Application of this privacy statement

This privacy statement applies only to this department's website (i.e. Global Victoria). It is consistent with the department's privacy policy and applies to all activities of the department and its agencies.

This website contains links to other websites which are not part of the department. This privacy statement does not apply to those websites.

The department's privacy policy is available from the Privacy Officer.

Privacy Officer Contact Details

Privacy Officer
Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions
GPO Box 4509
Melbourne, VIC, 3001, AUS
Email: privacy@ecodev.vic.gov.au

Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic): Personal information

In this privacy statement the term 'personal information' has the meaning provided in section 3 of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic).

Personal information is information or an opinion that is recorded in any form, whether true or not, about an individual whose identity is apparent or can reasonably be ascertained.

This Act is the legislation that regulates our collection and handling of personal information.

Detailed information about the Act is available at the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner.

Collection of personal information

It is intended that this website can be used anonymously. However, for some functions, the collection of personal information is necessary or unavoidable. You will know if the department is collecting personal information from you because you will be requested to provide it.

There are two exceptions to this:

  1. When someone else provides Global Victoria with your personal information. Global Victoria cannot prevent this. However, you are entitled to access and try to correct any personal information about you collected by Global Victoria.
  2. When Global Victoria collects website visitation statistics using a web analytics service.

The statistics in No. 2 may qualify as personal information under the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic). However, these statistics are not used to identify individual web users.

How we collect information

In accordance with our privacy policy, Global Victoria undertakes to treat any personal information provided by you as confidential and only for the purposes indicated. They include but are not limited to the following services.

Surveys

Global Victoria uses both internally built survey software and third-party vendors for the collection, aggregation and analysis of some survey data.

They include, but may not be limited to Formstack:

Electronic Direct Mail (EDM) and Newsletter Subscription

Global Victoria uses internally built mail distribution software vendors to provide online communication services for some email campaigns and newsletter services.

In subscribing to newsletters, you are providing Global Victoria with personal information, which we will not disclose for any other purpose without your consent.

You can unsubscribe at any time and your email address will be moved to a 'do not contact' email database. To do this, click on the unsubscribe link within each email or newsletter type you have previously subscribed to.

Email addresses

Email addresses will only be used to respond to specific user queries and will not be kept or used for any purpose other than stated. Email addresses will not be added to a mailing list unless consent is given, nor disclosed to any other party without your knowledge or consent.

Social media

If you choose to engage with Global Victoria via social network channels including Linkedin and X (formerly Twitter), you should be aware of the following:

  • Global Victoria only collects information that you voluntarily provide via polls, responses, posts, comments, direct messages and tweets
  • Your social media profile contact details may be used to contact you for feedback or to engage you in conversation. All contact will be made via the channels you choose to participate in
  • Any information you post on social media sites is potentially accessible to anyone else engaging with the same social media.
  • Your individual privacy settings for profiles and accounts on social media networks are your responsibility. Global Victoria has no control or jurisdiction over these settings
  • Each social network has inbuilt privacy settings. We strongly recommend that you regularly check and configure the privacy settings for your profiles and accounts to make sure that you know what information you are making available, and to which audience.
  • When you choose to join our social networks and/or participate in any way, some of your personal information may be made visible to others. For example, if you choose to: ‘Like’ a Global Victoria post, tweet, comment or update; share a link; follow on X (formerly Twitter); tweet a mention or retweet a message; or join a LinkedIn Group managed by Global Victoria, your activity may be made visible to others within these networks.

Social media accounts managed by Global Victoria include but may not be limited to:

It is strongly recommended that you regularly check and configure the privacy settings for your profiles and accounts to make sure that you know what information you are making available, and to which audience.

Online Forms

Global Victoria may request information through online forms. Global Victoria's Privacy policy should be made available on the form prior to completion. If completing a form through a third-party provider, it’s advised that you examine the Privacy and Security policies. If there is no policy present, it is highly recommended you contact the contributing agency or department directly.

If payment services are supported by third-party vendors the department will only share your details with them to assist:

  • resolution of technical issues
  • detection or prevention of fraud or security issues.

Use and disclosure of personal information

If you provide personal information, Global Victoria's Privacy policy will regulate its use and disclosure. However, should Global Vitoria's intended use and disclosure of personal information deviate from the department's general policy, a privacy statement particular to the circumstances will be made available at the time of collection.

Personal information that is collected by the department will be used by, and disclosed to, departmental employees or contractors whose duties require them to use it. Such employees and contractors are required to protect and handle your personal information in accordance with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) and any other applicable legislation regulating the collection, use, disclosure, storage and destruction of personal information.

Access to and correction of personal information

You may request access to any personal information that Global Victoria may have collected about you. Also, you may request correction of your personal information if you can establish that it is not accurate, complete or up-to-date. The Victorian Privacy Commissioner has recommended that the appropriate means to access and correct information held by government departments is pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic).

The Freedom of Information Officer may be contacted on the details below about access to, and correction of, personal information collected by the department or for any questions or concerns you may have arising from this privacy statement:

Freedom of Information Officer
Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions

GPO Box 2392
Melbourne, VIC, 3001, AUS
Tel: 1800 317 531
Email: foi@ecodev.vic.gov.au

Internet user risks

Global Victoria does not warrant that the functions contained in the site will be uninterrupted or without error. In addition, the department shall not be responsible for the propagation of computer worms, viruses or other harmful components transmitted from this site and other third-party sites.

Global Victoria recommends that you ensure that your browser is equipped with updated virus protection software.

Information we collect via the website

If you choose to engage with any of the services provided on our website, we collect information in two ways:

  1. Information you provide. (Personal Information)
    • For example, you may have signed up for a Global Victoria enquiry form and submitted personal information, like your name, email address, and telephone number.
  2. Information we get from your interaction with our services. (Aggregated information - collected in an anonymous form)
    • For example, we may identify the type of device you use to access our services, age, gender and interests through third-party vendors such as Google Analytics and Hotjar.

Website usage measurement

This website uses Google Analytics tracking code, and Hotjar to understand how you are using the internet and the Global Victoria website.

We have implemented the following Google Analytics features for Display Advertising:

  • Demographics and Interest Reporting

The department and third-party vendors, including Google, use first-party "cookies" (such as the Google Analytics cookies) and third-party cookies together to retrieve statistics on how our visitors use the Global Victoria website, social media channels and other internet services provided, how long
you are on those channels, how you got there etc. Google Analytics cookies do not collect personal identifiable information about your visits to the website. They do however collect other non-personal information including your IP address which is transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. This information will help us understand and better meet our audience's needs.

Global Victoria also has other technologies in place that use cookies to allow the website to track personal usage information and 'remember' users when they return to this website and other online services provided by Global Victoria. No personal information will be collected through these processes.

By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner described in Google's Privacy Policy for the purposes set out above.

The Global Victoria website uses Hotjar, a new all-in-one analysis and feedback tool that reveals the online behaviour and feedback of a website's visitors. For information relating to privacy, refer to Hotjar's privacy statement.

How information we collect is used

Global Victoria collects information (such as age, gender and interests) in order to understand the type of information and activity you may choose to participate in when engaging with the website content and social networks and other services. This information helps us to provide a better service,  ensure content is relevant and improve how and when we communicate with you.

Your personally identifiable information will not be merged with non-personally identifiable information collected via Google Analytics tracking code without your consent.

You can opt-out of Google Analytics for Display advertising and/or by using the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on. Please note that if you opt-out, you may not be able to use the full  functionality of this website. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

Data storage

Please note that the personal information you submit using some of the services on our website (including Google Analytics and Newsletter Subscriptions) will be stored on secure databases which reside in Australia, and in some cases, by the United States of America owned company with the database located in Japan. If you do not want your personal information being stored offshore, please do not submit personal information to us when you use any of the services on our website.

Personal information submitted using other services on our website, unless indicated to the contrary will be stored in a cloud infrastructure provided by the cloud service provider, Telstra. The cloud will only be accessible by the department and members of the Telstra cloud service provider team. Personal information will predominantly be stored on Telstra's data centres located in Victoria and New South Wales.

Cookies and retargeting

This site uses cookies to make your experience of the site easier and more efficient. A cookie is a small data file placed on your hard drive by the web page server. A cookie cannot retrieve any other data from your hard drive, pass on a computer virus, or capture your email address. Note that the cookie will remain on your computer as a record for future visits to this website.

In using cookies the department does not record any personal information or collect names or details of commercial transactions. In addition, the department does not use cookies as the basis for direct marketing.

You can configure your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie, providing you with the opportunity to either accept or reject it. You can also refuse all cookies by turning them off in your browser or deleting all cookies from your computer if required.

Global Victoria also uses 3rd party vendor retargeting tracking cookies, including the Google Adwords tracking cookie. This means we will continue to show ads to you across the internet, specifically on the Google Content Network (GCN). As always we respect your privacy and are not collecting any identifiable information through the use of Google’s or any other 3rd party retargeting system.

The third-party vendors, including Google, whose services we use will place cookies on web browsers in order to serve ads based on past visits to our website. Third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user’s prior visits to your website. This allows us to make special
offers and continue to market our services to those who have shown interest in our service.