Privacy Statement
Rockhampton Regional Council
Rockhampton Regional Council is committed to protecting your privacy and handling personal information in an open, transparent and responsible way. This Privacy Statement explains how Council collects, holds, uses, discloses, secures and manages personal information in accordance with the Information Privacy Act 2009, the Queensland Privacy Principles and other applicable laws.
Scope
This Privacy Statement applies to Council’s main website, subsidiary websites, online services, forms, portals and other Council-managed digital platforms that link to this statement. Some services may include a separate privacy collection notice that explains how personal information is collected and used for that particular service.
What is personal information?
Personal information is information or an opinion about an individual, whether true or not, where the individual’s identity can reasonably be identified from the information or opinion. This includes information that can be used to identify and individual either directly or indirectly, and includes data stored in physical or electronic formats. Examples of personal information Council may collect include:
- Name, address, date of birth and contact details
- Signature, identification numbers and account details
- Financial information, including payment or banking details
- Property, building, rating, animal management and service records
- Images, video or audio recordings, including CCTV footage
- Information provided through enquiries, applications, complaints, surveys, forms or online services
How we collect personal information
Council collects personal information where it is reasonably necessary for, or directly related to, Council’s functions and activities. We may collect personal information:
- directly from you, including in person, by phone, email, letter, application form or online form
- through Council websites, digital services, online bookings, payment services, customer request systems, consultation platforms and portals
- from other government agencies, service providers, contractors or third parties, where authorised or required
- from publicly available sources, where relevant to Council functions
- through website cookies, analytics and system logs, where applicable
Why we collect personal information
Council collects personal information to perform its functions and provide services to the community. This may include collecting information to:
- deliver Council services, programs, facilities and events
- process applications, permits, licences, payments, bookings and service requests
- respond to enquiries, complaints, feedback, reports and correspondence
- maintain Council records and administer Council’s statutory, regulatory and operational functions
- conduct community engagement, surveys, consultation and service improvement activities
- meet legal, audit, reporting, public health, safety, emergency management and regulatory obligations
Council implements procedures and systems to obtain and record consent to the collection of personal information. You may deny or revoke your consent at any time as per the relevant information collection process. Note that, if you choose deny or revoke your consent to Council collecting the relevant information, Council may be unable to provide the requested service or complete the relevant transaction.
How we use and disclose personal information
Council uses and discloses personal information for the purpose for which it was collected, for a related purpose you would reasonably expect, or where otherwise authorised or required by law. Council does not sell or trade personal information. We may disclose personal information where:
- you have consented to the disclosure
- disclosure is required or authorised by law
- disclosure is necessary to deliver Council services or complete a transaction
- disclosure is made to a contracted service provider acting on Council’s behalf
- disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious threat to life, health or safety
- disclosure is required for law enforcement, regulatory, audit, insurance, legal or governance purposes
Where Council uses contractors or service providers, we take reasonable steps to ensure personal information is managed in accordance with applicable privacy obligations and Council requirements.
Website, digital services, cookies and analytics
When you visit a Council website or digital service, certain technical information may be collected automatically for security, administration, statistical and service improvement purposes. This may include:
- your IP address, device type, browser type and operating system
- the date and time of your visit
- pages viewed, documents downloaded and time spent on the site
- referring websites and search terms used to find the site
- general location information derived from technical data
Council websites may use cookies and similar technologies to support site functionality, remember preferences, improve performance, analyse usage and protect online services. Some cookies are necessary for digital services to operate. Others may be used for analytics or to improve the user experience.
Council uses Google Analytics to collect statistical information about how visitors use Council websites and digital services. This may include information such as pages visited, time spent on pages, links selected, documents downloaded, approximate location, browser type, device type and referral information. Google Analytics uses cookies and similar technologies to collect this information and generate reports for Council.
Council uses information from Google Analytics to understand website usage, improve online services and make content easier to find. Council does not use Google Analytics to identify individual users and will not intentionally send names, contact details, form content or other directly identifying information to Google Analytics. Information collected through Google Analytics may be processed by Google on servers located outside Australia. Council takes reasonable steps to configure analytics services in a privacy-protective way and to limit the collection and use of information to what is reasonably necessary for website analytics and service improvement.
Council may also use other third-party providers for services such as website hosting, online forms, customer requests, payments, surveys, mapping, email distribution, consultation platforms and embedded content. These providers may collect or process technical information or personal information on Council’s behalf. Some providers may store or process information outside Australia. Where this occurs, Council takes reasonable steps to ensure personal information is protected in accordance with the Information Privacy Act 2009.
You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Some website features may not work properly if cookies are disabled. Council will provide additional privacy notices or consent options where required or appropriate for particular online services or non-essential tracking technologies.
Security and retention
Council takes reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. These steps may include physical, technical, administrative and contractual safeguards.
Council retains personal information for as long as required for the purpose for which it was collected, to meet legal and operational requirements, and in accordance with the Public Records Act 2023 and applicable records retention and disposal authorities.
Accessing and correcting your personal information
You may request access to personal information Council holds about you or ask Council to correct it if it is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date or misleading. Wherever possible, Council will provide access or correction administratively. In some circumstances, you may need to make a formal application under the Information Privacy Act 2009 or Right to Information Act 2009.
For more information, visit Council’s Right to Information page or contact Council using the details below.
Privacy complaints and concerns
If you believe Council has mishandled your personal information or breached your privacy, you may lodge a privacy complaint with Council. Council will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 5 business days and will aim to respond within 45 business days. If you are not satisfied with Council’s response, or if Council has not responded within the required timeframe, you may be able to refer your complaint to the Office of the Information Commissioner Queensland. For more information, go to https://www.rockhamptonregion.qld.gov.au/ContactUs/Submit-a-Complaint
Privacy Policy
This Privacy Statement should be read together with Rockhampton Regional Council’s Privacy Policy, which outlines Council’s broader approach to managing, handling and protecting personal information. To request a copy of Council’s Privacy Policy, contact Council on (07) 4932 9000 or visit one of Council’s customer service centres.
Contact us
If you have any questions or concerns about privacy, please contact Council:
Rockhampton Regional Council
(07) 4932 9000
enquiries@rrc.qld.gov.au
PO Box 1860, ROCKHAMPTON CITY QLD 4700