QEST will ensure that it respects the privacy of students, prospective students and employers by implementing the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

The Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) in the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act) sets out how private sector organisations should collect, use, keep secure and disclose personal information. The principles give individuals a right to know what information an organisation holds about them and a right to correct that information if it is wrong.

QEST will ensure that it operates consistently with all the Australian Privacy Principles and only collects the personal information that is necessary for the conduct of our business, and that we will use that information in the manner for which it was intended.

QEST complies with the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act). This policy describes how QEST collects, manages, uses, discloses, protects, and disposes of personal information in accordance with the thirteen Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) outlined in Schedule 1 of the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012.

1. Open and transparent management of personal information
2. Anonymity and pseudonymity
3. Collection of solicited personal information
4. Dealing with unsolicited personal information
5. Notification of the collection of personal information
6. Use or disclosure of personal information
7. Direct marketing
8. Cross-border disclosure of personal information.
9. Adoption, use or disclosure of government related identifiers
10. Quality of personal information
11. Security of personal information
12. Access to personal information
13. Correction of personal information

Under the Privacy Act 1988 and Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012 (s6(1)), personal and sensitive information is defined as follows:

Personal information: “information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable: (a) whether the information or opinion is true or not; and (b) whether the information or opinion is recorded in a material form or not.”

Sensitive information: “(a) information or an opinion about an individual’s: (i) racial or ethnic origin, or (ii) political opinions, or (iii) membership of a political association, or (iv) religious beliefs or affiliations, or (v) philosophical beliefs, or (vi) membership of a professional or trade association, or (vii) membership of a trade union, or (viii) sexual preferences or practices, or (ix) criminal record, that is also personal information; or (b) health information about an individual; or (c) genetic information about an individual that is not otherwise health information; or (d) biometric information that is to be used for the purposes of automated biometric verification or biometric identification; or (e) biometric templates”.

Students will have access to all information we hold on them, and we will store and use the information appropriately and limit access to only those who have a legal reason to have access to that information, or whom the student has given permission.

Student information will not be provided to anyone else unless we have the permission from the student or are specifically allowed or required to provide the information by law.

Upon enrolment, the student will find the “Privacy Statement” in the enrolment form, authorising QEST to release their details in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988(Cth), the VET Data Policy and all NCVER policies and protocols if and when required.

All information obtained will be treated as commercial in confidence.

QEST collects personal information solely for the purpose of operating as a Registered Training Organisation under ASQA who is the national regulator for VET.

Under the National Privacy Principles you can access your personal information and you may request corrections of information that is incorrect or out of date. Students who request access to their information will be given full access to the details they want. No cost will be charged for them accessing their information.

While you are undertaking your training program, there will be times when QEST and/or its Director, training consultants may need to discuss your situation with others.

The Director will be responsible for the management and updates to the Privacy Policy.

Students have the rights to access their student records. For access to records, the student must meet with the Director and provide identification (such as driver licence, passport).

Any photos or quotes of other individuals used by QEST will have their written approval.