Transport Industry Superannuation Fund

Thursday 9th September, 2010

Privacy Policy

  1. Who is The Transport Industry Superannuation Fund?
  2. What does “personal information” mean?
  3. Why we collect your personal information
  4. How we collect personal information
  5. How we use your personal information
  6. Direct Marketing
  7. Do we disclose your personal information to anyone?
  8. Help us to ensure we hold accurate information
  9. Is my personal information secure?
  10. Can I access the personal information?
  11. Can my request for access to my personal information be denied?
  12. What is a Commonwealth identifier?
  13. Do I have to be identified at all?
  14. Does my personal Information leave Australia?
  15. Sensitive Information
  16. Access to our services via the Internet
  17. Security of your personal information online
  18. Our Privacy Policy may change from time to time
  19. Concerns or request for access
  20. Can I complain about a breach of my privacy?

T.I.S. Pty Ltd as trustee for The Transport Industry Superannuation Fund is committed to providing you with the highest levels of customer service. This includes protecting your privacy. From 21st December 2001, we will be bound by new sections of the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988, which set out a number of principles concerning the protection of your personal information.

Following is the information that the Privacy Act requires us to communicate to all of our members and customers. We recommend that you keep this information for future reference.

  1. Who is The Transport Industry Superannuation Fund?

    The Transport Industry Superannuation Fund (T.I.S.) is a superannuation fund set up to receive superannuation contributions from employers and employees mainly from the Transport Industry. The Fund is administered by McCouaig & Co Pty Ltd.

  2. What does “personal information” mean?

    Personal information is any information about you that identifies you or by which your identity can be reasonably determined.

  3. Why we collect your personal information

    Personal information held by T.I.S. may include your name, date of birth, current and previous addresses, telephone/mobile phone number, e-mail address, occupation, tax file number.

    If you choose not to provide personal information, we may not be able to provide you with the services you require, or the level of service on which we pride ourselves.

  4. How we collect personal information?

    Where possible we collect your personal information directly from you.

    Collection may take place in a number of ways such as when you complete an application form for a product or request a product or service over the telephone or Internet.

    Often personal information is collected during the course of our relationship with you. Examples of personal information collection during our relationship may be when you lodge a claim for TPD or change nomination of a beneficiary.

    Sometimes personal information may be collected about you from other sources. Examples of where we may receive personal information about you from another source and why this would happen are,

    • Your employer in the course of establishing and administering your membership of a superannuation fund
    • An insurance investigation in the course of assessing your claim under a policy of insurance
    • A medical practitioner in the course of assessing your claim

    In most cases we will require you to specifically consent to any collection, use or disclosure of your personal information by T.I.S. Your consent will usually be required in writing but we may accept your verbal consent in certain circumstances.

    However no matter how your personal information is collected it is dealt with by T.I.S. in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

  5. How we use your personal information

    We use the personal information that we collect so that we can conduct our business of providing financial products and services and to administer and enhance the financial service relationship we have with you.

  6. Direct Marketing

    From time to time we may use your personal information to provide you with information about our range of financial products and services.

    T.I.S. does not disclose your personal information to a party outside T.I.S. for the purposes of allowing them to direct market their products or services to you.

    Often the law requires us to provide you with certain information about the product or service that you receive from us. You will continue to receive this type of information from us.

  7. Do we disclose your personal information to anyone?

    T.I.S. may disclose your personal information in certain circumstances.

    Sometimes we are required or authorised by law to disclose your personal information. For example we may disclose your personal information to a Court in response to a subpoena or to the Australian Taxation Office following a direction issued under taxation laws.

    We may also disclose your personal information where you have consented to us doing so. Your consent to the disclosure of your personal information may be given explicitly such as in writing or verbally or may be implied from your conduct such as when you discuss details of the relationship you have with us publicly with the media.

    Generally however we do not disclose your personal information to a party outside T.I.S. unless that party is contracted to T.I.S. to provide administrative services or activities on our behalf and that party is bound by the same privacy rules we follow.

    Some examples of parties outside T.I.S. to whom we may disclose your personal information and the reason for disclosure are:-

    • Mail service providers for the mailing of statements or direct marketing material etc.
    • Administrators of the Fund
    • Investment Managers of the Fund
    • Information and Technology Services
    • Disaster Recovery
    • Group Insurer for the purpose of the assessment of claims.

  8. Help us to ensure we hold accurate information

    T.I.S. takes all reasonable precautions to ensure that the personal information we collect, use and disclose is accurate complete and up-to-date. However, the accuracy of that information depends to a large extent on the information you provide. That’s why we recommend that you:

    • Let us know if there are any errors in your personal information
    • Keep us up to date with changes to personal information such as your name or address and beneficiaries

  9. Is my personal information secure?

    The protection of your personal information is a priority for T.I.S.

    This is why we take all reasonable precautions to safeguard your personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

    We employ a number of means to protect your personal information including,

    • External and internal premises security
    • Restricted access to personal information
    • Entering into confidential agreements with all employees, contractors and third party organisations
    • Having in place stand-by systems to deal with major business interruptions
    • Maintaining technology products to prevent unauthorised computer access
    • Regular reviewing and testing of our technology in order to improve the level of security

    Furthermore, when we no longer require your personal information it is our practice to securely destroy the information or delete it from our systems.

  10. Can I access the personal information?

    Your have a right to access your personal information, subject to some exceptions allowed by law. If you would like to do so please let us know. You may be required to put your request in writing for security reasons.

    For more detailed requests for access to personal information, for example, access to information held in archives, a fee may be charged to cover the cost of retrieval and the supply of this information to you.

    T.I.S. may be required by law to retain your personal information for a period of time after you have ceased your relationship with us. After the required time has passed we attend to the secure destruction or deletion of your personal information.

  11. Can my request for access to my personal information be denied?

    T.I.S. is not always required to provide you with access to your personal information upon your request.

    We may refuse you access to personal information in a number of circumstances such as where the information may relate to existing or anticipated legal proceedings with you, where denying access is required or authorised by law, or where the request for access is regarded as frivolous or vexatious.

    If we deny your request for access to, or refuse your request to correct your personal information we will explain why.

  12. What is a Commonwealth identifier?

    A Commonwealth identifier is a Commonwealth Government or Commonwealth Government agency designated identification number such as your Tax File Number (TFN) or Medicare number.

    T.I.S. does not use Commonwealth identifiers as a means of identifying the personal information that we may have collected about you.

    We only use Commonwealth identifiers when we supply your TFN to the Australian Taxation Office.

  13. Do I have to be identified at all?

    Generally it is not possible for us to do business with you unless we have identified you.

    Where ever it is lawful and practicable to do so, we may offer you the opportunity to deal with us anonymously. For example, when making an inquiry about current interest rates applicable on investments or our fees and charges in general.

  14. Does my personal Information leave Australia?

    T.I.S. does not send personal information outside Australia unless it is authorised to do so by law.

  15. Sensitive information

    If personal information concerns particular topics it is regarded as sensitive information.

    Sensitive information can be information about your,

    • Racial or ethnic origin
    • Political opinions
    • 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
    • Health

    TIS only collects, uses or discloses sensitive information about you as is allowed by law for example where we have received your consent to do so or the collection is necessary for the establishment, exercise of defence of a legal claim.

  16. Access to our services via the Internet

    Whilst the Internet has brought many improvements to the way T.I.S. is able to do business with you we also understand that you may have concerns about the personal information collected about you online or the security of your personal information that may be exchanged between us online.

  17. Security of your personal information online

    Generally e-mail is not a secure way to communicate there fore you should not send your personal information to us via email.

  18. Our Privacy Policy may change from time to time

    T.I.S. constantly reviews all its policies and procedures to keep up to date with changes in the law, technology and market practice.

    As a result we may change this privacy policy from time to time.

  19. Concerns or request for access?

    If you have a question about this Privacy Policy or wish to lodge a request to access your personal information you can contact us in any of the following ways,
    By telephoning on 1800 777 060 OR 07 3217 5515

    OR

    By writing to:
    The Transport Industry Superannuation Fund
    P.O. Box 2093 MILTON Q 4064

  20. Can I complain about a breach of my privacy?

    If you believe that T.I.S. has not protected your personal information as set out in this privacy policy you may lodge a complaint with us.

    If you are not satisfied with the result of your complaint to T.I.S. you can refer your complaint to the Federal Privacy Commissioner.

    You can contact the Federal Privacy Commissioner, by
    Telephoning on 1300 363 992

    OR

    Writing to:
    The Director of Complaints
    Office of the Federal Privacy
    Commissioner
    G.P.O. Box 5218
    SYDNEY, NSW 2001