When you access a CMTEDD website, we may collect information about your site visit and what you access or view while online. At times we may also collect some limited personal information, when you visit or use certain applications.
We are committed to protecting your personal information, and we follow guidelines issued by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner's (OAICs) Guide to securing personal information which can be applied to the TPPs.
This Website privacy policy sets out in general, how we will handle your personal information and other information when you visit, use or access our websites.
If you have any questions about this Website privacy policy, please see the section Contact us.
Emails and electronic forms
When you send an email to us, we may record your email address. To use some applications or platforms on our website, we may use electronic forms to collect limited personal information (a name, a valid email address, a specific user name and a password) when you 'register' as a user, or when you 'subscribe' to receive information. The personal information collected via email or online forms will only be used or disclosed for the purpose for which it was collected, or where a permitted exception under the TPPs applies.
We will not add your personal information to any mailing list unless you provided your consent at the time you emailed, registered or subscribed with us. More information about specific digital platforms or subscription services used can be found in our Privacy Policy.
Web analytics
Our websites use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google Inc. (Google). Google Analytics uses cookies and JavaScript code to enable analysis on usage of this website.
You can choose to opt-out of or refuse to have your information collected by Google Analytics by changing the appropriate settings on your browser relating to cookies or by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
The data collected about your use of our websites (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored on Google's servers which are in the United States. Google uses this data for compiling reports on website activity and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage.
Google will not collect personal information about you and the reports provided by Google will only contain aggregate non-personal data about your use of our websites (these reports may contain data relating to pages viewed, files downloaded or the completion of online subscriptions).
We use the data collected by Google Analytics to improve how our websites function. For example, we use the data to check whether visitors experience problems finding information and make access to information as easy as we can.
Google may transfer this data to third parties where required to do so by law, or where third parties process this data on Google's behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any personal information you may have previously provided to Google. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser. Please note that if you do this, you may not be able to fully use our websites.
By using our websites, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes stated.
Online Behavioural Content (OBA)
Google's Ads Preferences Manager gives you the option of 'opting out' of receiving online behavioural content (OBA). CMTEDD may at times use OBA to alert you to events or activities of interest based on your previous interactions with us. If you choose to opt-out of receiving targeted ads, this information is usually saved on a cookie. This means that if you clear your cookies, you may have to opt-out again. Some browsers are beginning to offer opt-out tools that won't be affected if you clear your cookies.
Some companies that deliver OBA give users the options of viewing their profile, editing it or opting out of receiving targeted ads. Opting out won't remove advertising from the pages you visit; it means that the ads you see won't be matched to your interests. Sites that let you control what information is collected about you include Your Online Choices.
Cookies
A cookie is a small text file that is stored on your computer's browser. You will usually find information on cookies and how to manage them under 'options' or 'settings' in your browser. You can choose to see cookies before deleting them and to keep cookies from some sites.
We use cookies to maintain contact with a visitor to our websites during a browsing session. An explanation of what cookies are and how they work can be found at the site of the Privacy Commissioner. Cookies allow us to recognise the sequence of connections from browsers as they access our websites.
We may use the following types of cookies:
Temporary Cookies
Session cookies are used only for the duration of a web browser session and will be immediately removed when you end your internet session or shut down your computer. Our copy of your information will be automatically deleted twenty minutes after you have last used our system.
This information is only used to help you use our website systems more efficiently, not to track your movements through the internet, or to record your personal information.
First Party Cookies
These files stay in one of your browser subfolders until you delete them manually or your browser deletes them based on the duration period contained within the first party cookie's file (usually beyond the termination of the current session). These cookies are used to remember settings you may have customised e.g. your location, your shopping cart, and log in details.
No personal information is stored within cookies used by our website. No attempt will be made to identify anonymous users or their browsing activities unless we are legally compelled to do so.
Third Party Cookies
At times when using some our websites you may be sent Third Party Cookies by businesses contracted to CMTEDD to use your information to provide content like advertising and information about CMTEDD's services, functions or activities. These cookies are designed to track your browsing activities so that we can provide you with information that may 'match' your interests. Please refer to the section on Online Behavioural Advertising for more information about OBA's.
Entities who you may Third Party Cookies from may include social media applications you choose to use when interacting with our websites, such as, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Gmail, Messenger, Tumbler, Pinterest and others as available or listed.
Local Stored Object (LSO) or Flash Cookies
Local Stored Objects (LSO) known as a 'flash cookies' can contain more information than a regular cookie. They are also not generally cleared when you clear cookies from your browser. Depending on your browser, you may be able to install a plugin that will let you block or delete LSOs. You can also manage these cookies via the settings page in Adobe Flash.
Information Collected
When you browse our websites, our system automatically makes a record of your visit and logs the following information for statistical purposes and may be analysed to identify technical issues or difficulties with our websites:
- your IP or server address;
- top level domain name (e.g. .com, .net, .gov, .au etc);
- the type of browser and operating system you used;
- date and time of your visit;
- the previous site visited from which you were referred to our website;
- which pages are accessed;
- the time spent on individual pages and the site overall; and
- which files were downloaded.
Information about the IT device you use may also be collected LSO's. This information may be used to provide you with information about ACT Government services, functions and activities.
We will not attempt to identify individual users or their browsing activities, however, on occasions your IP or server address may be used or disclosed for: an enforcement function or activity conducted by an enforcement body, where required or authorised by law, or where another permitted exception applies under the Information Privacy Act. Information collected may also be used and analysed to determine the website's usage statistics, and patterns of use to improve our services and your use of our websites.
We collect no personal information about you unless you choose to take part in an activity that asks for your personal information, such as:
- sending an email;
- participating in a survey;
- undertaking a payment or other transaction; and
- suggesting a link.
If you do not wish to email or use any online forms to communicate with CMTEDD, you can send a letter to us, see contact details below for more information.
If you choose not to take part in these kinds of activities your ability to use the websites won't be affected.
Use of personal information
Any personal information you provide when using our websites, will only be used for the purpose for which it was collected. It will not be disclosed to other agencies, people or organisations for another purpose without your consent unless required or authorised by law, or where another permitted exception under the Information Privacy Act applies.
Other sites
This website contains links to external websites, including social sharing tools for example, Facebook tools so that users can 'like' content. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of those other sites. It is the responsibility of users to use their own judgement about the accuracy, currency, reliability and correctness of the information on those sites. Users should review the privacy policies of those sites for more information about their privacy practices.
Third Party Providers
We sometimes use third party providers for some web-based services, with information stored or processed in the United States and Europe and Asia. These third parties have their own privacy policies which you can review via the links provided below:
- Campaign Monitor
- Mail Chimp for email subscriptions
- Survey Monkey (Australia) for online surveys
- Typeform for online surveys
- Social Pinpoint for interactive maps
- Harvest Digital Planning (Harvest, The Hive) for consultation
- Viostream for live streaming question and answers
- MindHive for running a collaborative forum
- EventBrite for registration at events.
These third-party providers may be used to communicate electronically with you using various platforms, including email, online surveys, interactive maps, live streaming question and answers, running collaborative forms and registration for events organised by the ACT Government.
Many of these providers are not located in Australia. You should review the Privacy Policies (using the links provided) of each of these providers for more information about where their servers are located, and how they will handle personal information.
These platforms may collect the following personal information from you, but not limited to:
- your email address;
- when you access CMTEDD or other ACT Government electronic newsletters;
- your browser type and version;
- your operating system and other similar information;
- your IP address and its geolocation; and
- clicks on email links and whether the email is forwarded.
These platforms may also use cookies, web beacons and Flash player codes to collect information for use by us. We hold accounts with these providers, and personal information collected through that account can be accessed by other agencies of the ACT Government for the purposes of sending electronic newsletters, surveys, forums and other consultative processes or activities. In turn these providers may provide your information to other third parties who process the information on their behalf, or where otherwise required to do so by law.
Please refer to CMTEDD's Disclaimer Statement for more information.