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Privacy policy

Published 13 October 2021












1. About us
nbn is building and maintaining Australia’s broadband access network.
This privacy policy describes how we handle your personal information.

NBN Co (nbn or the Company) was established in 2009 to design, build and operate Australia’s  fast, wholesale local access broadband network.

Our key objective is to connect Australia and bridge the digital divide. nbn is a wholesaler, which means we give Australia’s telephone and internet providers access to the nbn network. These providers then sell telephone and internet plans to Australian organisations and the public.

You can read more about us and our objectives on our website.


2. Your privacy is important to us
We keep your personal information safe, and we aim to be clear and open about what we do with it.

We understand that your privacy is important to you, and we value your trust. That’s why we protect your personal information and aim to be clear and open about what we do with it.

This privacy policy (Policy) describes how we handle your personal information – that is, information about you and that identifies you, or can be reasonably linked to you. When we collect, hold, use or disclose personal information, we comply with the rules set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

From time to time, we will update this Policy. You can always find the most up-to-date version on our website at nbnco.com.au/privacy.


3. What personal information do we collect?
We collect information about you when you interact with us. We may also collect information about you from other people and organisations.

We only collect your personal information when we need it to provide and improve our services, manage our business and to comply with the law. The kinds of personal information that we collect depends on how you interact with us. Here are some examples.

Personal information we collect from you
  • If you visit our website: we use cookies and tracking pixels to capture data points and user level interactions that will enable nbn to improve the website performance and user experience that we deliver to you. You can access our cookie notice for more information.
  • When you engage with us directly (including at public events, via telephone, email, our website or on social media): The information you provide, such as your name and your contact details (telephone number and/or email address) and any other personal information you tell us. When you attend one of our locations, we may also collect security camera footage of you.
  • When you sign up for updates on the delivery of the nbn network: Your name, street address and email address.
  • When you sign up for the nbn Medical Alarm Register or nbn Fire and Lift Register: Your name, street address where the device is being used, and details about your alarm.
  • When you participate in trial products or services: We may seek you help to trial new products or services or to help us manage our network, if we do this, we may collect your name and contact details and other personal information.
  • When you sign up for the Building Register: Your name, building street address, email address, and telephone number.
  • If you apply for a job with us: Information that you provide about your employment history, qualifications and ability.
  • If you fill out one of our surveys, or enter one of our competitions: The personal information that you provide.
Personal information we collect from others
  • When you request a connection to the nbn network or report a connection problem to your internet or telephone service provider: We collect your address, contact details, and information about your request from your internet or telephone service provider(s).
  • To tell you about the nbn network: We may collect your name and address from our service providers from other business partners or from Australian Government agencies. Sometimes, we also collect addresses (but not names) from local councils. 
  • To help migrate Medical, Fire and Lift alarms to the nbn network: We may collect addresses of homes and businesses with alarms, and information about those alarms, from alarm service providers or residential home or aged care facility providers.
  • When you participate in market research about us or the nbn network: We may collect information about you and your responses from the service provider that conducted the research.
  • If you apply for a job with us: Background, references and criminal history information about you. We may also collect medical information (where relevant to the role) and conduct drug and alcohol testing.
  • If you work for or contract with one of our service providers or service delivery partners: We may collect employment information about you including name, job title, contact details and background and criminal history information.

4. Why do we collect, use and hold your personal information?
We collect, use and hold your personal information to deliver our products and services, manage our business and comply with the law.
We also use your personal information for other reasons, such as to better understand you and your needs, and to tell you about the delivery of the nbn network.

Examples of our uses include:

  • confirming your identity,
  • responding to applications, questions, requests or complaints that you have made to us or that have been passed to us by your internet or telephone service provider(s) or other parties,
  • managing requests for connection to the nbn network, carrying out installations, managing the network, checking and fixing service or connection problems, and improving your experience on the nbn network,
  • complying with our legal requirements to inform people in specific areas about the availability of the nbn network and connecting to it,
  • conducting and commissioning customer experience and market research, undertaking marketing activities including direct marketing  and providing you with information about the nbn network,
  • assessing your application if you have applied to work with us,
  • if you work or contract with one of our service delivery partners, managing our relationship with that partner,
  • investigating possible fraud and illegal activity,
  • complying with laws, including assisting government agencies and law enforcement investigations,
  • managing our business,
  • improving our products, services and the online user experience we provide to you, and
  • optimising our marketing expenditure and business activities using anonymised insights and analytics.
Telling you about the nbn access network

We are required by law to tell the public about the rollout of the nbn network, including when the network will be available in different areas and when connections to the old network will no longer work. To do this, we send letters to the homes and businesses in an area that are able to connect to the nbn network.

If you have signed up for email updates on the delivery of the nbn network, we will also send you emails about the network. You can opt out of receiving updates at any time by using the 'unsubscribe' link in the updates.
 

Using data to build a better network and give you better service

We are always working to develop and improve the nbn network and our products and services.

One way we do this is by using new technologies that let us combine information we have with data from other sources, such as third party websites or the Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au).

We also collect information about people that does not directly identify them, such as website and advertising analytics, and data from service providers.

This helps us learn more about how the nbn network is being or may be used, so we can better design, build and operate the network.

Where we work with partners or service providers to do this, we take steps to ensure that they are required to protect your information.


5. Who do we share your personal information with?
We share your personal information with people and organisations for the purposes set out in section 4.
We also share personal information with our service providers and to comply with the law.
When we do this, we take steps to keep your personal information safe.

Examples of sharing your personal information include:

  • with telephone and internet providers that use the nbn network to provide their services, so they can give you the services you have requested, fix service or connection problems, assist nbn to deal with complaints or misuse of the nbn network and improve your experience on the nbn network 
  • with our technicians and service delivery partners, so they can make installations and fix service or connection problems,
  • with our survey and marketing partners to conduct survey and marketing activities on our behalf,
  • with people that you have asked us to give your personal information to, such as your authorised representatives or legal advisors,
  • with your previous employers to confirm your work history if you have applied to work with us, and
  • to comply with laws, and assist government agencies and law enforcement.

We also share personal information with people and organisations that help us with our business, such as professional advisors, IT support, and corporate and administrative services. We only do this where it is necessary for their services to be able to be provided to us. When we do this, we take steps to ensure that our service providers are required to protect your information.

Sending personal information overseas

Some of our service providers are located or operate outside of Australia. Where we need to, we send or give them access to personal information so that they can provide us with their services. We take steps to ensure that your personal information is at least as secure as it would be in Australia. A list of countries where our overseas suppliers are located is available here.


6. Keeping your personal information safe
We train our staff in how to keep your personal information safe and secure.
We use secure systems and buildings to hold your personal information.
We only keep your personal information for as long as we need it or are required by law to retain.

We store the personal information we collect in secure buildings and systems, or with our trusted service providers. Here are some examples of the things we do to protect your information.



Staff training

We train our staff in how to keep your personal information safe and secure.


System security

We have firewalls, intrusion detection and virus scanning tools to help prevent viruses, malware and unauthorised people accessing our systems. When we send electronic data to other organisations, we take steps to keep your personal information safe such as using secure networks or encryption.


Services providers and overseas transfers

When we send personal information overseas or use service providers that handle or store data, we require them to take steps to keep your personal information safe and use it appropriately.


Building security

We use a mix of ID cards, alarms, cameras, guards and other controls to protect our offices.


Destroying or de-identifying data when no longer required

We aim to keep personal information only for as long as we need for our business or to comply with the law. When we no longer need personal information and are lawfully able to do so, we take reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify it. As a Government Business Enterprise, we are subject to the Archives Act 1983 (Cth) which requires us to retain certain records for specified periods.


7. Accessing, updating and correcting your personal information
You can ask to access the personal information that we hold about you, or to update or correct it.
Before we give access to, or change your personal information, we may need to confirm your identity.

You can also ask us for a copy of the personal information that we hold about you.

How can you contact us?

See section 9 for details on how you can contact us.

Is there a fee?

There is no fee to ask for your personal information. We may charge an access fee to cover the time we spend finding and putting together the personal information you want. If there is a fee, we will let you know how much it is likely to be, so you can choose if you want to go ahead.

How long will it take?

We try to make your personal information available within 30 days after you ask us for it. Before we give you your personal information, we may need to confirm your identity.

Can we refuse to give you access?

In some cases, we can refuse access or only give you access to certain personal information. For example, we are not able to let you see personal information that is commercially sensitive. If we refuse access, we will write to you explaining our decision.

Can you correct or update your personal information?

You can ask us to correct or update any of your personal information that we have. If we have given your personal information to another party, you can ask us to let them know it is incorrect. We do not charge a fee for this.

If we do not think the information needs to be corrected, we will write to let you know why. You can ask us to include a statement that states you believe our record about you is inaccurate, incomplete, misleading or out of date.


8. Making a privacy complaint
If you are concerned about how we have handled your personal information, let us know and we will try to fix it.
If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your complaint, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (oaic.gov.au).

How can you make a privacy complaint?

If you are concerned about your privacy or how we have handled your personal information, you can make a complaint and we will try to fix it (see ‘Contact us’ below).

How do we manage privacy complaints?

We will:

  • keep a record of your complaint
  • respond to you within 30 days - if we can’t give you a final response in this time, we will get in touch to tell you why and work out a new timeframe with you.
What else can you do?

If you are not satisfied with how we have managed your complaint, you can ask us to review your complaint. Or you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.


Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

GPO Box 5218
Sydney NSW 2001

Phone: 1300 363 992
Emailenquiries@oaic.gov.au
Website: www.oaic.gov.au


9. Contact us
To ask us a question about your privacy, to access or correct your personal information, to make a privacy complaint, or to get a printed copy of this Policy, please contact our Privacy Officer.

The Privacy Officer 

nbn

Level 13, 100 Mount Street
NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2060

Emailprivacyofficer@nbnco.com.au

If you would like to make a Freedom of Information application, please see the FOI page on our website.

The nbn Privacy Officer can only deal with privacy matters. If you need to contact us about something else, including about your nbn network connection, there are several other ways you can get in touch:

Phone: 1800 OUR NBN (1800 687 626)

Or complete our online form on our website.

If you are deaf or hard of hearing, or have difficulty speaking, you can use the National Relay Service. Please see the hearing and translation services page on our website.