We understand the importance of privacy and are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information in accordance with our legal obligations. 

This Privacy Policy tells you how The Institution of Engineers Australia, its overseas chapters, related bodies corporate and affiliates (‘Engineers Australia’, ‘we’, ‘our’, ‘us’) will handle your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (‘Privacy Act’) and, where applicable, other information protection laws (such as those in force in the European Economic Area). 

This Privacy Policy applies to the following companies: 

• The Institution of Engineers Australia (ABN 63 020 415 510); 
• Engineering Education Australia Pty Ltd (ABN 45 008 663 349);  
• The Moreland Group Pty Ltd (ACN 007 222 424); and 
• EngInsure Pty Limited (ABN 82 610 649 851).  

If you are a resident in the European Economic Area, you should also refer to our EU General Data Protection Regulation (‘GDPR’) schedule available here (‘GDPR Schedule’), which provides you with some additional important information.  

Engineers Australia may update this Privacy Policy (including GDPR Schedule) from time to time. Any updated version of our Privacy Policy will be made available on our website (https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au) and will be effective from the date of posting. This Privacy Policy was last updated in July 2022.

The types of personal information that we may collect include:  

• contact details, such as name, address, email and telephone number; 
• personal details and information about you, such as title, post-nominals, date of birth, gender, education and qualifications; 
• professional and employment background, including employment history, curriculum vitae and referee reports; 
• photographic identification and other legal documentation, such as passports and visas; 
• information associated with applications or enquiries for enrolment in a Professional Year program, National Vocational Education and Training program and other non-accredited training courses and programs including results or outcomes; 
• member details, such as member ID and other membership information; 
• member applicant’s details, such as information supplied as part of an application for a particular membership grade or to become Chartered;  
• skills assessments and reports related to the Migration Skills Assessment and other assessments that you or your authorised representative provide to us or which we or our authorised representatives facilitate, including ‘Engineering Practice Reports’, ‘Competency Demonstration Reports’ and Migration Skills Assessments; 
• contractor and service provider information and details that are provided to us in connection with our procurements or our contract or engagement with such entities;  
• financial or banking details you provide to us, such as credit card details;  
• any personal information collected or obtained by us in connection with any events, seminars, career expos or conferences that we facilitate or participate in, such as the sessions you attended, any dietary preferences and other accommodation needs, your partner’s name (and if you are under the age of 18, your parent or guardian’s name and contact details) and where required, details of your emergency contact; 
• complaints or feedback you provide to us;  
• any survey responses you complete, which are not completed on an anonymous basis; and 
• any personal information you may provide during your communications or interactions with us.

Sensitive personal information

From time to time we may also collect ‘sensitive personal information’ (within the meaning of the Privacy Act) from you. This could include information about your  ethnic origin, voice and facial recordings, your membership of a professional or trade association, or information about your health (such as proof of your vaccination status, or information about your accessibility needs). We will only collect this information if we need it to provide you with our services and only with your permission.  

Website 

Our website(s), including (https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au) may store ‘cookies’ on your computer to help improve its functionality. We use cookies for analytical purposes. For more details about the cookies used by us please refer to our Cookies Policy, which is available here.  

We use Google Analytics, which is a web analytics service provided by Google Inc (‘Google’). Google Analytics uses cookies. Google Analytics is used by us to improve our business practices and obtain information about how people use our website so that we improve our business practices.  

The data generated and processed by Google Analytics may be used and stored by Google on global servers outside your region. Google may use this data in accordance with its policies, including for the purpose of generating reports on website activity and internet usage. Further information about Google Analytics and how Google uses data obtained through Google Analytics is available at  (www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/).   

If you do not wish to receive cookies, you may be able to change the settings on your browser to refuse cookies.  

Members

Typically, we collect the personal information of members through: 

• our provision of members’ services and support, including through member services by telephone, email or other written correspondence; 
• the use of, and interaction with, the information and services provided through Engineers Australia’s websites including digital services such as MyPortal and online enquiry, feedback or other forms; 
• the use of, and interaction with, the products and services provided in connection with Engineers Australia’s campaigns, competitions, events or initiatives; 
• communications and interactions generated as part of our dealings with you through social media channels, including Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter; 
• applications for skills or qualification assessment, Chartered assessment or other membership categories; 
• information that member volunteers or ambassadors supply to us in connection with their involvement in events or expos that we participate in;  
• payment transactions that members or their representatives make to us; 
• enrolment, registration or attendance at conferences, events, expos or other continuing professional development sessions that we facilitate or participate in; 
• nominations for awards or standing for a position on our National Congress, Board, Divisions, Committees or constituent groups; 
• interaction with our subsidiary companies and/or the use of their products and services; 
• the receipt and investigation of complaints and feedback relating to Engineers Australia or its members; 
• requests for follow-up information, requests to join a mailing list or to be contacted for further information about our products or services; 
• responses to surveys or research conducted by Engineers Australia or by third party service providers on Engineers Australia's behalf;  
• our marketing and promotional campaigns, for example, the process of developing a feature news story for a magazine, electronic newsletter, event promotion or online newsroom or other Engineers Australia website content; or 
• such other information that you (or your authorised representative) provide to us as part of your (or your authorised representative’s) communications or interactions with us. 

Non-members

We generally collect the personal information of non-members (for example, employment applicants, service providers, prospective members and other non-members) through many of the same channels set out above (where relevant). In addition, we may collect information of non-members through:  

• applications or enquiries for membership, skills or qualification assessment; 
• applications or enquiries for enrolment in a Professional Year program, National Vocational Education and Training program and other non-accredited training courses and programs; 
• the contractor and service provider information and details that such entities provide to us or that we obtain in connection with our procurement or contract for products or services or our engagement with such entities; or 
• the information you provide to us or that we obtain in connection with our employee or contractor recruitment and selection process, including applications for employment with us. 

Information from third parties

We typically collect your personal information directly from you. In some circumstances we may collect personal information about you from third parties, where you have authorised them to provide that information to us (for example, your authorised migration agent). We may also collect information about you from third parties where we are legally permitted to do so.  

Publicly available information

Where legally permitted we may in some circumstances source certain personal information, such as email addresses, from publicly available information (for example, webpages).  

Anonymity

You may make a request to engage with us on an anonymous basis or using a pseudonym. Due to the nature of the products and services that we provide, it will usually not be practicable for us to engage with you on this basis.  

If you do not provide your personal information to us or our third-party providers (where applicable), we may not be able to do one or more of the following:  

• provide the requested products or services to you, either to the same standard or at all; 
• review and approve your membership application or any other application or assessment; 
• provide you with information about products and services that you may want, including information about discounts, sales or special promotions; 
• organise your participation in our events, seminars, conferences and activities; or 
• tailor the content of our websites to your preferences and, as a result, your experience of our websites may not be as enjoyable or useful. 

In some cases, you may also have a contractual requirement to provide us with certain personal information. Where you do not provide personal information to us we may be no longer able to continue our contract with you or provide you with some or all services under that contract. You may also be in breach of your contract with us.

Depending on the circumstances, we may collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information for the following purposes: 

• to provide services and products to you, including membership services and networking support such as, the provision of magazines, journals, electronic newsletters, event alerts, networking opportunities with industry partners and other member benefits; 
• to provide referral services to you for relevant insurance and insurance related products; 
• to communicate with you, including to answer enquiries and provide you with information about us and our products, services or membership; for example, when you are a student who would like information about becoming a member; 
• to assess or verify membership applications, membership status and skills assessments to ensure that application and assessment criteria are met; 
• to process payments for services, including membership applications and assessments; 
• to process applications or enquiries for enrolment in a Professional Year program, a National Vocational Education and Training program and other non-accredited training courses and programs; 
• for quality assurance, including to monitor our communications and transactions to ensure service quality, compliance with law and regulations and to combat fraud;  
• to perform an assessment of your eligibility for engagement by us or employment with us and to conduct our recruitment and selection process; 
• to verify your identity when you interact with us, including when you seek access to information that we hold; 
• to provide you with access to our website, portals and community platforms; 
• to make decisions relating to nomination or election to a position on the Board, National Congress, Committees or other constituent groups, or to process a nomination in regard to an award and/or recognition; 
• to send marketing and promotional materials or communications (including emails) for products, services or events which we believe our members and non-members would like to receive, including those sent on behalf of or about our sponsorship and commercial partners; 
• to enable us to facilitate or organise conferences, seminars and professional development and networking events that you have expressed an interest in, or will attend; for example, to organise catering or accommodation in connection with such events;  
• to include your name, post-nominal and, with consent, contact details on any national registers owned or administered by Engineers Australia including the National Engineering Register (NER) and to respond to third party enquires in relation to members;  
• to elect, recruit, manage, support and contact and communicate with our committee members, office bearers and volunteers in the performance of their roles and duties; 
• for accounting and administrative functions, including to contact our Board, panel and committee members to distribute business papers and other documentation related to the performance of their roles and duties;  
• to facilitate procurements and to enter into contracts with suppliers and contractors; 
• to process and respond to any feedback, claim or complaint made by you; and 
• to comply with any law, rule, regulation, lawful and binding determination, decision or direction of a regulator or to co-operate with any governmental authority of any country. 
• In some circumstances, and subject to appropriate legal safeguards to protect your personal information, we may use certain personal information for statistical or analytical purposes. We use this data to assess and analyse the demographics of our members, the attendees of our conferences and events and the users of our services and offerings in order to better understand our members and users and to improve our business offering. 

Your personal information will not be shared or disclosed other than as described in this Privacy Policy and GDPR Schedule. We will never sell your personal information for commercial benefit. 

For the purposes described above, we may (depending on the circumstances) disclose your personal information to: 

• our employees, affiliates and related bodies corporate, contractors or service providers for the purposes of operation of our website or our business, fulfilling requests by you, and to otherwise provide products and services to you including, web hosting providers, IT systems administrators, mailing houses, couriers, payment processors, information entry service providers, electronic network administrators and debt collectors; 
• the publisher of our member magazine, crEAte, to provide members with their entitled copy; 
• third party conference, event or function organisers; 
• your fellow committee members, office bearers and other volunteers; 
• your fellow members, with your consent;  
• our professional advisors (for example, legal, financial, business or other advisors); 
• third parties with whom we have sponsorship or commercial relationships for business, marketing, and related purposes; and 
• any third party for any authorised purpose with your consent or where we are authorised by law to do so; for example, to your authorised migration agent or Regulator. 

We take reasonable steps to make sure that our terms of service with third-parties obligate them to protect the privacy of your personal information, and that any sharing of your personal information will not breach these obligations. We will never provide your personal information to anyone else for marketing purposes without your prior consent. 

Additionally, under By-Law 18.1 of Engineers Australia’s Royal Charter and By-Laws and regulation 8.15 of the Engineers Australia General Regulations 2016, Engineers Australia may provide the following information about our members to persons who make an enquiry: 

• the fact that a member is a member of Engineers Australia; 
• the category (if any), grade and title of membership; 
• the name of the college or colleges to which the member belongs; 
• whether the member is entitled to use a chartered title and the year in which the member became entitled; and 
• if the member was previously entitled to use a chartered title, the years in which they were entitled. 

We may, from time to time, disclose your personal information to entities located outside of Australia, including the following: 

• our overseas chapters and related bodies corporate, located in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Qatar and the UAE;  
• our service providers, located in or that provide services outside Australia, including Japan, Canada, the United States and Germany; and 
• any other entity located overseas that we notify you about. 

We will only disclose personal information outside of Australia in accordance with our legal obligations. 

Engineers Australia will only engage in direct marketing in accordance with all applicable laws. Where relevant, we may send you direct marketing communications and information about our products, services and offerings that we consider may be of interest to you. We will never provide your personal information to anyone else for marketing purposes without your prior consent. 

These communications may be sent in various forms, including mail, SMS and email and in accordance with applicable marketing laws, such as the Privacy Act and Spam Act 2003 (Cth). If you indicate a preference for a method of communication, we will endeavour to use that method whenever practical to do so.   

You may opt-out of receiving direct marketing communications from us at any time by contacting us or by using the opt-out facilities provided in the marketing communications or (if applicable) by updating your communication preferences in MyPortal. On receipt of your opt-out request, we will then ensure that your request is actioned promptly, in accordance with your preferences.

You may request access to any personal information we hold about you at any time by contacting our Privacy Officer (see details below). 

Where we hold information that you are entitled to access, we will try to provide you with a suitable means of accessing it (for example, by mailing or emailing it to you). We will need to verify your identity and depending on the circumstances, we may need to charge you a lawful and reasonable fee to provide this access, to cover our administrative costs in providing the information to you.  We will not charge you for simply making the request and will not charge you for making any corrections to your personal information. 

There may be instances where we cannot grant you access to the personal information we hold. For example, we may need to refuse access if granting access would interfere with the privacy of others or if it would result in a breach of confidentiality. If that happens, we will give you written reasons for any refusal. 

We take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we hold is accurate, complete and up to date.  We regularly audit our information and request members to update records whenever possible.  

If you believe that personal information we hold about you is incorrect, incomplete or inaccurate, then you may request us to amend it by contacting our Privacy Officer (see details below).   

Please note that if your representative seeks to access or correct your personal information on your behalf, to protect your privacy and to comply with our legal obligations, we will require evidence to our satisfaction of the representative’s legal authority to do so before processing any access or correction requests. 

We may hold your personal information in either electronic or hard copy form. We comply with our legal obligations in relation to the protection of your personal information from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.  

We will keep personal information for as long as it is needed to fulfil any purpose for which we may lawfully use or disclose it.  Personal information is destroyed or de-identified when no longer needed. 

As our website is linked to the internet, and the internet is inherently insecure, we cannot provide any assurance regarding the security of transmission of information you communicate to us online.  We also cannot guarantee that the information you supply will not be intercepted while being transmitted over the internet. Accordingly, any personal information or other information which you transmit to us online is transmitted at your own risk.

If you have a complaint about the way we have collected, stored, used or disclosed your personal information, a detailed complaint should be made to our Privacy Officer (see details below) so that we can investigate it.  

On receipt of your complaint, we will investigate it and take any steps necessary to resolve the complaint.  

After we have completed our investigations we will contact you, usually in writing, to advise the outcome.  

If you are unsatisfied with the outcome of our investigation, you may take your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (‘OAIC’). Further information about the OAIC can be found on their website (https://www.oaic.gov.au).

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, would like to update your details or have any concerns or a complaint regarding the treatment of your personal information or a possible breach of your privacy, you may contact our Privacy Officer by post or email using the details set out below:  

Privacy Officer

If you would like a response to your inquiry, please include your contact details.