Amendments to the Federal Privacy Act, ensure that organisations take steps to protect the privacy of individuals in the handling of personal information. This is through a set of National Privacy Principles that deal with the collection, use, disclosure and storage of that information.

As part of the Village's privacy program, we have adopted a Privacy Policy setting out our general information handling practices:

1. The Village believes privacy is an important right for each Resident.

2. The Village is pursuing best practice policies and procedures in how it deals with personal information and its safekeeping.

3. The Village is bound by the National Privacy Principles as contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Clth) as amended by the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000.

4. We collect personal information details, health information, Tax File Numbers, and financial information only for specific purposes such as processing registrations, responding to enquiries, keeping Residents informed and Staff legally employed, for financial, administrative and insurance management and generally assisting in providing a better service for Residents.

5. The Village contracts out services such as laundry, pest control, gardening, pharmacy, food supply and waste management.

6. The Village has a complaints procedure in place, including steps to be taken to complain about breaches of privacy issues. Contact should first be made to the Chief Executive Officer or Hostel Director of Resident Care. General complaints resolution procedure and relevant contact numbers are contained in the Hostel Residents' Handbook. The Federal Department of Health and Ageing run a free and independent service for resolving complaints. You can make a complaint either by telephone on Free-call 1800 550 552 or by writing to the Aged Care Complaints Resolution Scheme c/- Department of Health and Ageing GPO Box 9848 in your capital city.

7. The Village does not disclose personal information without consent of the person concerned. Our Disclosure Statement & Consent forms are explained to Residents & Staff. A form is required to be signed by a Resident or a Staff member who seeks access to their own personal information.