SMEAC Inc. Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 01 January 2025
Next Review: 01 January 2026

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1. Who We Are

SMEAC Inc. is a registered Public Benevolent Institution (PBI) and Australian charity, founded by veterans, for veterans. Our mission is to provide structured, hands-on support for veterans and their families through Reconnection, Rehabilitation, Retraining, and Reintegration.

Our website address is: https://www.smeac.org.au

We are committed to protecting your privacy and complying with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the 13 Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), which govern how we collect, use, disclose, and store personal information.

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2. What Personal Data We Collect and Why

Contact Forms

When you submit a contact form through our website, we may collect personal details such as your name, email address, phone number, and the content of your message. This information is used to respond to your enquiry and provide relevant assistance. For quicker responses, users are encouraged to contact us via Facebook Messenger.

Sensitive Information

In some cases, we may collect sensitive information, such as military service history or health-related data, particularly through our triage or support forms. This information is collected only with your consent and in accordance with APPs 3 and 6.

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3. Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device. We use cookies for the following purposes:

• To remember your login credentials and site preferences

• To enhance your user experience

• To manage session authentication

Cookie specifics:

• If you leave a comment, you may opt to save your name, email, and website in cookies for convenience. These expire after one year.

• A temporary cookie is set on the login page to test browser support; it is deleted when you close your browser.

• Login cookies last two days; selecting “Remember Me” extends this to two weeks.

• Editing or publishing a post stores a cookie with the post ID, which expires after one day.

Cookie Consent:
Where required, users will be prompted to consent to the use of non-essential cookies. Essential cookies are used only to maintain site functionality.

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4. Embedded Content

Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g., YouTube videos, images, or articles). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the same way as if the visitor has visited the other website. These sites may collect data about you, use cookies, and monitor your interaction.

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5. Analytics

We may use anonymised traffic analytics to monitor site usage and improve user experience. Services like Google Analytics may be used, which process non-identifiable data.

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6. How We Use and Share Your Data

Who We Share Your Data With

We do not sell or rent your personal information. Your data may be accessed by:

• SMEAC website administrators

• Trusted IT service providers

• Authorities if required by law (e.g., legal compliance or investigations)

Cross-border Data Disclosure

Some of our service providers may store or process data in jurisdictions outside Australia (e.g., Google, Microsoft). Where this occurs, SMEAC ensures that appropriate privacy safeguards are in place, consistent with APP 8.

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7. Where We Send Your Data

• Comments may be checked through automated spam detection services.

• Some data may be stored or processed in Australia or overseas by our technology providers.

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8. How Long We Retain Your Data

• Comments and metadata are retained indefinitely.

• User profiles (where applicable) are stored until the user chooses to modify or delete their data.

• Certain information may be retained for legal, security, or administrative purposes.

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9. Your Rights Over Your Data

You have the right to:

• Request access to your personal data

• Request correction or deletion of your data

• Withdraw consent to data use (where applicable)

To exercise these rights, contact: [email protected]

Please note: Some data may be retained to comply with legal obligations or for internal record-keeping.

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10. How We Protect Your Data

SMEAC uses secure, industry-standard technologies and protected servers to safeguard your personal information against loss, misuse, or unauthorised access.

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11. Data Breach Procedures

In the event of a data breach:

• Affected users will be notified within a reasonable timeframe

• Website functions may be temporarily disabled to secure information

• Notifiable breaches will be reported to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) in line with the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme

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12. Third Parties We Receive Data From

We may receive anonymous or non-identifiable data from services such as:

• Google (e.g., Google Analytics, reCAPTCHA for spam protection)

• Microsoft (e.g., Office 365)

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13. Changes to This Policy

This policy will be reviewed annually or in response to legislative or operational changes. Updates will be posted to this page, with the revised effective date clearly displayed.

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14. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this policy or how your personal information is managed, please contact:

SMEAC Inc
2315 Steve Irwin Way, Landsborough QLD 4550
PO Box 8, Landsborough Post Office, Landsborough QLD 4550
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.smeac.org.au