Privacy policy

This policy sets out how UniSuper Limited (ABN 54 006 027 121) and UniSuper Management Pty Ltd (ABN 91 006 961 799), AFS Licence No. 235907, manage the personal information they hold about you.

Both UniSuper Limited and UniSuper Management Pty Ltd recognise the importance of protecting your personal information and are committed to complying with their privacy law obligations.

Who’s who?

UniSuper Management Pty Ltd administers the UniSuper superannuation fund (ABN 91 385 943 850) and is licensed (under the Corporations Act 2001) to provide financial products and services to members on behalf of the trustee, UniSuper Limited. In this Policy, UniSuper Limited and UniSuper Management Pty Ltd are referred to collectively as UniSuper.

What kinds of personal information does UniSuper collect?

UniSuper collects personal information only if it is necessary for its functions or activities. Such information includes your name, address, phone number, email address and date of birth. UniSuper also collects details of your beneficiaries, your employer and salary, your tax file number and your contributions.

In some cases, UniSuper also collects certain health-related information about members. (For more about how UniSuper collects and manages health-related information, please see the section below titled “How does UniSuper collect and manage health information?”.) UniSuper does not collect any other sensitive personal information about its members (e.g. information about a member’s religious beliefs, sexual preferences or criminal record).

How does UniSuper collect personal information?

UniSuper collects personal information in a fair and lawful manner. This means that, wherever practicable, UniSuper collects personal information directly from you. Sometimes, however, UniSuper might need to collect personal information about you from others (e.g. from your employer, from a medical practitioner or from an insurer). Except in very unusual circumstances, UniSuper will tell you when personal information about you is collected from others.

Why does UniSuper collect personal information?

Primarily, UniSuper collects your personal information to provide you with UniSuper membership, benefits and services, to administer your UniSuper membership, benefits and services and to improve member services (e.g. through research, marketing, product development and planning).

What happens if UniSuper is unable to collect personal information?

If UniSuper is unable to collect certain personal information from you, it may not be able to provide your benefits to you or to your beneficiaries. For example, if you fail to provide UniSuper with an up-to-date address, UniSuper may be required to transfer your benefits to an eligible rollover fund, rather than provide those benefits through the UniSuper fund.

Also, if UniSuper is unable to collect certain personal information from you, it may not be able to administer your benefits at all or as favourably as it otherwise might. For example, if you fail to provide your tax file number, UniSuper will not able to accept any voluntary after-tax (non-concessional) contributions from you and additional tax will be deducted from any employer or salary sacrifice (concessional) contributions made by you or your employer.

In other cases, if UniSuper is unable to collect certain personal information (e.g. your email address), it will not be able to provide you with member communications or other services as quickly or as effectively as it otherwise might.

How does UniSuper use and disclose your personal information?

Primary and related uses

Generally, UniSuper uses and discloses your personal information for the primary purposes for which it was collected (namely, to provide, administer and/or improve your membership, benefits and services). However, from time to time, UniSuper may also use and disclose your personal information for a related purpose. For instance, UniSuper may use or disclose your personal information to:

• monitor, evaluate or audit a particular product or service UniSuper is providing;
• provide you with financial advice about your benefits (but only when requested);
• provide you with information and education about super;
• roll over your benefits to another super fund (e.g. when you move to a new employer);
• deal with complaints about the UniSuper products or services provided to you; or
• issue reminders to members who have used a UniSuper product or service previously.

Direct marketing

UniSuper does not disclose your personal information to any external organisation for the purposes of enabling those organisations to engage in direct marketing to you.

From time to time, however, UniSuper markets its products and services to its own members. The first time UniSuper contacts you for marketing purposes, you will be given an express opportunity to decline any further such contact. Also, you may opt-out of such contact at any other time.

Outsourcing

UniSuper engages certain external organisations to assist in the provision of services to members (e.g., mail-houses, auditors, insurers actuaries, lawyers, research consultants). From time to time, UniSuper discloses your personal information to such organisations but does so only for the purpose of providing, administering or improving your membership, benefits or services.

Legal compliance

UniSuper is required or authorised (e.g. under taxation, superannuation or anti-money laundering legislation) to disclose your personal information to certain government authorities (e.g., to the Australian Tax Office, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority and the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre).

How does UniSuper maintain the quality of your personal information?

UniSuper relies on accurate, complete and up-to date personal information to fulfil its duties. Accordingly, whenever UniSuper sends you correspondence that includes your personal information (e.g., a benefit statement) we will ask you to check its accuracy and respond to us immediately with any changes. UniSuper also provides an update service via MemberOnline.

It is not possible for UniSuper to keep track of every change to your personal information. UniSuper must therefore rely on you to advise it of any changes to your personal information. UniSuper encourages you to advise it immediately of any changes to your personal information, especially if it may affect your benefits directly (e.g. changes to your name, address or nominated beneficiaries).

How does UniSuper keep your personal information secure?

UniSuper takes all necessary precautions to ensure your personal information (in both physical and electronic form) is secure. In particular, UniSuper operates in a secure environment that ensures protection of all paper-based personal information. As part of their role, UniSuper staff are required to respect the privacy of all personal information in their possession. Further, all UniSuper information technology systems employ the latest data security software and hardware. All users of these systems are registered with UniSuper and access is monitored on a constant basis. Users are able to access only the personal information they require to perform their role.

Any personal information held by UniSuper will be destroyed or permanently de-identified when it is no longer needed for any purpose for which UniSuper might legitimately use or disclose it.

How can you access and correct your personal information?

UniSuper will provide you with access to all personal information held about you upon request. (Please see the details at the end of this policy for information about how to contact UniSuper.) Your Benefit Statement (which is provided to you twice yearly will generally include most of the personal information UniSuper holds about you.

Sometimes, UniSuper may refuse to provide you with access to your personal information (e.g. where it would be unlawful or may pose a serious and imminent threat to someone’s health). Where this occurs, UniSuper will provide you with reasons for the refusal.

Does UniSuper collect and use government identifiers?

As mentioned above, UniSuper may collect and use your tax file number. Tax file numbers are numbers assigned to every tax-payer by the Australian Tax Office to identify each such person uniquely for tax-related purposes. Tax file numbers are government-assigned identifiers. UniSuper does not collect or use any other government-assigned identifiers.

Collection and use of tax file numbers by UniSuper is authorised by law. However, UniSuper does not adopt your tax file number as its own identifier. UniSuper assigns each member their own unique member number for this purpose.

Are you able to transact with UniSuper anonymously?

When you make enquiries to UniSuper that are of a general nature (e.g. a general enquiry about UniSuper benefits before you become a member), it may be possible for you to do so on an anonymous basis. However, if you want to receive complete and accurate information from UniSuper (e.g. about your existing UniSuper investment options), we recommend that you provide your member number when making enquiries. When you enter into certain transactions with UniSuper (e.g. when you seek to change your investment options or when you seek confidential information about your benefit or account), you will need to identify yourself and anonymous interaction will not be possible.

Does UniSuper disclose your information overseas?

UniSuper does not have any relationships with international organisations that will involve the transfer of personal information overseas. Accordingly, you need not be concerned that personal information held by UniSuper will be provided by it to any overseas organisations.

Does UniSuper collect and manage personal information on its website any differently to other personal information?

UniSuper operates a website (www.unisuper.com.au) for the benefit of existing and prospective members. Generally, any personal information that is collected from and managed via the website is collected and managed in the same manner as other personal information. However, there are a number of features of the website that are slightly different. These are as follows:

• UniSuper collects certain tracking information from the way in which people use the website (e.g., by using ‘cookies’). This is collected for the purpose of improving the usefulness and usability of the site. None of this information identifies users personally.
• To access information about your account on MemberOnline (and to change your personal details), you will be required to enter a user name and password. Your user name and password will protect your personal information from unauthorised access and use. You must not disclose your user name and password to any other person.
• If you click on a link in UniSuper’s website that leads you to another organisation’s website, UniSuper will cease to be responsible for the privacy or security of any personal information that you may provide to the operator of the linked site. You should check with the linked site’s operator as to its policies on privacy before providing it with your personal information.

How does UniSuper collect and manage health information?

Generally, UniSuper does not collect health information about its members. However, it may be necessary for UniSuper to collect such information if:

• you apply for optional death and disablement or income protection insurance cover (so as to enable the insurer to determine whether to offer you the additional insurance cover); or
• you apply for a temporary incapacity or disablement benefit from UniSuper (so as to enable UniSuper to assess your claim for payment of the benefit).

• UniSuper will collect health information only with your consent or where it is required or authorised by law.
• Generally, UniSuper will collect health information from you directly. However, in some cases, UniSuper may collect health information about you from others (e.g., from medical practitioners). This will be done only with your consent.
• UniSuper may use and/or disclose your health information but will do so only with your consent or for the primary purpose for which it was collected (that is, to enable the insurer to determine whether to offer you additional insurance or to enable UniSuper to assess your claim for payment of the relevant disablement benefit).
• It will not always be possible for UniSuper to give you the opportunity to correct health information held about you. However, even where UniSuper cannot correct health information as requested, UniSuper will take reasonable steps to note any statement you make about the relevant health information.
• Generally, enquiries to UniSuper which require reference to your health information will not be able to be done anonymously.
• Where UniSuper discloses health information to persons or organisations outside Victoria, it will do so only with your consent or where the recipient is subject to health privacy laws substantially similar to those in Victoria.

More details and further queries

More detailed information on a specific privacy issue can be requested by writing to the Privacy Officer, UniSuper, Level 37, 385 Bourke Street, Melbourne Vic 3000. Alternatively, you may call the UniSuper Helpline on 1800 331 685 between 9.00am and 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.