Privacy

Blaze Acumen (we or us) complies with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) as set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act). The APPs regulate the manner in which we can collect, use, hold, disclose and destroy personal information.

In the course of conducting our business, we collect personal information. This Privacy Policy sets out how we manage that personal information and how we comply with the APPs.

1. Definitions

In this Privacy Policy:

Personal Information is information or an opinion about an identified individual, or about an individual who is reasonably identifiable.

Blaze Acumen includes:

• Blaze Acumen (ABN 17 958 549 733); and
• Complete Latitude Pty Ltd (ABN 57 207 091 102)

2. Collection Methods and Purposes

We collect personal information about our clients, potential clients, employees, potential employees, suppliers, contractors and other third parties in order for us to properly represent our clients and to carry out our business functions and activities.

Where it is reasonably practicable for us to do so, we collect personal information directly from you. Sometimes we receive and collect personal information about you from third parties, such as other accountants and advisors, your family members, business associates, or our client. We also collect personal information from publicly available sources.

The kinds of personal information we collect include:

• name, address, date of birth, Tax File Numbers, Australian Business Numbers, qualifications, occupation, professional membership and contact information;
• opinions about you, including your business or professional experience;
• information about your dealings with us or our clients, which includes financial records, bank account details, insurance policies and taxation information;
• in some circumstances, passport information and driver’s licence information; and
• electronic data collected when you use our website, including your IP address, browser type, geographical tags, cookies and statistical data.

You can be anonymous or use a pseudonym when dealing with us, unless:
• you are required by law to use your real name; or
• it is impracticable for us to deal with you without using your real name.

If we do not collect, hold, use or disclose your personal information, then we may not be able to provide our services to you.

3. Use and Disclosure

We use personal information collected by us to enable us to conduct our business, to carry on our marketing activities and to comply with our legal obligations, including:
• to maintain and develop our relationship with you and provide our services to you;
• to market our services including by providing you with information about taxation developments or events which may be of interest to you;
• to consider your application for employment with us;
• to comply with our legal obligations; and
• for research, planning, service development, security or risk management.

We also collect, hold, use and disclose personal information for related purposes that you would reasonably expect including our administrative and accounting functions, marketing and promotions, feedback, newsletter communications, statistical collection and website analysis.

Your personal information is treated by us as strictly private and confidential, and will not be disclosed by us unless:

• you consent to such disclosure;
• the disclosure is required in the course of providing tax or accounting services to you (e.g. engaging another advisor or external consultant on your behalf);
• the disclosure is to an external service provider on a confidential basis for financial or administrative purposes (e.g. IT, photocopy or archive services);
• the disclosure is to a third party recruitment firm in respect of your prospective employment with us;
• the disclosure is required to enforce our terms of service;
• the disclosure is in connection with the actual or proposed sale, merger or divestment of all or part of our business (whether or not any such transaction is completed); or
• we are required or permitted to do so by law.

We will not disclose your personal information to third parties for the purposes of marketing of their products or services to you.

4. Overseas Disclosure

In the course of providing our services to you, we may need to disclose some of your personal information to an overseas recipient; however we will only do so where:

• such disclosure is necessary for us to provide our services to you; and
• you have provided your consent; or
• we reasonably believe that the recipient is required to deal with the personal information in accordance with laws which are similar to the APPs and will keep the personal information secure and use it only for the purpose for which it was collected; or
• it is otherwise permitted or required by law or court order.

5. Data Quality

The accuracy of the personal information we collect is imperative to us providing proper tax and accounting services.

All reasonable steps will be taken by us to ensure that your personal information is accurate, complete and up-to-date. If you become aware that any of the personal information we hold about you is not accurate, complete or up-to-date, please contact us on the details below.

6. Data Security

We take our obligations under the Privacy Act seriously. All of our personnel are required to protect the confidentiality of your personal information, subject to this Privacy Policy.

We hold your information in electronic and hard copy form. We take reasonable steps to protect all information that we hold, including personal information, from misuse and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

We do this by, for example:

• incorporating strict password access and virus protection procedures into all electronic databases;
• restriction of access to personal information to staff members who require access in order to perform their role;
• taking all reasonable steps to keep our premises secure; and
• ensuring that the third parties we engage for off-site storage and archive services have secure facilities and implement privacy safeguards.

Personal information is destroyed or de-identified when it is no longer needed or when we are no longer required by law to retain it (whichever is the later).

7. Access and Correction

You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you at any time by contacting our Privacy Officer (contact details below). We may charge a fee to cover the costs of retrieval and copying.

If the personal information we hold about you is not accurate, complete or up-to-date, we will take reasonable steps to correct the information.

We will always provide reasons for denial of access or refusal to correct personal information.

8. Sensitive Information

We do not collect, use or disclose sensitive information about you (such as race, ethnicity, religion, sexual preference, health or criminal record) unless it is required for the provision of our services to you or our client and you provide your consent, or where it is otherwise required or allowed by law.

9. Destruction of Personal Information

You agree that we may de-identify or destroy your personal information:

• if you are our client, 7 years after the completion of any matter in respect of which the personal information is given;
• if you are not our client, when we no longer require it (which in many instances will be 7 years after completion of the matter in respect of which the personal information was collected);

10. Privacy Policy Changes

If we modify this Privacy Policy, we will post any updated version on this website. You should check this website periodically to ensure that you are aware of our current Privacy Policy.

11. Complaints Procedure

If you believe that your privacy has been breached, please contact our Privacy Officer using the contact information below. We will treat your complaint confidentially, investigate it and aim to ensure that your complaint is resolved within a reasonable time.

12. Amendments to this Privacy Policy

We review our policies regularly and occasionally may need to change or update them. Any updated versions of this policy will be posted on our website and will be effective from the date of posting.

This policy was last updated in November 2017.

13. Blaze Acumen Privacy Officer

For all queries regarding personal information and for access to your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer by clicking here info@blazeacumen.com.au or by writing to the Privacy Officer, Blaze Acumen, Level 27, IBM Centre, 60 City Road, Southbank, Victoria 3006 or on (03) 9694 3000.