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Confidentiality and the Australian Privacy Act 1988

Did you know:

  • Australian businesses that earn less than $3 million per annum are not covered by the Australian Privacy Act unless they have voluntarily ‘opted in’ to be covered by the Act.
  • Businesses or individuals located outside Australia are not covered by the Australian Privacy Act.
  • Anyone not covered by the Australian Privacy Act may not be legally required to keep your information secure or confidential.

Who is covered by the Australian Privacy Act?

Australian businesses and companies that earn over $3 million per annum are covered by the Privacy Act 1988 (Australia).

Australian businesses that earn less than $3 million per annum can ‘opt in’ to be covered by the Privacy Act.

For example, On Time Typing (my scribing and editing business) has opted in to be covered by the Privacy Act and is listed by Office of Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) as a business that has voluntarily opted in to be covered by that Act on the ‘opt-in register’ (under 6EA(3) of the Act). OAIC confirmed (via email 27/1/16): ‘the OAIC appreciates your commitment to protecting individuals’ privacy. Thank you for adopting the Australian Privacy Principles as your standard when handling personal information.’

You can view all the businesses that have opted in to be covered by the Australian Privacy Act here:   OAIC’s Opt-in Register

Guarantee of Confidentiality

On Time Typing has been offering a signed Guarantee of Confidentiality to all clients since 2002. We guarantee to keep your information secure and private, and we use best practice and continuous quality improvement to ensure confidentiality.

To make sure On Time Typing meets the requirements of both the Privacy Act and our Guarantee of Confidentiality, we have a few processes in place to ensure our editors and transcriptionists maintain strict confidentiality.

For example, each team member works in a private office on a secure computer, and permanently deletes files upon completion of each booking; and before adding a new editor or transcriptionist to the team, On Time Typing ensures:

  • they are an Australian citizen and live in Australia
  • they are well experienced in handling sensitive and confidential material and know the correct processes for doing so
  • two referees have confirmed their ability and experience in maintaining confidentiality
  • they have signed a strict Confidentiality Agreement with On Time Typing.

For further information

If you would like to know more about the Australian Privacy Act go to:   OAIC: privacy law

If you would like to know more about On Time Typing’s scribing and editor services or our processes for maintaining confidentiality, call Sally-Anne Watson Kane at: 0419 337824.


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