Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
HQD Tax Solutions Privacy Policy
1. Introduction
2. Scope
3. What is Personal Information?
Personal information is any information or opinion about an identified individual or an individual who can be reasonably identified from that information. It remains personal information regardless of its accuracy or whether HQD Tax Solutions maintains a record of it.
We may collect personal information about:
- Clients: Including individuals, sole traders, partnerships, companies, trusts, self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs), and other related entities.
- Prospective Clients
- Service Providers or Suppliers
- Prospective Employees, Employees, and Contractors
- Other Third Parties with whom we interact
By providing personal information to us, you consent to its collection, use, and disclosure as described in this Privacy Policy and any related agreements that apply.
If you choose not to provide some of the requested information, please be aware that HQD Tax Solutions may be unable to deliver all of our services effectively.
4. Types of Personal Information We Collect
HQD Tax Solutions collects personal information only when it is provided directly by you or authorised third parties. The types of personal information we collect include, but are not limited to:
- Identification Information:
Name, address, contact details (phone number, email address, digital accounts), date of birth, tax file number, and identification documents (e.g., driver’s licence, passport, or birth certificate).
- Financial Information:
Details of your assets, liabilities, income, expenses, bank account and direct debit information, superannuation, insurance information, and other financial data.
- Employment Information:
Business identifiers (ABN/ACN), occupation, salary details, work history, and related records.
- Screening and Reference Checks:
Information obtained from police checks, working with children checks, bankruptcy status, and other reference or background checks.
- Transactional Information:
Records of your dealings with us, including queries, complaints, and any claims made related to our services.
- Feedback and Survey Responses:
Your opinions, experiences, and insights provided via surveys or other feedback channels.
- Device and Online Information:
Data collected through your use of our website or mobile applications, including device IDs, IP addresses, geo-location, page view statistics, and related digital information.
- Other Information:
Any additional personal data necessary to facilitate your dealings with us.
We do not use government-assigned identifiers (e.g., tax file numbers or Medicare numbers) for internal record keeping beyond their intended purposes.
Sensitive information—including details about your racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, health, biometric data, or criminal record—is collected only when necessary to provide a specific service and only with your explicit consent.
5. How We Collect Your Personal Information
Most of the personal information we collect is provided directly by you, either electronically or in paper form. We may also receive personal information from:
- Publicly available sources.
- Your external representatives (such as legal advisers, mortgage brokers, or accountants).
- Our affiliated entities and third-party service providers.
- Other organisations that jointly offer products or services with us.
- Commercial data and fraud prevention services.
- Screening providers, including those performing background or reference checks.
6. How We Hold and Protect Your Information
We take reasonable steps to ensure the relevance, reliability, accuracy, and currency of the personal information we hold. Much of your data is stored electronically in secure data centres within Australia, while some information may be maintained in secure, offsite paper files.
To safeguard your information, we employ a range of physical and electronic security measures, including:
- Identity and access management controls.
- Staff policies and procedures that mandate the secure handling of information.
- Regular staff training on information security and continuous monitoring of compliance.
- Secure methods for data destruction when information is no longer required.
7. Use and Disclosure of Your Information
We use your personal information to:
- Determine your eligibility for our products or services.
- Assist with incomplete online applications.
- Provide and improve our services.
- Comply with legal and regulatory obligations.
- Prevent fraud and other unlawful activities.
- Assess employment suitability through screening checks.
- Conduct research, testing, and surveys.
- Tailor our communications, including website content and marketing, to your preferences.
- Manage our business operations and respond to inquiries.
Your personal information may be disclosed to:
- HQD Tax Solutions personnel and related bodies corporate.
- Agents, contractors, third-party suppliers, and external service providers (e.g., mailing services, technology providers, analytics companies).
- Financial institutions, insurers, and other entities providing services in connection with our offerings.
- Legal and regulatory authorities, or as required or permitted by law.
- Other organisations with your explicit consent or where the disclosure is reasonably inferred by the circumstances.
We may also use and disclose your personal information for secondary purposes that are related to the primary purposes outlined above, subject to the requirements of the Privacy Act.
8. Use and Disclosure of Credit Information
Credit information is used and disclosed only for purposes such as:
- Assessing your creditworthiness and suitability for our services.
- Collecting overdue payments.
- Addressing any serious credit infringements.
- Assisting with external dispute resolution processes.
- Complying with legal requirements regarding credit management.
Credit information may be disclosed to related bodies corporate, credit providers, or authorised third parties with your consent.
9. Payment Information
10. International Disclosure
HQD Tax Solutions may disclose your personal information to recipients outside Australia, including:
- Overseas financial institutions or service providers.
- Affiliated entities and IT service providers located in other countries.
- Third-party vendors who support our business operations.
We ensure that any overseas recipients are subject to adequate data protection measures, and personal information will only be transferred if:
- Reasonable steps have been taken to ensure compliance with the Privacy Act and APPs.
- The recipient is part of an appropriate information privacy scheme.
- You have provided your consent to such a transfer.
11. Marketing Communications
12. Electronic Collection and Cookies
We collect information electronically when you interact with our website, mobile applications, or other digital platforms. This includes:
- Date and time of your visits.
- Pages viewed and navigation patterns.
- Device information, including IP addresses and geo-location.
- Other related web log data.
We use cookies to enhance your online experience, maintain security, and provide personalised content. You can disable cookies through your browser settings, although doing so may affect the functionality of our website.
13. Access to and Correction of Your Information
Under the Privacy Act, you have the right to access the personal information we hold about you and request corrections if you believe any information is inaccurate, incomplete, or out-of-date. To request access or correction, please contact us using the details provided below. While we do not charge for these requests, we may charge a reasonable fee for duplicate requests made within a 12-month period.
In certain circumstances, we may refuse access or correction if it is not permitted by law. Should this occur, we will provide you with a written explanation of the reasons for our decision, along with information on how to lodge a complaint with the relevant authorities.
14. Data Breaches
In accordance with the Privacy Amendment (Notifiable Data Breaches) Act 2017, HQD Tax Solutions is required to notify affected individuals and the relevant authorities in the event of an eligible data breach. We have established a Data Breach Response Plan to manage such incidents promptly and effectively.
15. Resolving Privacy Concerns and Complaints
If you have any concerns about how we handle your personal information or wish to make a complaint about a potential breach of the privacy laws, please contact us using the details below. We aim to acknowledge and resolve complaints as quickly as possible, typically within five business days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact:
- Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA)
GPO Box 3, Melbourne VIC 3001
Phone: 1800 931 678
Website: www.afca.org.au
- Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)
GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001
Phone: 1300 363 992
Email: enquiries@oaic.gov.au
Website: www.oaic.gov.au
16. Key Contact Details
For any privacy-related inquiries, please contact:
HQD Tax Solutions
Suite 16/432 Chapel Road
Bankstown NSW 2200
Email: info@hqdtax.com
Phone: (02) 9145 8516
