Privacy Policy
Purpose of this policy
QIEC Super is bound by the National Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988. The National Privacy Principles are a set of rules organisations must comply with in managing personal information about individuals.
This document sets out QIEC Super's policy on the management of personal information about members. A copy of this document is available to any person who asks for it. This policy also applies to the Fund's website.
QIEC Super has outsourced the administration of the Fund to the Fund's administrator, Independent Fund Administrators & Advisers Pty Ltd ABN 28 081 966 243. This includes all information processing, record keeping and claims management. The administrator implements QIEC Super's privacy policy, and has adopted data security procedures and staff training programmes to comply with the policy. QIEC Super has appointed a life insurer and other organisations to provide services to you on our behalf.
They are authorised to use member's personal information only to administer fund membership, under the strictest confidence. Personal information will not be used or disclosed for any other purpose without the member's consent, except where allowed or required by law. For example, QIEC Super's fund administrator is required to report certain information to the Australian Taxation Office for tax related purposes.
Personal information that we hold and why we collect it
The information QIEC Super keeps about members is their name and contact details, tax file number, gender, date of birth, occupation, name of employer, and names of preferred beneficiaries. This information is needed to administer members' superannuation accounts - admitting them as members, accepting contributions, investing in accordance with the member's chosen investment option, provide insurance cover where required, communicating with members about their benefits and paying benefits to members, another fund or their beneficiaries etc. The administrator collects, processes and retains this information on behalf of QIEC Super.
Additional information may be collected from medical practitioners or from the member's employer for the purpose of assessing eligibility for insurance cover or for the assessment of a claim. We would only seek such information with the member's consent. In these circumstances both personal and health information may be disclosed to third parties including: the Fund's administrator, insurer, medical assessors, or in the case of a dispute about the provision or application of cover, legal advisers, health practitioners, the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal and the courts. Disclosure to these organisations is solely for the purpose of determining an insurance application or claim. Without the member's consent to the collection, use and disclosure of this health information we will not be able to process the insurance application or assess the claim. In the event that a member wishes to have another party act on your behalf and receive information, such authorisation will be required in writing.
If a member dies, QIEC Super needs information about persons who are entitled to be considered for distribution of the death benefit. This includes the member's spouse, children, any other dependant, and any person who might be a beneficiary of the member's estate. The information QIEC Super will ask for about those persons will be their name and address, gender, date of birth, details of their financial position and financial needs, and any other information that will assist QIEC Super in deciding who the death benefit should be distributed to.
QIEC Super participates in SuperMatch, an Australian Tax Office (ATO) initiative to help members of superannuation funds find superannuation benefits they have lost track of. QIEC Super may provide your personal details to the ATO to enable your account to be matched with any inactive superannuation accounts in your name, or to locate missing superannuation contributions paid to the ATO on your behalf.
In addition, QIEC Super may cross match personal details with other superannuation funds with similar membership to help locate any other superannuation accounts in a member's name, or to identify a current address if we have not been notified of a change of address. QIEC Super may also provide member's details to an external address location service provider if we do not have a current address.
If a member prefers that details are not disclosed for the purposes of cross matching, they should advise us of this in writing.
QIEC Super does not disclose information about members to other organisations for marketing purposes.
Member access to information
Members are entitled to access information QIEC Super holds about them. If a member wants to check that their personal details are correct or find out information about their account, they can contact QIEC Super by telephone or in writing.
Requests for information can sometimes be answered over the telephone, or a copy of the information can be sent by post. To correct member details, a "Change of Member Details" form must be completed.
For security reasons, QIEC Super will not give any information over the telephone unless the person making the enquiry is able to answer a list of questions designed to confirm their identity. Written requests for information must be signed by the member.
Members can also make arrangements, by telephone or in writing, to come in to the administrator's office at an appointed time during normal working hours to look at their information on computer screens. Again, proof of identity will be required.
Members cannot access information about any other member unless that member has given written approval to do so.
A member's spouse may be able to access information in relation to a family law matter.
Keeping information up-to-date
QIEC Super tries to ensure that the information it holds about members remains accurate, complete and up to date. At the time of joining, members are sent a "welcome letter and membership card" asking them to check and correct their details. When members are sent their half-yearly record of contributions and annual member statements, they are asked to notify any changes in their personal information. Annual employer statements also ask employers to notify any changes in information.
Complaints
If any member has a complaint about a possible breach of their privacy, the member should first contact the Fund's Complaints Officer. QIEC Super's complaints procedure is set out in the Annual Report to Members and Member Handbook.
If the complaint is not resolved, members can complain to the Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner, telephone 1300 363 992 or visit www.privacy.gov.au.
Contact QIEC Super if you have any questions.
Date of Issue: July 2006