Privacy & Confidentiality

The NDIS will help people with disability achieve their goals. This may include greater independence, community involvement, employment and improved wellbeing.

Collection of Personal Information

Better Planning will use forms, online portals and other electronic or paper correspondence to collect this information. Better Planning Employees or people acting on its behalf (e.g., contracted service providers) may collect information directly. Better Planning may also obtain personal information collected by other Commonwealth agencies, State or Territory government bodies, or other organisations.

Better Planning Collects Personal Information Through A Variety of Different Methods Including:

• Paper-based forms.
• Electronic forms (including online forms).
• Face to face meetings.
• Telephone communications. 
• Email communications.
• Communications by fax.
• The NDIS, Providers & Better Planning website; and
• Social media websites.

Better Planning holds personal information in a range of paper-based and electronic records. Storage of personal information (and the disposal of information when no longer required) is managed in accordance BP-IM-05 Records Management.

Better Planning Collects and Holds A Broad Range of Personal Information In Records Relating To:

• Employment and personnel matters for Better Planning staff and contractors (including Worker Screenings Assessments).
• The performance of Better Planning legislative and administrative functions.
• Individuals participating in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) assigned to Better Planning.
• Registered NDIS providers.
• Staff of NDIS providers.
• The management of contracts and funding agreements.
• The management of fraud and compliance investigations.
• The management of audits (both internal and external).
• Correspondence from members of the public to the NDIS Commission, Minister of the Department of Social Services and other Advocacy services when required.
• Complaints (including privacy complaints) made, and feedback provided to Better Planning.
• The provision of legal advice by internal and external lawyers.

Better Planning will not collect any personal information which it does not need. The Privacy Act requires that Better Planning collect information for a purpose that is reasonably necessary for, or directly related to, a function or activity of providing a provision of support.

When Better Planning collects personal information, Better Planning is required by the Privacy Act to notify the participant or employee of a number of matters. These include the purposes for which Better Planning collects the information, whether the collection is required or authorised by law and any person or body to whom we usually disclose the information.

Examples of Personal Information That Better Planning May Collect Includes:

• Name, address and contact details (e.g., phone, email, and fax).
• Photographs, video recordings and audio recordings.
• Information about personal circumstances (e.g., marital status, age, gender, occupation, accommodation and relevant information about carers, partners, or children).
• Information about financial affairs (e.g., payment details, bank account details and information about business and financial interests).
• Information about identity (e.g., date of birth, country of birth, passport details, visa details, drivers’ licence, birth certificates).
• Information about employment (e.g., work history, referee comments, remuneration, working with children clearances, police checks, NDIS worker screening check).
• Information about background (e.g., educational qualifications, the languages you speak and your English proficiency).
• Government identifiers (e.g., Centrelink Reference Number or Tax File Number) and
• Information about assistance provided under the NDIS.
• Health information as defined under the Privacy Act.

On Occasions, Better Planning May Collect or Hold Sensitive Information Such As:

• Racial or ethnic origin.
• Health (including information about medical history and any disability or injury).
• Information about the supports or services receive, including supports or services received or have received under the NDIS and information about the people who provide those supports.

Purposes for Which Personal Information Is Collected, Held, Used, And Disclosed:

Better Planning collects and holds personal information for a variety of different purposes relating to its functions and activities including:

• Assisting with Coordination or Supports.
• Arranging Service Agreements.
• Arranging Provision of Support. 
• Performing Plan Management.
• Performing its employment and personnel functions in relation to its staff and contractors. 
• Performing its legislative and administrative functions.
• Policy development, research, and evaluation.
• Complaint’s handling.
• Contract management and
• Management of correspondence with the NDIS.

Better Planning uses and discloses personal information for the primary purposes for which it is collected. Better Planning will only use personal information where it is able to do so in accordance with the Privacy Act.

Disclosed to An External Third Party

Individual personal and sensitive information will not be disclosed to an external third party without written permission from the individual unless in the following circumstance.

• Emergency services personnel (e.g., Police, Fire Services, Ambulance) in an emergency where the health or safety of the individual is at risk.
• It is de-identified first and required for lawful statistical purposes.
• Required or authorised to do so under Australian law or a court/tribunal order.

Participants Personal and Sensitive Information Shall Be Lawfully and Fairly Collected:

• By consent, directly from participants or their lawfully authorised representative; and/or
• By lawful referrals from other service providers, brokers, Government agencies and allied health professionals.

Storage of Personal and Sensitive Information:

• Digital information is stored in Careview, password protected and only accessible by authorised staff.
• Hard copy files of a personal or sensitive nature are stored in lockable filing cabinets and only accessible by authorised staff.
• Better Planning will retain all personal and sensitive records for a period of 7 years, or in the case of children, until the participant attains 25 years of age.
• Tax File Number (TFN), Better Planning always keep this information secure. Due to legal restraints on the disclosure of TFNs, if a person asks us for their TFN, we will not be able to provide it to them. If a person wants to obtain their TFN, they will need to obtain this from the Australian Taxation Office directly.
• Better Planning does not send personal information out of Australia. If we are legally required to do so, we will take all reasonable steps to protect your personal information within the boundaries of the Australian Privacy Principles.

The Participant has the right under the Privacy Act to access personal information held about them. The Participant also has the right under the Privacy Act to request corrections to any personal information that Better Planning holds that the participant believes to be inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, irrelevant, or misleading. However, the Privacy Act sets out circumstances in which the Better Planning may decline access to or correction of personal information (e.g., where access is unlawful under a secrecy provision in portfolio legislation, or where the personal information held is an opinion and not an objective fact).

The Participant can simply contact Better Planning to seek correction of personal information at any time. 

Under the Privacy Act, Better Planning is required to take contractual measures to ensure contracted service providers (including sub-contractors) comply with the same privacy requirements applicable to Better Planning.

• By consent, directly from employee.
• By authorised referees provided by the employee.
• By lawful referrals from employment agencies and training institutions.
• By legally required background probity checks, authorised by the employee.

Personal Training information for participants, employees or other organisations will be held by Better Planning. Better Planning will not disclose personal information for another purpose unless the individual has consented to the use or disclosure of the information, or unless required or authorised under Australian Law or a court/tribunal order.

Better Planning deals promptly with any accidental or unauthorised disclosure of personal information. Better Planning follows BP-IM-06 Data Breach Protection and Response Plan and the OAIC’s Data breach notification when handling accidental or unauthorised disclosures of personal information. Legislative or administrative sanctions, including criminal sanctions, may apply to unauthorised disclosures of personal information. 

The Participant can simply contact Better Planning at any time to request a copy of their personal information or make amendments. 

Inform the Participant of The Following Options.

Access Requests:

Option 1: Call the HR Manager on 1300 318 056

Option 2: Send an email with the subject line “Attention: HR Manager” enquiry@betterplanning.com.au with the request.

Option 3: Postal request mail to Better Planning, “Attention: HR Manager” PO Box W67, West Wollongong, NSW, 2500

Upon an individual’s request, Better Planning will take all reasonable steps to provide access to that individual’s personal information as soon as possible.

In situations where the request is complicated or requires access to a large volume of information, we will take all reasonable steps to provide access as soon as possible. An administration fee may be charged.

Access to requested personal information will be made available, except in the following circumstances:

• To do so would pose a serious threat to the life, health or safety to an individual or public health or safety.
• To do so would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of others.
• The information relates to anticipated or existing legal proceedings.
• Providing access would prejudice negotiations with the individual making the request.
• It would be unlawful to do so.
• Denial of access is required or authorised by Australian law or court/tribunal order.
• Any other reason provided for in the Australian Privacy Principles or the Privacy Act 1988.

If an individual is able to establish that personal information held about them is inaccurate, incomplete or outdated Better Planning will take reasonable steps to correct our records unless it is impracticable or unlawful to do so.