1. About this policy
The Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety is committed to providing quality services. This policy outlines our ongoing obligations to you in respect to how we manage your personal information.
We collect, hold, manage, use and disclose personal information to enable us to exercise our powers and perform our functions under a range of legislative and policy requirements and to carry out certain business functions.
This policy should be read in conjunction with the WA.gov.au Website Privacy Statement.
2. Our functions
We play a unique role in providing for a safe, fair and prosperous future for Western Australia (WA). Whether it is enabling the next big discovery in the mining sector, protecting workers’ health and safety, transforming energy supply and emissions, or rolling out new technology to provide better customer service, we are committed to delivering for the benefit of WA and future generations.
3. Collection
3.1 Collection of your personal information
We aim to only collect the personal information required to carry out our functions and activities.
The main way we collect personal information about you is when you provide it. Generally, you will know if we are collecting your personal information because we will ask you for it. We may ask you to provide us with certain types of personal information if you require a particular service from us. This may be over the telephone, through one of our online services, by completing a paper form, or meeting face-to-face.
You may also provide your personal information to us without us directly requesting it, for example, if you engage with us through one of our social media channels.
The types of personal information we collect about you are determined by the nature of your engagement with us, whether that is services we provide such as an application for a licence, or business relationships and functions, or employment at the department. The information collected may include your full name, date and place of birth, address, email address and phone number. Other details may include your occupation, driver’s licence number, passport number, unique student identifier number, national police clearance, documented relevant work or business experience, evidence of applicable qualifications, evidence of applicable training, and evidence of trading practices.
In all cases, we will request the minimum amount of information necessary to satisfy the requirements of the engagement.
3.2 Collection notices
The objective of a verbal or written collection notice is to explain to you what personal information we need to collect, why we are collecting your personal information, how it will be used and handled, how to contact us and consequences, if any, of not providing the information.
We will take reasonable steps to communicate the information, enabling you to make informed choices about your personal information.
3.3 Indirect collection and third parties
Where reasonable and practicable to do so, we will collect your personal information only from you. However, in some circumstances we may collect personal information about you from publicly available sources or we may be provided with information by third parties. Examples from third parties include:
- Your authorised representative, if you have one.
- Registered medical practitioners, or your employer, when responding to WorkSafe health monitoring, injury, illness or dangerous incident reporting requirements.
- If you apply for a job or contract with us, we will collect personal information about you from your referees, business partners or associates, or any other person or entity you have authorised us as a contact point. With your consent, we may also use a third party service to ensure your employment, educational and identity records are valid and current.
- Other government agencies, including State or Territory authorities, where information sharing is permitted.
4. Storage and security
We will take reasonable steps to store and secure the personal information we hold from misuse and loss; from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure; and to ensure the information we hold is accurate, complete and up-to-date.
4.1 Storage of your personal information
We will ensure personal information is readily available to authorised users when and where it is needed, and is managed and stored according to its classification, business requirements and as required under the WA State Records Act 2000.
4.2 Security of your personal information
We undertake a number of security measures to protect personal information that includes (but is not limited to):
- restricting access to personnel who need your information to carry out our business activities or provide you a service;
- monitoring and auditing system access;
- restricting system access to authenticated credentials only;
- ensuring those with access to personal information understand their legal and ethical obligations not to access, use or disclose information for unauthorised purposes;
- requiring any third party providers to have acceptable security measures to keep personal information secure; and
- ensuring our buildings are secure and are only accessed by authorised persons.
4.3 Accessing or correcting your personal information
You may request access to documents that contain your personal information which are in our possession. You may also make a request for the correction of your personal information if it is not accurate, complete, or up-to-date.
You can request access to, or correction of, your personal information by completing a Freedom of Information request. There is no charge associated with this request.
4.4 Disabling, deleting or re-enabling My Account
We are transitioning existing online services to a single sign-on solution to improve user experience. This removes the need for users to have multiple sign in credentials across our digital services.
My Account enables increased digital transactions with us, supports customer self-service and improves cyber security by enabling us to better detect fraudulent access. For more information, visit My Account or see details about disabling, deleting or re-enabling your My Account, or your profile.
5. Use and disclosure
5.1 Use of your personal information
The personal information you provide us through the use of our services will only be used for the primary purpose for which it was collected. We may use your personal information for the following purposes:
- to provide the service you have requested;
- to provide technical or other support to you;
- to answer your enquiry about our services or functions, or to respond to a complaint;
- to assess your eligibility prior to granting you a required licence to operate;
- to manage our employment or business relationship with you;
- to promote our other programs, products or services which may be of interest to you (unless you have opted out from such communications);
- to comply with legal and regulatory obligations;
- if otherwise permitted or required by law; and
- for other purposes with your consent, unless you withdraw your consent.
5.2 Disclosure of your personal information
Your personal information may be disclosed in a number of circumstances including the following:
- for a purpose related to that for which it was collected if you have consented to that disclosure, or if you would reasonably expect the personal information would be used for that related purpose;
- if permitted or required by law; and
- for other purposes with your consent.
5.3 Secondary purpose uses
There are some limited exceptions that permit use and disclosure of personal information for a secondary purpose without your consent, including where it is required or authorised by or under law, or where a permitted general situation exists, like where we reasonably believe that the use is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to the life, health, safety or welfare of an individual or the public.
6. Contacting us
We welcome your privacy requests, concerns or feedback about the way we handle your personal information. Enquiries or concerns can be emailed to pris@demirs.wa.gov.au or by contacting +61 8 9222 3333.
You may also write to:
Privacy Officer
Information Management Services
Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety
Locked Bag 100
EAST PERTH WA 6892
7. Privacy Policy updates
Revised versions of our Privacy Policy will be posted here.
This Privacy Policy is effective as at December 2024.
