This policy has been adopted by the HCCC in order to comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act 1988. The policy should be read together with the National Privacy Principles (NPPs) set out in the Act. A summary of the NPPs is attached.

1. In this policy, a reference to HCCC means the Hills Christian Caring & Counselling Centre Inc. The HCCC will comply with the NPPs. If there is any inconsistency between this policy and the NPPs, then the NPPs prevail.
2. Subject to paragraph 4, the HCCC will only use personal information for the primary purpose for which it is collected. In most cases, the purpose will relate to the administrative and counselling functions of the BCCC.
3. Those functions include maintaining personal information for the purpose of recording case notes of each counselling session of its clients.
4. The HCCC will only use personal information about an individual for a secondary purpose (i.e. something beyond the scope of the primary purpose) if that individual has consented, or the use is otherwise permitted by the NPPs.
5. The HCCC will take reasonable steps to keep personal information secure and will, subject to the NPPs, comply with any request from a person to correct or remove his or her information. The HCCC will appoint a Privacy Officer who will be responsible for storing, correcting and giving people access to personal information collected about them.
6. Personal information collected by the HCCC may be sensitive information for the purposes of the NPPs (e.g. information about a person's mental health). As a non-profit organisation, the HCCC is permitted to collect sensitive information without a person's express consent. However, the HCCC will endeavour to seek consent from a person if sensitive information is sought for something other than the primary functions of the HCCC described in paragraph 3.
7. The operating procedures (whether or not they are formalised in a manual) of the HCCC will comply with this policy and the NPPs.
8. We protect the personal and sensitive information that we have under our control from unauthorised access, improper use or alteration by restricting access to our files and database to only those personnel responsible for their maintenance and use.
9. The HCCC will appoint a Privacy Officer who will be empowered to receive and deal with any complaint that the HCCC has not complied with this policy or the NPPs.

If you have any questions about this policy, please contact HCCC's privacy officer, Pastor Almon Li. He can be contacted at almon@optusnet.com.au.

Dated: Jan 2005.