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Privacy
What is Privacy?
There is no clear definition of privacy in the Commonwealth and NSW privacy laws that apply to the University. According to Privacy NSW, privacy should not be confused with confidentiality or secrecy, as privacy tends to be a broader concept of fair dealing with a person’s information, including collection, use, storage, security and disclosure. See our Privacy Information Sheet – General for more information. You should also refer to the University of Wollongong’s Privacy Policy.
What are the University’s Obligations Regarding Privacy
See our Privacy Information Sheet – General for more information on the 12 rules of information privacy that the University must comply with.
The current UOW Enrolment form for students lists the primary and secondary uses of personal information that is collected by UOW.
Broadly, the University has obligations to collect, store, secure, use and only disclose personal or health information in certain ways that promote responsible and transparent collection.
Upon collection of information the University should describe how it will use that information, and should only use that information for that purpose, or a related purpose. Information should be stored securely, and access must be given to the information provider to update or correct information.
The University should NOT disclose a person’s personal or health information unless:
• that person has provided clear and written consent to do so;
• a court or similar body has ordered the information’s release;
• a law enforcement agency is requiring information and certain tests are met; or
• the disclosure is necessary to prevent a serious and imminent threat to the life or health of that person or another person.
Breach of the Privacy Laws by unlawful is a serious matter, and could expose the University to an internal privacy investigation, Privacy Commissioner Investigation and/or adverse media reports.
A University Privacy Officer (listed below) should be consulted before any action is taken. Please direct any questions or concerns to a University Privacy Officer listed below.
A Privacy Survival Guide for Young People
To help young people make informed decisions about their privacy, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner has produced private i, a privacy survival guide.
private i covers the privacy issues you may face such as: online social networking, identity theft, the scanning of ID documents at pubs and clubs, ‘blacklists', online shopping, dealing with telemarketers, and responding to requests for personal information. It also discusses the pitfalls to avoid, and where to get help if your privacy has been affected.
To download private I, visit http://www.privacy.gov.au/topics/youth
How to Refer a Privacy Question to a Privacy Officer
The University’s Privacy Officers are lawyers within Legal Services. Please see “How do I refer work to Legal Services” for more details on how to seek advice on a privacy issue.
Who to Contact About Privacy
Legal Services has three privacy officers registered with Privacy NSW.
Your first contact should be to Angela Taylor, who is principal privacy officer. Her contact details are:
Angela Taylor
Principal Privacy Officer
University of Wollongong
Legal Services
Building 36, Level 4
Wollongong NSW 2522
Phone: (02) 4221 3277
Fax: (02) 4221 4254
Email: angelata@uow.edu.au
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