Privacy Policy

  1. Purpose

Melanoma and Skin Cancer Trials (ABN 70 626 908 512) respects your privacy when handling your personal information. We are committed to ensuring that our websites:

are easy-to-use as well as private and secure.

We are fully committed to protecting your privacy and we will only collect, hold, use, disclose and otherwise handle your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (the “Act”). This policy sets out how we collect, use, manage and store personal information in accordance with the Act.

If you deal with us, access our websites or provide us with information, you agree to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy (including any subsequent amendments to this Privacy Policy in accordance with Clause 10) and the Act.

We may allow our associated entities and their staff to use and process limited personal information in the same way and to the same extent that we are permitted to under this Privacy Policy. This is only done as required to assist us in providing our services to you, as set out in this Policy. Our associated entities comply with the same obligations that we have to protect your personal information under this Privacy Policy.

  1. Personal information we collect

Personal information is information or an opinion about you from which you can be reasonably identified. The types of personal information collected by us include:

  • name, title and profession;
  • contact details (including address, email address, telephone number(s) and other contact details);
  • dates of birth;
  • tax file numbers;
  • financial information (including, but not limited to, salaries and income levels);
  • banking details;
  • employment and performance-based information;
  • health information;
  • academic and research-related information;
  • accreditations and degrees;
  • information you provide when you apply to be a member with us or wish to volunteer with us or participate in our events;
  • your username and password if you become a member;
  • personal testimonials and stories; and
  • other information you provide to us.

2.1 Sensitive information

In conducting our operations and activities, we may collect sensitive information. Sensitive information is defined in the Act as information or an opinion about such things as an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of a political association, religious or philosophical beliefs, membership of a trade union or other professional body, genetic information or health information.

For example, if you participate in research and clinical trial activities conducted by us, we collect personal information to record your involvement and to process the results of research and clinical trials. All research and clinical trials undertaken by us are approved by an external Human Research Ethics Committee. Research participants enrolled in trials or research will be given further information detailing how their personal information (including health information) will be handled prior to their involvement in the research study.

For example, when you agree to tell your own personal story for publication on our website, you may be uploading information that is considered sensitive, such as your health information.

Sensitive information is only collected and used to the extent that it is reasonably necessary to do so in connection with the performance of our functions and activities, or otherwise with your consent, or where required or authorised by law.

  1. Why do we collect personal information?

We collect personal information for the primary purpose of providing our services in connection with our research and charitable operations and activities, including, without limitation:

  • research;
  • clinical trials;
  • funding;
  • grants;
  • gifts;
  • donations;
  • marketing and promotional activities;
  • conducting surveys and feedback processes; and
  • other activities as engaged in by us from time to time.

We may also use your personal information for secondary purposes closely related to this primary purpose.

  1. How do we collect personal information?

We will collect personal information only by lawful and fair means and not in an unreasonably intrusive manner. We collect personal information from people who are connected to our operation and activities including staff, investigators working on a clinical trial we are involved in, volunteers, donors, sponsors, service providers, through our websites and other social networking sites, through applications to work with us or attend our events, and information that you provide directly to us and any parties that apply for research and clinical trial support. Subject to the matters listed below, we do not collect any personal information that you submit unless it is for the purpose of processing your enquiry. If you choose not to provide certain personal information, we may not be able to offer you our services.

4.1 Collecting information from you

We collect personal information in a number of ways, including where you:

  • make solicited or unsolicited requests to us for research proposal development;
  • are performing research or clinical trials work or other work that is managed by us;
  • attend or take part in one of our events;
  • apply for a job or to volunteer with us;
  • consent to tell your own personal story for publication on our website. We will always seek your written permission if we wish to publish your story;
  • make solicited or unsolicited donations or gifts to us;
  • contact or are contacted by us or our service providers by telephone, email or our website, social media and other digital services; or
  • when you complete feedback, survey or promotional forms online or using a hardcopy form and provide it to us.

Where it is lawful and practical to do so, we will offer you the option of interacting with us anonymously or by using a pseudonym. It is important that you provide personal information which is in all respects true, accurate and up to date and is not, in any respect, misleading, deceptive or inaccurate or likely to be misleading or deceptive, otherwise we may not be able to effectively conduct our activities and operations.

4.2 Collecting information from third parties

We may also collect information about you from other people or independent sources, including from our associated entities. However, we will only do so where it is not reasonable and practicable to collect the information from you directly. Where we have collected your information from a third party, such personal information will be held, used and disclosed by us in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

4.3 Collecting information from visits to our website

We may also collect information based on how you use our website, including through ‘cookies’, web beacons and other similar technologies.

Cookies are small text files that are transferred to your computer’s hard drive through your web browser to enable our systems to recognise your browser and record non-personal information such as the date, time or duration of your visit and the pages accessed, for website administration, statistical and maintenance purposes (“Cookie Information”).

We use cookies to provide you with a more consistent experience across our services. No attempt is made by us to use Cookie Information to personally identify you. However, if Cookie Information is linked with personal information as set out above, this Cookie Information becomes personal information and will be treated in the same manner as the personal information to which it has been linked.

You can remove or reject cookies by adjusting the settings on your web browser. Please note that some parts of our website may not function fully for users that disable cookies.

We also obtain information where it is supplied voluntarily, through online registration or email.

We use password protocols and encryption software to protect personal and other information we receive when donations are made online. Our software is routinely updated to maximise protection of such information.

4.4 Unsolicited information

If we receive personal information that we have not requested and determine that the personal information received is not reasonably necessary to provide our services, we will take all lawful and reasonable steps (if any) to de-identify or destroy that personal information.

5 Protection of information

We will take all reasonable steps to protect all personal information from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification and disclosure. These steps include the implementation of the following safeguards:

  • where we store your personal information, it is stored on secure servers that are protected in controlled facilities and have protection measures such as usernames and passwords;
  • hard copy information is stored in our offices. We take reasonable steps to secure our offices to prevent unauthorised access; and
  • where personal information is stored and disclosed to a third party as part of cloud services, every effort will be made to ensure that such information is password protected.

We will take all reasonable steps to permanently de-identify or responsibly destroy personal information if it is no longer needed for the purpose for which the information was used or disclosed.

Where personal information is stored with a third party, we require those third parties to maintain the security of that information. Please note that third party recipients of personal information, such as our fundraising service providers and associated entities, may have their own privacy policies which govern their handling of personal information.

Any personal information that we gather is kept in confidence and is not publicly accessible. Our staff and volunteers are authorised to access personal information based only on their need to deal with the information for the reason that it was obtained. Safeguards are in place to ensure that the information is not disclosed or shared more widely than is necessary to achieve the purpose for which it was gathered. We also take measures to ensure that the integrity of this information is maintained and to prevent it being lost or destroyed.

5.1 Security breach procedures

Our data security practices have been developed in line with best practice. Notwithstanding, individuals should be aware that there are inherent risks associated with the transmission of data over the internet and other media. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee any transmission will be completely secure.

However, we will always act swiftly and decisively to remedy any data security breach. Moreover, we will take all reasonable steps to notify you in the event that we become aware that your personal information has been accessed or disclosed in an unauthorised manner, or has otherwise been lost in circumstances where unauthorised access or disclosure is likely to occur and cause you serious harm.

Please notify our Privacy Officer immediately using the contact details in clause 9 if you believe there has been any unauthorised access to your information or any other breach of security in connection with your personal information.

  1. How we use your information

We respect your privacy. We never sell, trade, or loan information to any other organisation.

We will use information for follow-up contact including to communicate with you and provide our services to you, provide information to you about our research and our clinical trials, facilitate your participation in one of our events or a clinical trial, seek your professional opinion and feedback, process an application for a position with us (including volunteering), our e-newsletters and to process and recognise donations and grants. Further, if you choose to opt in, we will disclose limited personal information of donors to third parties (which may include email addresses and names) for the purposes of sending personal messages of gratitude.

If you choose to opt in, you always have the option of unsubscribing by using the “unsubscribe” link in our email to you. By unsubscribing you will be removed from our distribution lists. Unless and until you opt out, your consent to receiving direct communications from us and to our handling of your personal information for this purpose will continue.

We may also disclose personal information to our associated entities, and to third parties such as contractors, service providers and financial service providers to enable the receipt of funds and processing of donations and grants. We may transfer your personal information to an entity which is in a foreign country to assist us in carrying out our operations and activities, including for the storage of information. We may also hold, use or disclose your personal information to:

  • consider any concern or complaint that you raise against us or to manage any legal action between you and us;
  • prevent or investigate any actual or suspected fraud, unlawful activity or misconduct; or
  • comply with any relevant laws, regulations, codes of practice and court orders.

Our website may contain certain links to other websites. We do not share your personal information with those websites and we are not responsible for the privacy practices applying in respect of those websites.

  1. Storage

Personal information collected for the purposes of your donation, and in relation to secondary purposes closely related to this, may be stored on third party software (including cloud platforms).

This information may be stored outside of Australia and the external Territories, thus may not be subject to privacy laws and schemes that provide as rigorous protection as the Act. Those countries may include the United States of America. By consenting to the collection of personal information you are also consenting to the storage of that information on servers located outside Australia and you release the Foundation from liability under subclause 8.1 of the APPs, the operation of which is hereby removed.

  1. Access and correction

You have the right to access and correct your personal information held by us. If you believe your personal information is not up to date, or wish to access, correct or delete any personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer using the contact details in clause 9. We will need to verify your identity before giving you access to, or correcting, your personal information. We will respond to the request within a reasonable period after the request is made. There is no charge to make a request, however we may charge a reasonable fee to cover the administrative costs of retrieving your personal information.

If your personal information is deleted, we may not be able to offer you our services.

In certain circumstances, we may refuse, or be unable, to correct or provide you with access to your personal information. In these circumstances, we will write to you to explain the reasons why this is the case.

  1. How to contact us

If you have any questions, concerns or complaints about our collection, use or disclosure of personal information please email our Privacy Officer.

We may ask you to place your concerns in writing so that our compliance staff can fully understand and investigate your complaint.

Our Privacy Officer will co-ordinate the investigation of any complaint and any potential resolution of a complaint. We will aim to resolve all complaints as soon as practicable for us to do so. If a complaint remains unresolved, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au have the complaint heard and determined.

  1. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to modify our websites and/or this Privacy Policy at any time. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy at regular intervals. Any changes to our Privacy Policy will be updated on our websites. By continuing to use our services after that time you will be deemed to have accepted any changes to our Privacy Policy.

  1. Use of Website

By using this website you agree not to use this website for any unlawful purpose (with or without attribution to you). You acknowledge and agree that all content and materials available on this website are protected by copyrights, trademarks, service marks, patents, trade secrets, or other proprietary rights and laws.