Privacy Statement
Commitment to Privacy
The Town of Cottesloe is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals and ensuring personal information is managed lawfully, securely and transparently. We recognise the importance of maintaining public trust and taking reasonable steps to safeguard personal information throughout its lifecycle.
This Privacy Statement explains how the Town collects, uses, stores, discloses and manages personal information in accordance with applicable legislation, including the Privacy and Responsible Information Sharing Act 2024.
Personal Information
Personal information is information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who can reasonably be identified. This may include details such as a person's name, contact information, residential address, date of birth, photographs, identification details or information relating to interactions with the Town.
How We Collect Information
The Town collects personal information to deliver services, undertake regulatory functions, meet legal obligations and engage effectively with the community.
Personal information may be collected when you:
- Contact the Town by phone, email, online or in person
- Visit a Town facility or attend a Town event
- Submit an application, request, permit or licence
- Register for programs, services or community activities
- Participate in surveys, consultations or engagement initiatives
- Subscribe to newsletters or other communications
- Access online services or complete website forms
Where practical, personal information will be collected directly from the individual concerned. In some circumstances, information may be collected from authorised representatives, other government agencies or third parties where permitted by law.
Information Relating to Children
The Town may collect information about children and young people when delivering programs, events, recreational activities and other services. In these circumstances, only information necessary for the administration and safe delivery of the activity will be collected. Additional care is taken when handling information relating to minors, including ensuring appropriate consent and security measures are in place, where required.
Use of Personal Information
Personal information is used only for legitimate Town purposes, including:
- Delivering services and programs
- Processing applications, registrations and approvals
- Meeting legislative and regulatory obligations
- Responding to enquiries and requests
- Undertaking community engagement and consultation
- Managing public safety and operational requirements
- Improving services and customer experiences
The Town will not use personal information for unrelated purposes unless authorised or required by law.
Disclosure of Personal Information
The Town may disclose personal information - in accordance with the Privacy and Responsible Information Sharing Act 2024 - where:
- The individual has provided consent
- The disclosure is authorised or required by legislation
- The disclosure is necessary to perform a public or statutory function
- Information is required under a court order or lawful request
- Information is required to support debt recovery or legal proceedings
- Disclosure is necessary to protect public health, safety or welfare
- In response to a valid Freedom of Information (FOI) application, where an exemption under the Act does not apply
Where information is shared with government agencies, contractors or service providers, the Town takes reasonable steps to ensure appropriate privacy, confidentiality and security obligations are maintained.
Data Security
The Town maintains a range of physical, electronic and administrative safeguards to help protect personal information against unauthorised access, misuse, alteration, loss or disclosure.
Access to personal information is restricted to employees, contractors and authorised persons who require the information to perform their duties.
Transaction Security
While every effort is made to protect information submitted through the Town’s website, using the internet always carries some level of risk. The Town engages secure transmission technology for specific services, including online payment facilities, to help safeguard your personal information.
Website Usage and Analytics
When you access the Town's website, certain technical information may be collected to assist with website management, security and performance monitoring.
This information may include:
- IP address and device information
- Browser type and operating system
- Pages accessed and time spent on the website
- Referral sources and website navigation patterns
The Town may use cookies and analytics tools to improve website functionality and user experience. Users can manage or disable cookies through their browser settings.
External Websites
The Town’s website may contain links to external websites and online platforms. These sites operate independently and are not controlled by the Town. We encourage users to review the privacy and security policies of any external website they visit, as the Town is not responsible for the content, security, or privacy practices of third-party sites.
Social Media and Online Engagement
The Town uses social media platforms and digital engagement tools to communicate with the community and encourage participation in local decision-making.
Information shared through these platforms may be collected and retained by the Town where relevant to community engagement, customer service or operational purposes. Social media providers and engagement platforms manage information in accordance with their own privacy policies and terms of use.
Records Management
The Town retains and manages personal information in accordance with recordkeeping legislation and approved records management practices.
Information is retained only for as long as necessary to meet operational, legal and business requirements. When information is no longer required, the requirement is to securely destroy or dispose of it in accordance with approved retention and disposal schedules.
Accessing and Correcting Your Information
Individuals have the right to request access to personal information held about them and to request the correction of information that is inaccurate, incomplete or outdated.
Requests submitted to the Town will be managed in accordance with applicable legislative requirements.
Freedom of Information
The Freedom of Information Act 1992 provides a right of access to documents held by local governments and other public sector agencies, subject to certain exemptions.
The Town is committed to providing access to information in accordance with relevant legislation and good governance practices. However, before information is released or published, some content may be removed or redacted where necessary to protect the privacy of individuals, confidential information, commercially sensitive material, or the Town’s operational and business interests.
Information may also be withheld where disclosure could breach legal obligations or compromise the safety, security, or effective administration of the Town’s services. Any redactions will be made in accordance with applicable legislation and the public interest considerations relevant to the information requested.
Changes to This Statement
The Town may amend this Privacy Statement from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, operational practices or technological developments. The current version will always be available on the Town's website.
Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns or complaints regarding privacy or the handling of your personal information, please contact the Town.
Town of Cottesloe
109 Broome Street
Cottesloe WA 6011
Phone: (08) 9285 5000
Email: town@cottesloe.wa.gov.au
The Town is committed to responding to privacy enquiries and requests in a timely and respectful manner.