myaccount - Department of Human Services

Privacy and security statement

This privacy statement applies to your interactions with myaccount, which is managed by the Australian Government Department of Human Services. This statement explains how the Department gathers and disseminates in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act).

Collection of personal information

When visiting this site to read or download information, a record of your visit is logged. The following 'clickstream' data is recorded for statistical purposes:

your server address
your top level domain name (for example, .gov, .com, .edu, .org, .au, .nz)
the pages you accessed and the documents you downloaded
the search terms you used
the date and time you visited the site
the previous site you visited
your operating system (for example, Windows, Mac)
the type of browser you use (for example, Internet Explorer).

Some functions of myaccount require the collection of personal information. For example, some pages within myaccount require you to provide personal information to use online services, such as providing your email address if you use the contact request form. You will know when myaccount is collecting your personal information because you will be requested to provide it.

When you apply for an account at myaccount, you are required to select a username, and provide a password and five secret questions and answers. To help to ensure the privacy of your personal information, you must keep your username, password and secret questions and answers secure and not divulge them to any third party. Guidance on securing your computer can be found at www.staysmartonline.gov.au, see the link to ‘securing your computer’.

Use and disclosure of your personal information

You consent to the Australian Government Department of Human Services using and disclosing your personal information to a person, body or other government agency:

as permitted by these conditions of use;
to provide you with a service that you have requested at myaccount; or
as authorised by law, including as permitted under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

For the purpose of paragraph (b) above, the Australian Government Department of Human Services will disclose your personal information to a participating Human Services agency when you use myaccount to access an online account with that agency. This is done to verify your identity to ensure that only you can access your agency online accounts.

The Australian Government Department of Human Services may use your personal information to keep you updated about changes to myaccount services and about your account at myaccount.

Your personal information will not be used or disclosed for any other purpose without your consent.

Cookies

Cookies are pieces of information a website can transfer to an individual's computer hard drive.

Most Internet browsers are preset to accept cookies, but you can choose if and how a cookie will be accepted by configuring the preferences and options in your browser.

While the Department of Human Services does track some demographic information about website usage, we make no attempt to personally identify you in any way when you are in the public section of myaccount. The type of demographic information generated when browsing the public site can include:

Area Code
City
Country
Domain Name
Geographic Region
State
Time Zone

If you use the secure section of myaccount (for example if you create an account) we may then use cookies to:

determine whether your computer has support for cookies turned on (this allows us to advise that you need to enable cookies to use a particular service)
help identify you during your secure session
time your session so you will be logged off if you are not using the service for a specified time period
to maintain an audit trail of your secure session.

Security

Any personal information that is part of an online request is transmitted using a secure socket layer (SSL) connection. SSL encrypts the messages between the browser and myaccount. When myaccount receives information from you, the information is stored in a secure environment. This is consistent with the Australian Government Department of Human Services’ obligations to store records about you securely (under Information Privacy Principle 4 (IPP 4) in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) ).

Identifying features of a secure connection include:

a security alert window which tells you that you are about to use a secure connection
an SSL icon that shows you are in a secure connection because:

the website's address changes to one that read 'https'
an open padlock symbol changes to a closed padlock symbol
a broken key icon is replaced by an unbroken key icon
a blue line runs across the top of the content window.

While the Australian Government Department of Human Services aims to provide a secure environment consistent with its obligations in IPP 4, users should be aware that there are inherent risks when transmitting information over the internet (find out more at www.staysmartonline.gov.au).

In some circumstances because of security guidelines, the participating Human Service agencies may be required to send particular information via non-electronic means.

For those customers who do not wish to use the online services, the Australian Department of Human Services provides alternative ways to obtain and provide information such as by post, telephone, and facsimile. This information is provided on the Department of Human Services website..

Contact us

If at any time you believe we have not adhered to the principles referred to in this privacy statement or have any other comments, please contact us.

If you do not wish to send your comments by email then please write to:

Marketing and Communication
Department of Human Services
PO Box 3959
Manuka ACT 2603

Obligations for Australian Government agencies

With respect to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information, the Australian Government Department of Human Services is bound by the Information Privacy Principles of the Privacy Act. The Department also follows the Guidelines for Federal and ACT Government Websites issued by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner has issued a number of guidelines, including the Guidelines to the Information Privacy Principles, which apply to all Australian Government agencies, including the Department of Human Services.

For more information about privacy obligations for Australian Government agencies please visit:

MyAccount by the Department of Human Services