Privacy Policy

Women for Election Australia Ltd (WFE, we, us or our) respects, and is committed to protecting, your privacy. This Privacy Policy sets out the way we set out to collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information, and your privacy rights. 

If you have any questions, comments, concerns or complaints about what is explained here or about our privacy practices, please let us know. We will do our best to address and resolve any issues you have. You can contact us by emailing info@wfe.org.au. 

  1. Responsibilities 


  1. Our organisation:     We are responsible for implementing appropriate measures to ensure the security and lawful processing of personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles. 


  1. Staff:     Staff: All staff members handling personal information must adhere to the Policy and any related procedures. 


  1. Third Parties:     Any third-party service providers engaged by WFE are required to comply with equivalent privacy and security standards. 


  1. General Public:     Individuals who provide personal information to us are responsibility for reviewing and understanding this Privacy Policy and acknowledging that, by engaging with our services, they accept the terms outlined herein. 


  1. Key Principles     


  1. What     personal information we collect      


  1. We     collect personal information about a range of individuals including supporters, volunteers, donors, event attendees, current, former and prospective clients, former and current employees, contractors, service providers, job applicants and other people with whom WFE or a third party has contact with in connection with our activities.     


  1. The     personal information which we collect and hold generally may include (as applicable) your name, email address and other contact details (such as your phone number and postcode), identification details (such as your date of birth), details of interactions and activity (e.g. communications, transactions, enquiries, and event attendance), payment card details, and preferences, interests, beliefs and opinions (including your opinions on democracy-related and political issues, and political affiliations). However, please be aware that we strive to be politically neutral, respectful and inclusive in our approach and dealings.     


  1. In     addition, in relation to staff and job applicants, the personal information which we collect and hold may include (as applicable) information about your experience, qualifications, skills, character, screening checks (such as your reference, background, health, directorship, financial probity, identity, eligibility to work, vocational suitability and criminal record checks), conduct and performance at work, use of workplace resources and IT, payroll and superannuation details, and emergency contacts.      


  1. You     do not have to provide us with your personal information. Where possible, we will give you the option to interact with us anonymously or using a pseudonym. However, if you choose to deal with us in this way or to not provide us with your personal information, it may be difficult for us to provide you with our services and otherwise interact with you. Without your personal information we may not, for example, be able to issue you with a receipt, or provide you with updates/more information about our work and events.     


  1. How we     collect personal information      


  1. We     may collect personal information you provide to us directly; for example, we may collect your information when you interact with us (in person, over the phone, by email, or online including via our website), attend one of our events or fill out an event registration form, complete our online or hard copy feedback or survey forms, subscribe to our mailing list, or attend our sites (eg through CCTV).      


  1. In     addition, in relation to our team members and applicants, we may, for example, collect personal information from you via application forms and supporting documents (eg resumes and covering letters), interviews, tests or assessments, and other ways you interact with us during the recruitment process, the course of your employment, or while you are providing services as a volunteer or contractor.     


  1. We     may also collect your personal information from our service providers, publicly available sources (including via social media platforms such as LinkedIn and public registers), your representatives, other NGOs, data companies, petition and social change platforms and other third parties (including those described under ‘disclosure of personal information’ below).     


  1. In     addition, in relation to team members and applicants, we may, for example, collect personal information from your referees and academic institutions, your current and previous employers, and professional and trade associations.     


  1. We     may also generate new information about you based on other information we hold or have access to. For example, through analysis, reviews, reporting, interpretation and data enrichment.     


  1. Why we collect, hold,     use and disclose personal information     


  1. We     collect, hold, use and disclose personal information about you for many purposes relating to our work and operations, including for any of the following purposes:     


  • Providing and improving our services and materials including training events, workshops, networking     opportunities and information (such as our website)     


  • Fulfilling our role in informing and educating the community about issues relating to WFE     


  • Assisting     us and partner organisations (see ‘disclosure of personal information’ below) to participate in relevant civic and political discussions       


  • Notifying individuals of our education,     training and other activities     


  • Forging alliances, and supporting partner organisations to achieve a healthier democracy, including by sharing knowledge and resources with them (see ‘disclosure of personal information’ below)     


  • Seeking new supporters and donors and increasing our financial and other support (including through marketing activities, and processing donations and payments)     


  • Building a comprehensive understanding of your interests and habits to enable effective engagement with you      


  • Responding to your comments or questions and dealing with feedback, enquiries, claims,     investigations or complaints      


  • Complying with     our legal obligations (including responding to lawful requests from law enforcement and government agencies and complying with a legal process (including a subpoena))      


  • Protecting the safety and security of our people, premises,     systems and assets      


  • Enabling the transfer of our operations to another like-minded organisation, or of their operations to us.      


  1. In addition,     in relation to team members and applicants, we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information about you in connection with our recruitment process and your actual or potential work for us, including for any of the following purposes:     


  • Administering     your application (including assessing your suitability for the role, and where relevant, offering you a role with us)     


  • Verifying your identity and other information, and conducting background checks      


  • Managing your employment or work with us (including your     remuneration and making reasonable adjustments to your working conditions or environment).      


  1. In     some cases, we need to collect personal information pursuant to applicable laws including the Income Tax Assessment Act and other tax laws, Corporations Act, Fair Work Act, Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act, Privacy Act, occupational health and safety acts and workers compensation acts.      

 

  1. Disclosure of personal information  


  1. We     may disclose personal information to third parties, including:     


  • Service     providers  – companies who provide services on our behalf, such as fundraising, mail, database, telephone, digital services, audit, recruiting, background checks, professional advice, payment processing and research services;     


  • Partner organisations – this includes organisations that also wish to achieve democracy outcomes or that assist us in pursuing those outcomes, or organisations that we work with in alliances and organisations we partner with to obtain and acquit further funding grants, such as the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, Quantum Impact Group, Australian Local Government Women’s Association and others who may be added from time to time;       


  • Your authorised     representatives;      


  • Organisations involved in a transfer of our operations; and      


  • Courts,     Tribunals and Government Agencies (such as Electoral Commissions).       


  1. If     you make a donation, we may recognise you publicly, unless you ask for the donation to be anonymous. Please note that we are unable to control how members of the public deal with personal information, including whether they comply with Australian privacy laws (although they may be required to comply with foreign privacy laws).     


  1. In     addition, in relation to team members and applicants, we may disclose your personal information to your referees, academic institutions, and potential, current and previous employers, and public professional networks (such as LinkedIn) or other social media platforms, and professional and trade associations.      


  1. We     expect our service providers to also look after your information carefully. We have confidentiality agreements in place with many of our service providers and staff and volunteers who handle personal information that we provide to them.      


  1. Some     parties to which WFE discloses personal information may be in a country other than Australia, usually because one of our technical systems or platforms is located or needs to process data overseas or because a service provider is located overseas. This may include the United States of America, New Zealand or other countries.     


  1. Keeping your personal information up to date and secure      


  1. We     take steps that are reasonable in the circumstances to ensure that your personal information is accurate, complete and up to date. To help us, please advise us of any changes to your personal information to help us maintain accurate, complete and up-to-date information.     


  1. We     may hold your personal information in physical and digital forms. In some cases, we may use third parties to store your information, including service providers and cloud storage facilities. We take a range of steps to protect the personal information we hold from misuse, interference (including computer attacks) and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. These steps may include, depending on the circumstances, data access controls, firewalls, encryption and building security.     


  1. When you visit our website      


  1. We     may use “cookies”. A cookie is a piece of information that allows our system to identify and interact more effectively with your device and browser. The cookie helps us to maintain the continuity of your browsing session and remember your details and preferences when you return. You can usually disable cookies in your internet browser settings. However, if you do this, please be aware that your browsing experience and our website’s functionality may be affected.      


  1. Our     website may use Google services such as Google Analytics from time to time. For more about how Google collects and processes data, please see Google’s privacy policy and their information at www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/.      


  1. Access and correction      


  1. We     will, on request, provide you with access to and correction of the personal information we hold about you unless otherwise required or permitted by law. Please provide as much detail as you can about the particular information you seek, in order to help us locate it.      


  1. In     some circumstances, we may decline your request where this is in accordance with applicable law. We will notify you of the basis for any denial of access to or correction of your personal information.     


  1. To     request access to your personal information or, if you wish to update or correct your personal information, please contact us as set out above.     


  1. Complaints      


  1. If     you wish to make a complaint about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us as set out above. Please provide us with sufficient details regarding your complaint, as well as any supporting evidence and/or information, as this will help with our response. We may need to verify your identity.     


  1. We     will refer your complaint to our Chief of Staff or other appropriate team member, who will investigate the issue and determine the steps that we will undertake to deal with your complaint. We will make a determination about your complaint within a reasonable time, generally within 30 days. We will keep records of your complaint and any resolution.     


  1. It     will not always be possible to resolve a complaint to everyone’s satisfaction. If you are not satisfied with our determination, you can contact us to discuss your concerns or complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) via     www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-complaints. 

 

  1. Changes to our Privacy Policy  


  1. Our Privacy Policy will be reviewed regularly and updated as necessary from time to time.     


  1. This Privacy Policy was last updated in January 2026.