B&E

We respect your privacy at all times

B&E Privacy Policy - your questions answered

In our normal course of business, we collect personal information about our clients. This information is always handled in a strictly confidential manner. In fact, at B&E, we consider the protection of your privacy to be fundamental to the way we operate.

On 21 December 2001, the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 came into effect. The amended Act contains 10 National Privacy Principles (NPPs) aimed at ensuring that organisations who hold personal information handle that information responsibly.

B&E willingly endorses the 10 NPPs as necessary protection of your privacy. Our policy on privacy and confidentiality ensures that we strive to exceed the requirements of the Act at all times.

This document sets out B&E policy on how we manage your personal information. It explains what sort of personal information we request and hold, for what purposes, and how we collect, hold, protect, use, disclose and maintain that information. It also explains your rights.

What type of personal information do we collect?

When you apply for one of our products and/or facilities we collect personal information about you. This will always include your name, date of birth, residential and mailing address, and home and work (if applicable) telephone numbers.

For some B&E facilities, for example B&E loans, we will request additional information including your occupation, annual income, other financial details, place of work, time with current employer, details of previous employer, time at current address, details of previous address, marital status, number and ages of dependents, credit history and transaction history.

If you are a new client of B&E we are also required to collect information about your identity under the Financial Transactions Report Act 1988.

Why do we collect personal information?

We collect your personal information primarily to assess your application for a B&E product and/or facility, and if your application is successful, to provide the product and/or facility that you have requested.

If you do not provide all of the information that we require, we cannot assess your application, or provide the product and/or facility that you require.

How do we collect personal information?

In most instances, the personal information that we collect is obtained directly from you, such as when you open an account or fill in an application form. We may also obtain personal information when you contact us by telephone, mail, email, fax or in person at any of our branches or agencies.

In some instances, with your consent, we obtain information about you from a third party. For example, where applicable, we may collect information about you from a credit reporting agency or an insurer of your mortgage.

How do we hold and protect personal information?

We may hold your personal information in hardcopy documents, electronic format or in B&E’s systems or software.

In all instances we protect your personal information from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure, and from misuse or loss.

Paper and electronic data is stored in an environment maintained by physical security such as locks and security systems.

Systems and software information is subject to network security measures such as user identifiers and passwords to control access. Firewalls and inactive time out are additional internet security measures.

How do we use and disclose personal information?

In addition to collecting personal information to assess your application for a B&E product and/or facility, we may also use your information from time to time for direct marketing purposes, that is:

To provide you with information, including special offers from time to time about other products and/or facilities offered by us.
To provide you with information, including special offers from time to time about other products and/or facilities offered by companies with whom we have formal agreements, including, CGU Insurance Ltd, Swann Insurance (Aust) Pty Ltd, and Quadrant First Pty Ltd.

In order to do this we may disclose your personal information to these companies, however should you wish to be excluded from all forms of direct marketing, you may instruct us accordingly by contacting any B&E branch. Our full contact details are at the bottom of this document.

B&E, in our normal course of business, discloses personal information to external service providers who conduct specific activities, including our;

accountants
approved mortgage insurers
internal and external auditors
accredited panel valuers
solicitors (Ritchie & Parker Alfred Green & Co)

There are a number of additional specific activities that we outsource, whereby personal information is disclosed, including:

clearing of cheques
printing of cheque books
file and data storage
mailing of correspondence
systems development and maintenance

All of the individuals and organisations to whom we disclose personal information are bound by strict confidentiality agreements. They are not permitted to use your personal information for any purpose other than that for which we have appointed them. They may not use your personal information for the purpose of direct marketing their own products and services, unless they have otherwise obtained your consent.

How do we maintain your personal information?

We will take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we collect, use or disclose is accurate, complete and up to date. If you find that the information we hold about you is not current, please contact us immediately and we will correct it.

Our duty of confidentiality

We have a duty to keep confidential all personal information we hold about you except where disclosure of such information is compelled by law, in the public interest or where we have your consent, which may be either express or implied. For example, if you apply for a cheque book, we have implied consent to disclose your name and address to our cheque book printer. Your implied consent is necessary for the provision of some products and/or facilities.

You can access your personal information

You can gain access to your personal information unless certain extenuating circumstances apply, including: that it is unlawful to do so; that it is subject to legal proceedings; that it would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of others; or that it would reveal the intentions of B&E in our negotiations with you in such a way as to prejudice those negotiations. We will deal with your request for access to your personal information in a reasonable time and may recover from you the reasonable cost of supplying such information.

What should you do if you believe that your privacy has been compromised?

You should contact us immediately, and we will respond to your complaint as quickly as possible. You are entitled also to contact the Privacy Commissioner directly. In such instances the Privacy Commissioner would normally refer you back to us to resolve the complaint with you directly, if possible.

Changes to this Policy

We may change our Privacy Policy from time to time, but will remain bound by any legislative requirements. We will notify you about changes to this Privacy Policy by posting an updated version on our website.

Do you want to know more?

More information on the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 is available at www.privacy.gov.au.

How can you contact us?

For advice on any of our savings products, or to simply discuss your options, come and see us at your local B&E branch, or give us a call.