WL Advisory Privacy Policy
Introduction
WL Advisory Chartered Accounting (referred to as “WL Advisory”, “we”, “our” or “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information collected in the course of providing professional services. We comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act), including the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) and any relevant registered privacy codes.
This policy outlines how WL Advisory collects, holds, uses and discloses personal information covered under the Privacy Act. It does not apply to information outside the scope of the Privacy Act.
Contents
- 1 Collection of Personal Information
- 2 Why We Collect Your Information
- 3 How We Hold and Protect Your Information
- 4 Accessing and Correcting Your Information
- 5 Disclosure of Personal Information
- 6 Overseas Disclosure
- 7 Website and Digital Tools
- 8 Data Breach Response
- 9 Children’s Privacy
- 10 Questions or Complaints
Collection of Personal Information
We collect personal information from clients, staff, contractors and other individuals where necessary to carry out our accounting and advisory services. “Personal information” refers to any information or opinion that can identify an individual.
The types of personal information we may collect include:
– Contact details (name, date of birth, address, email, phone number)
– Employment details and job titles
– Financial information (income, assets, liabilities, superannuation, bank details)
– Government identifiers (e.g., TFN, Medicare, driver’s license, passport)
– Education and employment history
– Shareholdings and investment information
– Insurance details
– Information about your spouse or dependents
– In limited cases, sensitive information (e.g., health, criminal record, racial or ethnic origin) where necessary and with your consent
We collect most of this information directly from you via meetings, emails, phone calls, online forms, or through our website and digital tools. Sometimes, we may collect your information from third parties such as:
– Your employer (if they are our client)
– Your family members or representatives
– Your financial advisor or referral partner
– Public records or third-party systems with your consent
Why We Collect Your Information
We collect, hold and use your personal information to:
– Provide accounting, tax and advisory services
– Respond to your enquiries
– Maintain ongoing relationships with clients
– Comply with legal and regulatory obligations
– Manage our business operations, including invoicing and internal reporting
– Send newsletters, insights and information about events or service offerings (with your consent)
– Recruit team members and manage employment relationships
If you choose not to provide certain information, we may be unable to provide some of our services.
How We Hold and Protect Your Information
We take reasonable steps to protect the information we hold from misuse, loss, unauthorised access or disclosure. Your personal information may be held in:
– Secure physical files (e.g., lockable cabinets)
– Digital records on our secure servers
– Cloud-based systems hosted by reputable third-party providers (some of which may be located overseas)
We use security measures such as password protection, firewalls, encryption, and access controls. We also have internal data retention policies to ensure that information is not held longer than necessary.
Accessing and Correcting Your Information
You may request access to personal information we hold about you by contacting us. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe and may ask for identification to verify your identity.
If any of the information we hold is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date, please let us know and we will update it.
If you ask us to delete your information, we will do so where possible, unless we are required to retain it by law or for compliance or risk management purposes.
Disclosure of Personal Information
We only disclose your personal information when necessary to:
– Deliver the services you have engaged us for
– Meet our legal or regulatory obligations
– Engage trusted service providers or contractors (e.g., IT support, external accountants, cloud providers)
– Protect the rights or safety of WL Advisory or others
– Respond to law enforcement or government requests where required by law
We do not sell or trade personal information. In limited circumstances, we may disclose de-identified or aggregated data for research or reporting purposes.
Overseas Disclosure
WL Advisory may engage staff, contractors or service providers located overseas. We take reasonable steps to ensure that any overseas recipients protect your personal information in accordance with Australian privacy laws or similar protections.
By engaging our services, you consent to this overseas disclosure where required.
Website and Digital Tools
This policy also applies to personal information collected via our website or digital platforms. We may use cookies and other tracking tools to improve your experience and understand user behaviour. You can manage or disable cookies in your browser settings.
We may link to third-party websites, which have their own privacy practices. WL Advisory is not responsible for the privacy practices of other sites.
Data Breach Response
In the unlikely event of a data breach involving your personal information that may cause serious harm, WL Advisory will follow the requirements under the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme:
– Contain the breach
– Assess the risk and impact
– Notify affected individuals and the OAIC where necessary
– Review and prevent future breaches
Children’s Privacy
Our services are not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children unless necessary for a specific service and with appropriate consent.
Questions or Complaints
If you have any questions, concerns or complaints regarding this privacy policy or how your information is handled, please contact:
Privacy Officer
WL Advisory
PO Box 21562
WORLD SQUARE NSW 2002
Phone: 02 9188 5017
We take privacy concerns seriously and aim to respond within a reasonable time. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) via www.oaic.gov.au