Privacy Policy – Hunter Valley Operations

Privacy Policy

1 Purpose

This Privacy Policy applies to all employees of Hunter Valley Operations (“the Company”).

The way HVO manages personal information is governed by the Privacy Act 1998 (Cth) (Act) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) established under the Act.

This Privacy Policy does not apply to personal information collected, or otherwise obtained, by HVO in relation to current and former employees and which relates directly to the employment relationship that exists, or existed, between HVO and its current and former employees.

This Privacy Policy:

  • provides you with a detailed description of the way HVO collects, stores, uses and discloses any personal information that we obtain in the course of business including as a result of use of the HVO website; and
  • outlines the way you can access, amend and update your personal information.

2 Scope

This policy applies to all employees of Hunter Valley Operations (“the Company”). 

This policy does not form part of any employee’s contract of employment. The Company reserves the right to vary, replace or terminate this policy from time to time.

3 Policy

3.1 Policy Information

Personal information means information or an opinion about an individual whose identity is apparent or can reasonably be ascertained from the information or opinion. The personal information which we collect, store, use and disclose includes:

  • your contact details (including emergency contact details);
  • employment history;
  • educational qualifications; or
  • certain other details such as your date of birth, gender and occupation.

Some personal information is considered ‘sensitive information’ for the purposes of the Act. The sensitive information which we collect, store, use and may disclose includes information or an opinion about an individual’s:

  • race or ethnic origin;
  • tax file number;
  • health; or
  • membership of a professional or trade association.

We collect personal information:

  • provided by you in the course of applying for employment positions at HVO;
  • provided to HVO by third parties who have disclosed that information to HVO with your consent;
  • provided by you when updating or changing your details;
  • contained in documents or other correspondence that you provide to us; and
  • provided by you directly when providing information by phone, in person, electronically via our website, or when completing documents or forms.

We only collect sensitive information about you if you consent to the collection of the information and the information is reasonably necessary for one or more of our functions or activities. The provision of sensitive information to us on a voluntary basis (including, for example, information you supply when applying for a position with HVO) will be taken to be consent for this purpose.

We may store your personal information in hard copy, in electronic form, on electronic devices or on computer databases.

Secure storage of personal information is a priority to HVO. We will take reasonable steps to protect the personal information that we hold from misuse, interference and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

3.2 Use and disclosure of your personal information

HVO will collect, store, use or disclose your personal information to:

  • deal with your request, enquiry or application for employment;
  • contact you should we need to;
  • address any feedback or complaints you have;
  • conduct and support our business activities; and
  • do anything we are required or authorised by law to do.

HVO may also disclose your personal information to:

  • an authorised legal representative nominated by you;
  • law enforcement, government, any regulatory or other authority or other entities as  required or permitted by law;
  • our professional advisors, contractors or other service providers whom we may engage from time to time to carry out, advise or assist with carrying out the business activities of HVO;
  • other parties that, at the time of collecting the information from you, we advised that we would disclose the information to; and
  • any other parties that you consent to us giving information to (whether that consent is express or implied).

Subject to item 3.5 below, HVO will not use or disclose your personal information for any purpose unrelated to the purpose for which it was collected, without your consent, unless the disclosure is permitted under the Act or some other law.

3.3 Cross boarder disclosure of personal information

We may send your personal information to third parties located overseas. We will not send your personal information overseas unless either:

  • we reasonably believe that:
  • the recipient of the information is subject to a law or binding scheme that has the effect of protecting information in a way that, overall, is at least substantially similar to the way in which the Act protects personal information; and
  • there are mechanisms that the individual can access to take action to enforce that protection of the law or binding scheme; or
  • you have consented to the transfer.

Before disclosing your personal information to an overseas recipient, we will take reasonable steps in the circumstances to ensure that the overseas recipient does not breach the Act.

3.4 HVO’s Website

When visiting the HVO website, certain information regarding your visit to the website is collected and logged by a third party service provider. The information includes the type of internet browser and operating system you are using, your computer’s Internet Protocol address, the date and time of visits and pages visited. This information is provided to HVO and used in an anonymous aggregated form for statistical analyses or purposes.

When you access the HVO website, it sends a “cookie” to your computer. A “cookie” is a data file that a website sends to your internet browser, which is then stored on your computer. HVO does not use cookies to identify users. They are used to allow the HVO website to interact more efficiently with your browser.

You can set your internet browser to notify when you receive a cookie and provide you with the opportunity to accept or reject it. You can also set your browser to reject all cookies. If your computer does not accept cookies, you may not be able to make full use of the HVO website.

3.5 Use of Secondary Information

If HVO uses or discloses your personal information for a purpose (Secondary Purpose) other than the main reason for which it was originally collected (Primary Purpose), to the extent required by the Act we will ensure that:

  • the Secondary Purpose is related to the Primary Purpose of collection (and directly related in the case of sensitive information), and you would reasonably expect that HVO would use or disclose your information in that way; or
  • you have consented to the use or disclosure of your personal information for the Secondary Purpose; or
  • the use or disclosure is required or authorised by or under law; or
  • the use or disclosure is otherwise permitted by the Act (for example, as a necessary part of an investigation of suspected unlawful activity).

3.6 Access to and correction of personal information

HVO will take reasonable steps to:

  • make sure that the personal information that we collect, hold, use and disclose is accurate, complete and up to date; and
  • destroy or permanently de-identify personal information that is no longer needed for any purpose that is permitted by the Act.

Subject to any exceptions in the Act, if you have provided us with personal information, you have a right to request access to it and also to request its correction. If you wish to request access to, or correction of, your personal information you should contact us using the contact details at item 28 of this Privacy Policy.

We may ask you to provide proof of your identity if you request access to or correction of your personal information.

We will endeavour to respond to your request for access to or correction of your personal information within a reasonable period after the request is made. We do not levy a charge for making a request for access to or correction of your personal information. Nor do we levy a charge for correcting your personal information. However, we may charge you for the reasonable costs incurred by us in providing you with access to the personal information held by us.

If you request correction of your personal information and we subsequently find that any of your personal information is inaccurate, incomplete or no longer current we will amend your personal information accordingly. If we disagree with your proposed changes to your personal information we will contact you and arrange for you to provide us with documents evidencing the requested change to your personal information. If you do not provide us with documents evidencing the requested change to your personal information, or we consider that those documents do not adequately support your proposed changes to your personal information we will provide you with a written notice that sets out the reasons for the refusal of the request, the mechanisms available to you to complain about the refusal and any other matters prescribed by any regulation made pursuant to the Act.

The Act provides instances where a holder of personal information may refuse to provide an individual with access to their personal information. If we refuse to give you access to your personal information we will provide you with a written notice that sets out the reasons for the refusal of the request (except to the extent that it would be unreasonable to do so), the mechanisms available to you to complain about the refusal and any other matters prescribed by any regulation made pursuant to the Act.

3.7 Complaints, Questions or Further Information

  1. If you wish to make a complaint about this Privacy Policy or the collection, use, or safe disposal or destruction of your personal information, you may contact us using the contact details at item 28 of the Privacy Policy. All complaints will be investigated by an appropriately qualified HVO representative. We will endeavour to resolve your complaint as quickly as possible, and in any event within 30 days. If your complaint takes longer to resolve, we will keep you informed regarding the progress of the investigation. We will notify you of the outcome of the investigation, including how we propose to resolve your complaint and what, if any, corrective measures we will implement.

If you are not satisfied with our handling or response to your complaint, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). For more information about making a complaint to the OAIC, visit:

  1. If you would like:
  • more information regarding this Privacy Policy, the way that HVO deals with personal information, or our privacy complaints handling procedure;
  • to request access to your personal information;
  • to correct or update your personal information; or
  • make a complaint regarding the way in which HVO collects, stores, uses or discloses your personal information, you can contact the HR Department by phone on +61 (02) 6570 0456 or write to:
    • HR Department
      Hunter Valley Operations
      PO Box 315
      SINGLETON NSW 2330

3.8 Changes to Privacy Policy

HVO reserves the right to amend or update this Privacy Policy from time to time.