This policy applies to Foundations for Tomorrow (FFT) and the National Conversation Development Lab. FFT follows the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
What is personal information and why do we collect it?
Personal information is information or an opinion that identifies an individual. Examples of personal information we collect include names, addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers.
This information is obtained in a number of ways including through your email, our website, and other forms you complete when interacting with the Lab or FFT. We also collect information via third parties and cookies on our website.
We collect your personal information for the primary purpose of providing our services to you, providing information to our partners, and for the broader operation of the National Conversation Development Lab.
Collection of personal information
FFT will, where it is reasonable and practicable to do so, collect personal information only from you. However, in some circumstances we may be provided personal information about you from third parties.
We may collect personal information through:
- Sign-up and registration forms on our website
- Email communications
- Surveys and consultations
- Event registrations
- Publicly available sources
- Cookies and analytics on our website
Use of personal information
For each visitor to reach the site, we may collect the following non-personally identifying information: browser type, version and language, operating system, pages viewed while browsing the site, page access times, and referring website address.
We use personal information collected for the primary purposes of:
- Providing services and information about the National Conversation Development Lab
- Communicating with you about your participation or interest in the Lab
- Sending updates, reports, and newsletters you have subscribed to
- Research, evaluation, and improvement of our programs
- Meeting our legal obligations
We will not use or disclose personal information for any secondary purpose without your consent, unless that secondary purpose is related to the primary purpose and you would reasonably expect us to use or disclose it in that way.
Sensitive information
Sensitive information is defined in the Privacy Act to include information or opinions about such things as an individual's racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of a political association, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, criminal record, and health information.
Sensitive information will be used by us only for the primary purpose for which it was obtained, for a secondary purpose directly related to the primary purpose, or with your consent.
You are not required to provide sensitive information to participate in the Lab. If you choose to share it - for example, in describing your community background or lived experience - we will treat this with appropriate care and confidentiality.
Third parties
Where reasonable and practicable to do so, we will collect your personal information only from you. However, in some circumstances we may be provided information by third parties. In such a case we will take reasonable steps to ensure that you are made aware of the information provided to us by the third party.
We may share personal information with trusted service providers who assist us in operating our website and delivering our programs. These parties are required to keep your information confidential and may not use it for any other purpose.
Disclosure of personal information
Your personal information may be disclosed in a number of circumstances including:
- Third parties where you consent to the use or disclosure
- Service providers who assist us in operating the Lab
- Where required or authorised by law
- Where necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to a person's health or safety
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.
Security of personal information
Your personal information is stored in a manner that reasonably protects it from misuse and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect the information we hold.
When your personal information is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was obtained, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify your personal information. However, most of the personal information is or will be stored in client files which will be kept by us for a minimum of 7 years.
Access to your personal information
You may access the personal information we hold about you and update or correct it, subject to certain exceptions. If you wish to access your personal information, please contact us in writing.
FFT will not charge any fee for your access request, but may charge an administrative fee for providing a copy of your personal information. We will respond to your request within a reasonable period.
In order to protect your personal information we may require identification from you before releasing the requested information.
Cookies and website data
Our website may use cookies to enhance user experience and gather analytics data. Cookies are small data files placed on your device. Most browsers allow you to control cookie settings - you may choose to refuse cookies, though this may limit some functionality of the site.
We use analytics tools to understand how visitors interact with our website. This data is aggregated and does not personally identify you. It helps us improve our content and the Lab's digital presence.
Maintaining the quality of your personal information
It is important to us that your personal information is up to date. We will take reasonable steps to make sure that your personal information is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. If you find that the information we have is not up to date or is inaccurate, please advise us as soon as practicable so we can update our records and ensure we can continue to provide quality services to you.
If you believe that we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles and wish to make a complaint about that breach, please contact us in writing. We will aim to investigate and respond to complaints within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Contact us
If you have any questions about this privacy policy or the way in which we handle your personal information, please contact us:
This policy may be updated from time to time. We encourage you to review it periodically. Continued use of the Lab's services after any changes to this policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms.