal information about you, however, if you do not provide us with the relevant information, we will not be able to adequately provide you with the services you require.

 

How we collect personal information

We only collect personal information that has been directly provided to us by our clients or prospective clients, associated clients, our suppliers or potential suppliers, our employees or potential employees, or is otherwise available in the public domain where this information will assist us with the provision of services to our current and prospective clients. The personal information Ground and Water receives may be provided verbally or in writing (including by email, through website forms and by uploading to our website’s secure area).

Personal information may also be collected concerning an associate of a client or a prospective client (e.g. spouse or a child) where it is considered unreasonable or impracticable to seek this same information directly from the associate. In order for Ground and Water to provide services involving the associate, we may also request personal information such as name, address, and similar personal information directly from a client in relation to their associate (e.g. their client or spouse) where we are satisfied that the associate would not object to the provision of that information to us.

Our website uses cookies to identify your computer but a cookie does not identify you personally or contain any other information about you. A cookie is a small text file that is stored on your computer that helps us know which browser the operator is using, where they have been on our website and any website to which they may link in order to use some of our features. By acceptance of our cookie, the user will be able to access certain pages of our website without having to log into each time they visit. You can set your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie so that you will have an opportunity to either accept or reject it in each instance. Alternatively, you can also turn off all cookies in your web browser. However, you should note that refusing cookies may have a negative impact on the functionality and usability of our website, which could include you not being able to access certain areas of the website. Our website may also log IP addresses, or the location of computers on the internet to help diagnose problems with our server and to administer the site.

Email campaigns may include single pixel files, also known as web beacons, which allow us to collect information about when you open the email, your IP address, your computer location, your browser or email client type, and other similar details. We do this to measure the performance of our email newsletter campaigns, and to improve our services and how we provide information to our clients.

 

How we use your personal information

Collecting your personal information allows us to provide professional services you have requested from us. The personal information we collect may also be used to facilitate our internal business processes, communicating with clients, prospective clients and other external parties, to send email newsletters, invite you to seminars or events we conduct or host, provide ongoing marketing information about our products and services, complying with our legal obligations and dealing with enquiries and complaints. You may opt out of any marketing materials we send to you through an unsubscribe mechanism or by contacting us directly.

In certain circumstances, the law may permit or require us to use or disclose personal information for other purposes. We will not disclose information about you to any third parties unless the disclosure:

  • is necessary for a service you have requested;
  • is required by law;
  • is authorised by law; or,
  • you have provided consent for us to disclose the information about you.

 

Sensitive Information

We does not collect sensitive information about our clients or prospective clients. If any of our clients or prospective clients elects to provide us with any sensitive personal information, we will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the sensitive information is securely protected.

 

Disclosure of personal information

Ground and Water will not disclose your personal information to a third party unless it is to support the delivery of the client services for which we have been engaged, or is expected to be engaged, or is required or authorised by law.

In certain circumstances Ground and Water may also disclose personal information to third party service providers (such as IT and marketing service providers) who assist us to administer our business.

Contract cleaners and secure document destruction service providers may have access to your personal information at times.

Should it be necessary for Ground and Water to provide personal information to third parties outside the firm, we will make every effort to ensure that the confidentiality of the information is protected.

 

Overseas Disclosures

Due to the nature of our work, on occasion Ground and Water may engage the services of contractors and third party providers who may be located off-shore to provide the services we have been engaged to perform, or under the terms of our prospective engagement. We may require that personal information be disclosed to these overseas recipients so that we may provide our services to you. The location of any overseas recipients of this information will depend upon the nature of the client assignment being conducted or contemplated. In the event that personal information is disclosed to overseas recipients, Ground and Water will take all reasonable steps to ensure that any personal information is secure and treated in accordance with the APPs.

By engaging the services of Ground and Water you understand that your personal information may be disclosed to contractors and third party providers who are located outside of Australia and consent to this information being shared with these recipients.

 

How we store your personal information

Ground and Water is committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information and will take all reasonable precautions to ensure that the personal information we collect is stored in a secure environment that is accessed only by authorised personnel so as to prevent misuse, loss or unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. All Ground and Water employees are required to treat personal information as confidential. We may need to maintain records for a significant period of time, however, when we consider information is no longer needed, we will destroy or de-identify these records.

Our policy is that all electronic records are stored in Australia whenever this is commercially feasible. However, the engagement of services of contractors and other third party providers, as well as, the use of a limited number of specialist software and cloud based applications may involve the storage of personal information at an overseas location. We currently use a number of software packages which utilise information stored in the cloud. It is not practicable for us to specify all countries that will have jurisdiction over such off-shore storage of personal information. When personal information is stored in off-shore locations Ground and Water will take all reasonable steps to ensure that all of our contractors, third party providers and software applications comply with the APPs.

By engaging the services of Ground and Water you understand that your personal information may be stored outside of Australia and consent to this information being shared with these external servers.

Your personal information is stored in our computers located in our office. We will endeavour to provide a secure environment and a reliable system, however, you need to be aware that there are inherent risks associated with the electronic storage and transmission of information (particularly via the internet), which we cannot guarantee to be 100% secure.

 

Accuracy of personal information

Ground and Water will take all reasonable steps to make sure that any personal information collected, used or disclosed is accurate, complete and up to date. If you believe the information that we hold about you is inaccurate, out of date or incomplete please contact our business and we will update the relevant information accordingly.

 

Access to personal information

Under the APPs, a person has the right to request access to any of their personal information that we may hold about them and to advise us if the information should be corrected. The APPs set out the circumstances when we can refuse those requests and if we do refuse a request, we will provide the person with a written notice that sets out the reason/s (unless it would be unreasonable to provide them).

Subject to our right to refuse access, Ground and Water will respond to your request within a reasonable period after the request is made and will provide the information to you in the manner that you have requested.

Examples of circumstances where we may not be able to provide access to personal information include when:

  • providing access would be unlawful;
  • denying access is required or authorised by or under an Australian law or a court/tribunal order;
  • providing access would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of other individuals;
  • the information relates to existing or anticipated legal proceedings between the firm and the individual, and would not be accessible by the process of discovery in those proceedings.

 

Privacy enquiries

If you wish to make an enquiry about your personal information, or to make a complaint, please contact our Director:

Ground and Water Pty Ltd
Attention: Privacy Officer
PO Box 7252, Sippy Downs, QLD 4556

E: cdickinson@groundandwater.com.au

P: 0437 337 996

 

We will respond to each request within a reasonable time. If you have lodged a complaint with Ground and Water and your concerns are not resolved to your satisfaction, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner:

GPO Box 5218
SYDNEY NSW 2001

P: 1300 363 992

General information about privacy, including the Australian Privacy Principles, is available at www.oaic.gov.au and by phoning 1300 363 992.

 

Changes to the privacy policy

This Privacy Policy is not a static document and Ground and Water reserves the right to make changes to this Policy from time to time for any reason, and any amended Policy is effective upon posting to this website. Your use of our services will be deemed acceptance of this and any amended Policy.

Our current Privacy Policy is accessible on our website and a copy can also be provided on request.

Last updated: 26 August 2022.

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