Privacy Policy
1. Introduction
Alinta Energy and its subsidiaries respects and protects the privacy of its investors, customers, service providers and business partners and is bound by, and complies with, the National Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 and any similar state legislation applicable to Alinta Energy’s operations. This policy describes how Alinta Energy manages its personal information in accordance with that legislation.
In this policy, “personal information” and any other defined terms have the same meaning as under the National Privacy Principles and the Privacy Act 1988.
2. The types of personal information that Alinta Energy holds
To enable Alinta Energy to operate and provide an efficient and proper service to its investors, customers, service providers and business partners, Alinta Energy (and its related entities and contractors) collect certain information either directly from them or their agents. This information may include:
- name;
- address;
- contact information;
- Tax File Number, exemption reason or country of residence;
- employment details;
- bank account details;
- details relevant to the services you may receive from Alinta Energy
3. The purposes for which Alinta Energy holds personal information
Alinta Energy uses the personal information it collects for its normal and authorised business purposes and operations i.e.:
- facilitating responses to investor and customer inquiries or complaints
- provision of services
- sending newsletters and information to investors and customers
- processing payments and receipts with investors, customers, service providers and business partners
- marketing gas and other products and services
- reporting to government authorities and regulatory compliance
Alinta Energy will not sell or give to other persons or organisations lists containing the personal information of its customers.
Alinta Energy will not otherwise disclose customers’ personal information except on a confidential basis to contractors or agents it uses in the ordinary operation of its business, such as is set out below in paragraph 4.
A customer may at any time opt out of receiving any communications from Alinta Energy (other than as required for the operation of Alinta Energy’s business, e.g. regarding payment of a customer’s account).
4. Contracting out services involving disclosure of personal information
Alinta Energy 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 such information confidential and disclose such information only to Alinta Energy or its authorised agents for the purposes described above.
5. Security Holders
If you are a Alinta Energy security holder, you may be required to provide us with your tax file number, which is kept securely on the share register managed and maintained by Link Market Services, Alinta Energy’s security registry. Link Market Services has secure systems to keep this information confidential. Details of the Privacy Policy can be found at
www.linkmarketservices.com.au/public/help/privacy.html
In accordance with Australian tax laws, we may be required to provide certain advice to the Australian Tax Office, including dividend information.
Section 173 of the Corporations Act 2001 requires BBP to grant access on request to the security register. The security register sets out all security holders' names, addresses and security holdings. We may provide information from the security register to meet specific requests such as identifying the top 100 security holders. Security holder information is not knowingly disclosed for purposes other than those which we consider to be in the interests of the security holder or which is required to be disclosed in order to comply with the law.
Alinta Energy may disclose your personal information to your stockbroker, accountant, a family member or other person who you have authorised to be contacted on your behalf. In those circumstances, you will be required to identify that party as your authorised agent.
6. How Alinta Energy handles requests for access to personal information
A customer may request access to details of the personal information that Alinta Energy holds about them at any time during business hours by contacting:
BBP Privacy Officer
c/- Company Secretary
Level 7, 50 Pitt Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000
Telephone: 02 9372 2600
Facsimile: 02 9372 2610
Alinta Energy will respond to any such request for access as soon as reasonably possible, and in any event will acknowledge receipt within 14 days of receiving the request. Wherever possible, Alinta Energy will provide a photocopy of the customer’s personal information details within 14 days of the request. Alinta Energy may, if necessary, require the customer to set out the request in writing.
If a customer believes that personal information Alinta Energy holds is incorrect, incomplete or inaccurate, the customer may request amendment of it. Alinta Energy will consider if the information requires amendment. If Alinta Energy does not agree that there are grounds for amendment, then Alinta Energy will add a note to the personal information stating that the customer disagrees with it.
7. Questions and Complaints
Any questions about this policy or any complaints about Alinta Energy’s treatment of a customer’s privacy should be made in writing to Alinta Energy’s Privacy Officer (by mail, fax or delivery in person) at the contact details provided above.
Alinta Energy will respond to any such question or complaint as soon as reasonably possible, and in any event will acknowledge receipt within 14 days of receiving the question or complaint.
Alinta Energy will use all reasonable endeavours to investigate any complaints and take such action as is necessary to resolve them, having regard to the requirements of the National Privacy Principles.
8. What, if any, “sensitive information” Alinta Energy collects or holds
Alinta Energy does not collect or, except in the case referred to below, hold sensitive information about customers.
“Sensitive information” is information about e.g. a person’s health, race, religion or criminal record.
Alinta Energy does not collect sensitive information in the form of medical information from customers, but in certain cases customers may request BBP to record and hold such information.
9. How Alinta Energy generally collects personal information
Alinta Energy generally collects personal information directly from its customers through:
- the operation of its telephone Customer Contact Centre
- customers’ inquiries and applications for connections
- Alinta Energy’s internet website
- correspondence and messages from customers
- customers’ replies to offers and competitions in publications
Alinta Energy 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 Energy’s website, 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 Energy does not use “cookies” to collect statistical information on website usage.
10. Personal information that Alinta Energy shares with related entities
Some personal information collected through the Customer Contact Centre may be disclosed to and held by Alinta Energy’s related entities (including but not limited to Alinta Pty Limited and Alinta Assist), for example, when one of these entities responds to fault calls or requests for new connections or other gas installation work. This policy also applies to Alinta Energy’s related entities.
11. How Alinta Energy stores and secures personal information
Alinta Energy 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 may be recorded and archived. At the start of a call, customers are informed that their call may be monitored.
Database tapes are stored in secure storage and backed up on a daily basis and kept for 7 years. Servers are also backed up on a daily basis and tapes are then kept for at least 7 years.
12. Miscellaneous
This policy represents Alinta Energy’s policy as at July 2009. Alinta Energy may change this policy from time to time. Although Alinta Energy intends to observe this policy at all times, it is not legally binding on Alinta Energy in any way. From time to time, Alinta Energy may regard it as necessary or desirable to act outside the policy. Alinta Energy may do so, subject only to any statutory rights a customer may have under the Privacy Act 1988 or other applicable legislation.