Privacy Policy

vsbn.com.au (Victorian Small Business Network website) and its related companies (including Abante) to be referred as VSBN, we, us, our or other similar expressions.

The Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act) requires us to have a privacy policy which explains how we manage personal information including our obligations and your rights in respect of our dealings with your personal information.

Some of the information you provide us as part of your dealings with us is "Personal Information". "Personal information" has the meaning set out in the Privacy Act, and (in summary) means information or an opinion about an identified individual or an individual who is reasonably identifiable, whether true or otherwise.

This Privacy Policy explains how we generally collect, handle use, transmit and disclose your Personal Information. We may also handle your Personal Information in other ways as permitted by law, or with your consent. The policy also describes how you can access or correct information we hold about you, and how you can make a privacy complaint. We encourage you to read this policy carefully so that you understand our information handling practices.

Whenever we handle personal information, we take steps to ensure that appropriate standards of privacy practice and security are applied.

What types of personal information we collect

We will only collect information that is reasonably necessary for us to perform our functions and activities with the services you wish to use, and otherwise as permitted by law.

Personal information we collect may include, name, age, sex, address, postal address, email address and telephone numbers of you or others. Other information we collect from you may include credit card and debit card numbers, Card Security Code (CSC) or Card Verification Value (CVV) and expiry dates, registration passwords and usernames, property details, property owner and landlord names and details, tenant names and details, information required for payment for fees and services provided through our website, information you choose to disclose to us from time to time and information necessary for us to provide information.

Why we collect personal information

The purposes for which we collect and use your personal information will depend on the circumstances in which we collected it. For example, we may collect personal information about you so that we can do business together, to provide you with access to information and services, consider applications and approaches you make to us and to maintain your contact details. We may also collect, use and disclose your personal information for the purposes for which we collected it (and related purposes which would be reasonably expected by you), for the purposes for which you have consented and as otherwise authorised or permitted by law.

If you do not provide the personal information we request, we may not be able to process your request or provide you with the same level of service.

How we collect your personal information

We collect personal information about you directly from you in person, in documents you provide us, from telephone calls, emails, mail, through your access and use of our website, through your access and use of VSBN's web based applications, and from information we record about transactions you make. Where permitted by law, we may also collect personal information from third parties, including public sources, your advisors, agents, referees, brokers and our related companies. We also retain records of our interactions with you (including by telephone, email, mail, and online.)

Social networking services

We use social networking services such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin to talk with the public. When you talk with us using these services, we may collect your personal information in the course of communicating with you and the public via these social networking services. We recommend that you exercise discretion in deciding what information to share using social networking services, and we also recommend that you utilise applicable privacy settings to control who is able to view such content. The social networking service will also handle your personal information for its own purposes. These services have their own privacy policies. You can access the privacy policies for these services on their websites.

How we store your personal information

We keep personal information in physical form and electronic records at our premises. In some cases, we may engage third party service providers to store records on our behalf (including cloud storage providers).

We also retain records of our interactions with you (including by telephone, email, mail and on line), your transactions history and your enquiries or complaints.

Payment Card Information

We use a secure third party service to process payments or services. We do not keep a record of your credit or debit card number used to pay for fees and services via the secured third party payment service providers used by VSBN.

How we use your personal information

We will use your personal information for the purpose at the time of collection which it was provided to us, to communicate with you and deal with or investigate complaints or enquires, process applications, and otherwise as described in this privacy policy and as otherwise permitted or required by law.

While we sometimes share personal information with companies we do business with (for the purpose of providing you with services), we will not sell or disclose personal information to any person or organisation for any other purpose without your consent. We will not sell your personal information for marketing purposes to any other person or organisations without your consent.

When your personal information is disclosed

We may share personal information between VSBN and your freelancer at your approval and we may disclose personal information outside VSBN as required by law or regulations and to our service providers who provide services in connection with our services. 

How to access or correct your personal information, or make a privacy complaint

We take reasonable steps to ensure that all information we hold is as accurate as is possible. 

You may request access to personal information that we hold and you may ask us to correct your personal information, if you find that it is not accurate, up-to-date or complete.   You can submit your request using the contact details at the end of this privacy policy, or using the postal address on our website.  We may seek to recover from you the reasonable costs incurred for providing you with access to any of the personal information about you held by us, where we are permitted to do so by law.

To protect your privacy and the privacy of others, we will generally need evidence of your identity before we can grant you access to information about you or change it. 

On the rare occasions when we refuse your access or correction request, we will provide you with a written notice stating our reasons for refusing.

If you have any questions, concerns or complaints about this Privacy Policy, or how we handle your personal information, you have the right to submit a complaint to us using the contact details at the end of this privacy policy, or using the postal address on our website. 

We take all complaints seriously, and will respond to your complaint within a reasonable period. Please provide us with as much detail as possible so that we can fully consider your question, concern or complaint.

How we protect your personal information

We use security procedures and technology to protect the information we hold. We update and monitor our security technology on an ongoing basis.

We train our employees about the importance of confidentiality and maintaining the privacy and security of information. Access to your personal information is restricted to employees who need it to provide benefits or services to you. We monitor system access which can only be accessed by authenticated credentials.

If other organisations provide us with support services, we require them to appropriately safeguard the privacy of the information provided to them.

Website Analytics

When you visit our web site, we may use "cookies". Cookies are an industry standard and most major web sites use them. A cookie is a small text file that our website may place on your computer as a tool to remember your preferences. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however, please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of our website.

Images

From time to time we take photos and video of our events and members. By attending or using VSBN assets you hereby indemnify and hold harmless Abante and its officers, directors, employees, and agents, from any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, expenses, and fees arising out of the use of my photograph.

You grant the right to use photographs and videos in any and all media for promotional or commercial purposes, including but not limited to print, online, and social media.

You also acknowledge that Abante has no obligation to use my image.

You understand that Abante will not be responsible for any harm or injury that may arise as a result of the use of my image.

This indemnity shall be binding upon me and my heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns.

Contact us

If you have any questions or complaints regarding privacy or information handling, please contact us by clicking this link

Please mark communications to the attention of the Privacy Officer. We will respond to let you know who will be handling your matter and when you can expect a further response.

If we do not resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, you may be able to escalate the complaint to an external regulatory authority. We can provide details of the appropriate regulator.