POLICY
Norco Co-operative Limited (Norco) is committed to protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your information. In doing so we comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles set out in that Act.
This policy outlines how we manage privacy protection of your personal information, including information that Norco collects during the course of providing a product or service to you and the information Norco holds after your product or service is terminated (where we are required to hold this information or it is necessary for our functions).
This Privacy Policy also applies to information that Norco collects from third parties including the information Norco receives through the credit reporting system.
The Privacy Act does not apply to the handling of information that does not relate to individuals – for instance, information about corporations.
PROCEDURE
What personal information do we collect and why do we need it?
To enable us to fulfil our responsibilities as manufacturers, distributors, processors, wholesalers and retailers of milk (fresh milk, concentrated milk and its components), cheese, ice cream, ice cream confectionery, yoghurt and other related dairy products, manufacturers of stockfeed, bird seed and small animal products and retailers of stockfeed and produce, seeds, fertilizers, rural merchandise and hardware, grain trading as well as providing agronomic and stockfeed nutritional advice, we may need to collect personal information such as names and addresses, contact details, dates of birth, names of referees, financial institution details, drivers licence numbers etc.
We primarily use this information to carry out activities such as assessing credit worthiness, to make payments to our creditors, to assist our dairy farmers in their farming business and to maintain relevant and required information on any other stakeholders associated with Norco Co-operative Limited.
How do we collect the personal information?
Wherever practicable, we will ask you for the information. We collect the information in person, in writing, by telephone or by electronic communication channels such as e-mail and web sites. This information is collected by our staff, through our contracted personnel, contracted agents and other service providers that assist Norco Co-operative Limited in fulfilling our responsibilities.
To improve your experience on our web site, we may use 'cookies'. Cookies are an industry standard and most major web sites use them. A cookie is a small text file that our site may place on your computer as a tool to remember your preferences. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of this web site.
However, we may need to contact others such as your employers, business associates, bankers, credit reference agencies and referees for the information.
Who will see or have access to your personal information?
Unless we are required to provide your personal information to others by law, for example, under court order, your information will only be seen or used by:
- authorised persons working for Norco and their advisers as needed. Norco encompasses the Business Units of Norco Foods, Norco Milk Supply, Norco Rural Retail / Agribusiness, Corporate and the 100% wholly owned subsidiaries: -
- Norco Wholesalers Pty Ltd ACN 003630055 - (the purchasing business for the Co-operative)
- Norco Milk Pty Ltd ACN 060594327 - (currently not trading)
- Logan Valley Dairies Ltd Pty ACN 010511681 - (currently not trading)
- Gold Coast Milk Pty Ltd ACN 009682437 – (owner of various assets provided to Norco.)
- Beaudesert Milk Pty Ltd ACN 009926989 – (currently not trading)
- Fieldco Pty Ltd ATF Fieldco Trust ACN 073544359 - (currently not trading)
- Norcofields Pty Ltd ATF Norcofields Trust ACN 073526824 – (currently not trading)
- A.C.N. 146 859 074 Pty Ltd ACN 146859074 – (currently not trading)
- credit reporting bodies to enable Norco to obtain information to make better and more informed decisions about providing credit to customers.
Your information will not be provided to any persons located outside Australia.
Our information systems and files are kept secured from unauthorised access and our staff, contracted agents and service providers have been informed of the importance we place on protecting your privacy and their role in helping us to do this.
Credit reporting
About credit reporting
If you apply for credit from Norco, we may request a credit report about you from a credit reporting body. These credit reports contain information which assists us to assess your application, including information about your credit history with other credit providers. Credit reporting bodies can provide credit providers with credit reports in certain circumstances, including when an individual makes an application for credit, or when a credit provider is seeking to help an individual avoid defaulting on their credit. Credit reports are designed to assist credit providers to accurately assess an individual's ability to repay credit.
To request a credit report, Norco will provide information to the credit reporting body that identifies you, as well as information about your application – including the type and amount of credit you are applying for.
Some of this information about the credit you hold with Norco is disclosed to a credit reporting body so it can be included in your credit report and shared with other credit providers that participate in the credit reporting system.
Norco will also need to assess your eligibility if you nominate to be a guarantor for another person. This may involve Norco obtaining information about you from a credit reporting body and reviewing information we already hold about you.
Disclosing your information to Credit Reporting Bodies
Under the Privacy Act, credit providers such as Norco can disclose certain information about your credit history to credit reporting bodies. This enables Norco to obtain information to make better and more informed decisions about providing credit. The Privacy Act restricts the purpose for which credit providers can access and use information that is held by credit reporting bodies.
Norco may disclose the following information about your credit to credit reporting bodies:
- that Norco provides you credit;
- the type of credit you hold;
- the amount of credit provided to you;
- the terms and conditions of your credit; and
- when your credit account is opened and closed.
We may also disclose how you repay your credit. If you fail to make repayments on your credit or you default on your obligations, Norco may report this information to a credit reporting body. Equally, Norco will inform a credit reporting body if you make repayments on time or if you have corrected a default.
We may also tell a credit reporting body if you commit a serious infringement (for example, fraudulent behaviour or deliberately seeking to evade your repayment obligations).
Norco discloses information to the following credit reporting bodies:
- Veda Advantage Information Services and Solutions Limited
- Dun and Bradstreet (Australia) Pty Ltd
- Experian Australia Credit Services Pty Ltd
Each of these credit reporting bodies is required to have a policy to explain how it manages your personal information. You can contact these credit reporting bodies directly to request a copy of their privacy policy or for more information about the way they manage your personal information.
Disclosing your credit information
When you apply for credit with Norco, we seek your consent to disclose your personal information, including the information we receive through the credit reporting system, to third parties.
MANAGING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
Norco protects your information
Norco protects your personal information, including credit information, from misuse and loss. We also protect it from unauthorised access, modification and disclosure by ensuring that your personal information can only be accessed by people properly authorised to have access.
Norco may store your personal information in hardcopy documents or electronically.
Our information systems and files are kept secured from unauthorised access and our staff, contracted agents and service providers have been informed of the importance we place on protecting your privacy and their role in helping us to do this.
What if I want to check what personal information you hold about me?
Subject to any legal restrictions, you have the right to request access to personal information we hold in respect of you. We would be happy to advise you what personal information we hold about you. There may be some cost to you in providing this information if your request is complex or requires detailed searching of our records. Refer to the contact details below.
How do I request correction of my information?
You have the right to have any errors in your personal information corrected. If you believe there are errors in our records about you, please let us know and we will be happy to investigate and correct any inaccuracies. Refer to the contact details below.
Resolving any concerns or complaints
You are entitled to complain if you believe that your privacy has been compromised or that Norco has breached the Privacy Act, or an applicable code.
If you have a privacy complaint, you can contact the person stated below.
If your complaint is not satisfactorily resolved, you may apply to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner to have the complaint heard and determined.
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you would like to contact our Privacy Officer regarding our privacy policy or if you have any enquiries regarding the privacy protection of the information you have given to us or that we have collected, please contact the Co-operative Secretary, on telephone (02) 66 278051, facsimile (02) 66 219673 or e-mail mark.myers@norco.com.au