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 1.    Our Commitment to Privacy

Veda Advantage is an information services and aggregation business.  We recognise that to run our business successfully we must maintain high standards when it comes to how we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information.  We recognise your right to privacy and have established a number of protocols to help us keep the information we hold accurate, up-to-date and not misleading.

Much of the personal information collected and held by our business is covered by the National Privacy Principals (NPPs) under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). This policy documents how we manage personal information and reflects our obligations under NPP 5.1 to have a policy on this aspect of our business.

Our credit reporting business is regulated Under Part IIIA of the Privacy Act.  It is noted in this policy for completeness.   

2.    Who is Veda Advantage

Veda Advantage group comprises a number of separate businesses:

• Veda Advantage Information Services and Solutions Limited (VISS) which operates a credit reporting businesses in Australia
• Veda Advantage (NZ) Limited which operates a credit reporting business in New Zealand.
• National Tenancy Database runs a tenancy database for licensed real estate agents. This database is managed by VISS.
• Australian Business Research operates a commercial credit reporting business managed by VISS and has linkages to VISS' commercial credit database.
• Veda Advantage Solutions Group Pty Ltd (VSG) offers its customers a range of products to assist them in aspects of campaign management.
• Insurance Reference Services operates an Australian insurance claims reporting business.

3.    How we collect personal information

Collectively, Veda group of companies collects personal information from the following third parties:

• Credit providers, mortgage insurers and trade insurers
• Real estate agents
• Insurers and Loss Assessors
• Law courts
• Australian Securities and Investments Commission
• Telstra
• Australia Post
• Australian Electoral Commission
• Australian Communications and Media Authority

In addition, there are a number of limited circumstances in which we will collect personal information from you:

• When you contact our Australian credit bureau to obtain a copy of your credit file
• When you contact our Australian credit bureau to request an amendment to your credit file or dispute information on your credit file
• When you contact VSG, regarding material you have received from a VSG client.
• When you obtain information from us over the internet such as a Veda Auto Report

4.    The purposes for which we collect personal information

We collect personal information for a variety of different purposes.  Some of the purposes for which we collect personal information include:

• insurance reporting;
• marketing campaign management;
• tenancy reporting;
• verification management;
• assist our customers manage their risks
• provide products such as Veda Auto Reports to you; and
• credit reporting - both consumer and commercial

5.    The personal information we collect

(i)  Insurance Reporting

We collect the following information in accordance with the NPPs for the purpose of operating an insurance claims database for insurance companies and loss assessors and for identity verification:

• full name
• date of birth
• driver's licence number
• gender
• latest and previous address
• insurance claims
• enquiries by insurers
• enquiries by loss assessors

(ii)  Tenancy Database

We collect the following information in accordance with the NPPs for the purpose of operating tenancy database for real estate agents and for identity verification:

• full name
• date of birth
• driver's licence number
• gender
• current and previous rental addresses
• occupation
• contact details (phone, fax and email)
• details of rental history

(iii)  Publicly Available Personal Information

We also collect personal information from publicly available sources which may be used in one or more of our businesses.  This includes:

• full name
• address
• date of birth
• driver's licence
• court judgements and bankruptcies
• current, previous and disqualified directorships
• proprietorships
• company secretary details
• public number database

6.    How we Use and Disclose Personal Information

We use and/or disclose your personal information for the purposes of carrying on our various businesses.

Generally personal information is used and disclosed for the purposes for which it was collected.  For example, information collected for our tenancy database is only used for and by that business.  

Publicly available personal information as well as commercial credit information may be used and disclosed by our credit reporting businesses, our insurance reporting business and by VSG for campaign management purposes.

Where information is used for a secondary purpose there is, generally, no disclosure of personal information.  For example, we use the information collected to manage the accuracy of our data sets. 

Generally, before any Veda business discloses your personal information the entity to whom the information is disclosed must be a subscriber of one of our businesses.  However, there may be circumstances where we are required or authorised by law to disclose your personal information to someone who is not a subscriber e.g. to an Ombudsman, tribunal, court, law enforcement agency or government department.

7.    Government Identifiers and Sensitive Information

We do not use or adopt as our own identifier any identifier assigned by an agency or a contracted service provider for a Commonwealth contract. We do not use or retain tax file numbers, Medicare card number, pensioner card numbers or other similar identifiers.

We do not collect, hold or disclose sensitive information about you such as:

• Political, social, religious or ethical beliefs or affiliations
• Criminal record
• Medical history
• Colour, race, ethnic or national origins
• Sexual preferences or practices
• Lifestyle, character or reputation

8.    How we keep your Personal Information Secure

Access to your personal information is available by subscription only and is subject to contractual terms and conditions.  These include compliance with the Privacy Act and other relevant legislation.

For the purposes of consumer credit reporting access to personal information is in accordance with Part IIIA of the Privacy Act.

Access to our consumer, commercial and insurance databases is tracked and recorded.

We use industry standard security and encryption to protect the personal information we hold on you.

9.    Your Right of Access and Correction

You have the right to access personal information Veda Advantage holds on you and to incorrect information amended.

(i)        How can I obtain a copy of the personal information Veda holds on me

If you would like to obtain a copy of your credit and/or insurance file please contact us in writing:

If you would like to obtain a copy of your tenancy file please contact us in writing:

The Manager

National Tenancy Database

Level 12

628 Bourke Street

MELBOURNE  VIC  2000

(ii)          What do I do if personal information about me is incorrect

If you believe information held on your credit file or your insurance file is incorrect, please contact us on 1300 762 207

If you have a dispute about personal information on your commercial credit or insurance file we will investigate and provide you with a formal written response within 30 days. Where we determine that no amendment to your personal information is required you have the right to add a statement to your file.

(iii)      What do I do if I don't want to receive material from VSG

You have the right to suppress your name and address details for the purposes of  receiving material from VSG.  Should you wish to have VSG suppress your name and address details you can contact us in writing at:

            Veda Advantage Solutions Group

            GPO Box 964

            NORTH SYDNEY  NSW  2059

            Email:  solutionsgroup@Vedaadvantage.com

or complete the Do Not Contact form at:

10. Credit Reporting

We also collect information for the purposes of carrying on a credit reporting business which is covered by Part III A  of the Privacy Act rather than the National Privacy Principles.  Part IIIA of the Privacy Act relates to loans sought or obtained primarily for domestic, family or household purposes.  The information we collect includes:

• full name
• date of birth
• driver's licence number
• gender
• employer
• latest and previous address
• applications for credit, when, with whom and for what type of credit
• payment default records

You have the right to obtain a copy of the consumer credit file that Veda holds on you and to have consumer credit information amended if it is incorrect.  For further information refer to "9.  Your Right of Access and Correction" above.

If you have a dispute about personal information on your consumer credit file we will investigate and provide you with a formal written response within 30 days. Where we determine that no amendment to your personal information is required you have the right to add a statement to your file.

If you are unhappy with the resolution of your dispute you can refer the matter to:

11. Further information about your Privacy rights

For further information about the Australian Privacy Act please visit the Office of the Privacy Commissioner website at  www.privacy.gov.au/privacy_rights/index.html

This policy documents how we manage personal information and reflects our obligations under NPP 5.1 to have a policy on this aspect of our business.  This document does not create any additional rights under contract, statute or equity law. 

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