Alinta Privacy Policy
1. Alinta is bound by the National Privacy Principles
Alinta respects and protects the privacy of its customers’ personal information and is bound by, and complies with, the National Privacy Principles.
2. The types of personal information that Alinta holds
To enable Alinta to operate and provide an efficient and proper service to its customers, Alinta (and its contractors) collect directly from customers certain information (usually when first connected or when customers contact Alinta with inquiries) such as their name, address, contact information and details of premises to be supplied.
Alinta also collects information relating to the supply of gas to customers’ premises such as gas connection, faults and usage information and customer surveys.
This information is necessary to enable Alinta to provide and maintain its services to customers and ensure security of identification when communicating with customers.
3. The purposes for which Alinta holds personal information
Alinta only uses customer and other personal information for its normal and authorised business purposes and operations ie:
- facilitating responses to customer inquiries or complaints
- obtaining meter readings and calculating gas consumption
- ending newsletters, offers and information to customers
- processing bills and receiving payments
- conducting customer surveys
- marketing gas
- reporting to government authorities and regulatory compliance
- debt recovery
Alinta does not sell or give to other persons or organisations lists containing personal information of its customers.
4. Contracting out services involving disclosure of personal information
Alinta contracts out certain services to facilitate its operations. However, where contractors in the course of their duties collect or obtain information about customers, they are required to keep it confidential and disclose such information only to Alinta or its authorised agents for the purposes described above.
5. How Alinta handles requests for access to personal information
A customer may request details and a copy of their personal information held by Alinta at any time during business hours by contacting:
Alinta Customer Contact Centre
Alinta Sales Py Ltd
GPO Box W2030
PERTH WA 6846
Telephone: 13 13 58
Fax: 1800 651 161
E-Mail: privacy@alinta.net.au
Alinta will respond to any such request for access as soon as reasonably possible, and in any event will acknowledge it within 14 days of receiving the request. If it is straightforward for Alinta to access and provide the information requested, it will normally be possible for Alinta to provide a photocopy of such information within 14 days of the request. Alinta may, if necessary, require the customer to set out the request in writing. Alinta may charge the customer for the reasonable costs it incurs in providing the copy information.
6. How an individual can complain about a breach of privacy
A customer who wishes to complain about a breach of privacy can do so at any time by writing (by mail, fax or e-mail or delivery in person) to:
Alinta Customer Contact Centre
Alinta Sales Py Ltd
GPO Box W2030
PERTH WA 6846
Telephone: 13 13 58
Fax: 1800 651 161
E-Mail: privacy@alinta.net.au
Alinta will respond to any such complaint as soon as reasonably possible, and in any event will acknowledge it within 14 days of receiving the complaint.
Alinta will use all the reasonable endeavours to investigate all such complaints and take such action as is necessary to resolve them, having regard to its obligations under the National Privacy Principles.
7. What, if any, “sensitive information” Alinta collects or holds
Alinta does not collect or, except in the case below, hold sensitive information about customers.
“Sensitive information” is information about eg a person’s health, race, religion or criminal record. Alinta does not collect sensitive information in the form of medical information from customers, but in certain cases customers may request Alinta to record and hold such information.
8. How Alinta generally collects personal information
Alinta generally collects personal information directly from its customers through:
- the operation of its telephone Customer Contact Centre
- customers’ inquiries and applications for connections
- Alinta’s Internet Website
- correspondence and messages from customers
- customers’ replies to offers and competitions in publications such as “Advantages”
Alinta also collects personal information from:
- contractors providing gas installation, meter reading and payment agency services
- Department of Land Administration
Some information is held, but not collected, through inquiries by welfare agencies.
When an individual browses Alinta’s website (at Alinta.net.au), they do so anonymously. Personal information – such as the individual’s name, address, telephone number or e-mail address – is not collected as they browse. Alinta does not use “cookies” to collect statistical information on website usage.
9. Personal information that Alinta shares with related corporations
Generally, all personal information held by Alinta is collected and held by Alinta Sales Pty Ltd, through the operation of is Customer Contact Centre and as described above. Some of this information may be disclosed to and held by AlintaGas Networks Pty Ltd under conditions of confidentiality when responding to fault calls or requests for new connections or other gas installation work.
10. How Alinta stores and secures personal information
Alinta stores and takes reasonable steps, such as password protection, to secure personal information on its computerised customer data systems and in correspondence files, which are regularly archived.
Telephone calls are recorded and archived only after obtaining the customer’s consent.
Database tapes are stored in secure storage and backed up on a weekly and monthly basis and kept for 7 years. Servers are also backed up on a monthly basis and tapes are then kept for at least 7 years.