Privacy Collection Statement
Why we collect personal information
The Independent Parliamentary Workplace Support Service (IPSC) is authorised by the Parliamentary Workplace Support Act 2023 (PWSS Act) to collect personal information to support its functions, which include dealing with, investigating, reporting, and making public statements about conduct issues. This may include making referrals to other bodies including PWSS. The information we collect will be handled in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988, the Australian Privacy Principles and the PWSS Privacy Policy.
How we collect your personal information
The IPSC collects personal information (including sensitive information) directly from you when you submit your complaint or make your referral and at other stages during the process of dealing with a conduct issue. The IPSC may collect your personal information from other persons, including by issuing a notice requiring that person to provide information or documents that includes your personal information.
If we don’t collect this information
If we don’t collect your personal information, it may affect our ability to deal with, investigate, report on, or make public statements about conduct issues. It may also limit our ability to make appropriate referrals.
The IPSC is unable to deal with conduct issues arising from an anonymous statement and may refer the issue to PWSS.
How your personal information will be used
Access to IPSC information is limited to Commissioners and the small team of staff and consultants assisting the IPSC. We will use your personal information for the purpose of dealing with, investigating, reporting, and making public statements about conduct issues. This may include referring the conduct issue to another appropriate body such as PWSS or the police.
Your personal information will also be subject to the information management arrangements contained in Part 2A Division 6 of the PWSS Act, which includes provisions regarding secrecy, confidentiality and disclosure of information.
We are committed to ensuring information assets are kept securely, and managed and disposed of in accordance with the relevant legislation and PWSS policy.
Who your personal information may be disclosed to
The IPSC may disclose your personal information in circumstances including, but not limited to, the following:
- For purposes connected with dealing with a conduct issue, for example to other witnesses and respondents during an investigation.
- Your personal information may be included in a draft or final version of an investigation report. The PWSS Act requires that certain parties be provided with a copy of the report. Depending on the circumstances, this may include: the complainant; respondent; the person who made the referral; the Presiding Officer; the Prime Minister; the Leader of the relevant Parliamentary party; and/or the respondent’s current or former employer.
- Where an issue involves conduct that may constitute a serious offence, we may disclose information to the Australian Federal Police or other police service. The IPSC may also disclose information to State or Territory law enforcement bodies where the disclosure is reasonably necessary to assist that body in the exercise of its functions, activities or powers.
- Where a referral to another body (e.g. PWSS or the respondent’s employer) is appropriate, we will disclose information to that body.
- Where a court, tribunal or other authority requires the production of documents or the answering of questions.
- We may disclose personal information to the employer of a complainant or a respondent. We will only do so with the consent of the complainant or because the information is relevant to a duty or obligation of the employer under a work health and safety law.
- The IPSC may make public statements in order to afford fairness to a person or to correct erroneous reporting. If you are not a respondent Parliamentarian, you will be notified and have an opportunity to comment before identifying information about you is published.
Any external service providers engaged by the PWSS are contractually obligated to abide by the Privacy Act and the APPs.
We are unlikely to disclose your personal information to overseas recipients, unless required by law.
For more information
Our Privacy Policy contains important information about your privacy, including how
- you can access and seek correction of personal information we hold about you
- to make a complaint if you think we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles
- we will deal with any privacy complaints
If you have a concern about how we have managed your personal information, please contact the PWSS by email at privacy@pwss.gov.au
Privacy Policy
The IPSC applies the Privacy Policy of the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service (PWSS) in order to meet its privacy obligations. You can access the PWSS privacy policy here.