Our Privacy Policy
We are bound by the National Privacy Principles (Principles) of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). This Security and Privacy Statement outlines our Privacy Policy and disclosure statement and explains how we protect the privacy of your personal information and sets out the matters which we are required to disclose under the Principles when you use our websites. You should also read our Privacy Policy and Disclosure Statement if you intend to obtain our products.
About This Security and Privacy Statement
This Security and Privacy Statement should be read with our Website Terms of Use. We want you to be confident that you can use our websites safely - and certain that the information you share with us is protected and treated confidentially.
It applies to our main website at www.bankwest.com.au; which is operated by the Bank of Western Australia Ltd (ABN 22 050 494 454). It also applies to our BankWest extra Rewards website which can be found at bankwestextra.rewardscard.com.au which is operated on our behalf by Pinpoint Pty Ltd (ACN 002 693 656); it applies to our BankWest More Rewards website which can be found at www.bankwestmorerewards.com.au and our BankWest Business Rewards website which can be found at www.bankwestbusinessrewards.com.au both of which are operated on our behalf by Wishlist Holdings Limited (ACN 085 529 979); it applies to our BankWest RewardMe Website which can be found at www.bankwest.com.au/RewardMe which is operated on our behalf by Ambassador Pty Ltd (ACN 005 101 584); and it applies to our Happy Banking Website which can be found at www.happybanking.com.au which is operated on our behalf by Host Consult Pty Ltd (ACN 092 683 424) as trustee for The Host Unit Trust (ABN 42 958 863 634).
In this Security and Privacy Statement, the expressions we, us and our are a reference to Bank of Western Australia Limited and any related entity of the Bank of Western Australia Limited. A reference to our website is a reference to our main website or our Rewards website.
It may also apply to services offered by us on other people's websites. Whenever that's the case, we'll put a note on those websites to let you know.
If we put such a note on another person's website, you agree to comply with this Security and Privacy Statement when accessing, viewing or using that website as if it was our website.
Finally, in addition to this Security and Privacy Statement, there may be some specific security and privacy obligations that apply to us or to you for parts of our websites. We will notify you of these on those parts of our websites to which they apply. You must read such notices and you acknowledge and agree that those obligations apply in the same manner as this Security and Privacy Statement. If there is any inconsistency between what is said in this Security and Privacy statement and those notices, the obligations in the notice apply.
Security of Information
We take great care to preserve the security of cookie and personal information. If your browser is set up correctly, it should tell you whether the information you are sending us is secure (encrypted) or not (unencrypted). If it's secure, we currently use 128 bit SSL encryption.
Although we regularly review developments in security and encryption, we do not guarantee that data and information transmitted over the Internet is totally secure. Therefore, when you send us information, you do so at your own risk. Once we've received it, we'll take reasonable steps to keep it secure while it's in our own systems.
Information Collected
We will not ordinarily collect any information about you except where you provide it to us or it is provided to us with your authority. We explain to you in this Security and Privacy Statement how we might collect information from our websites and what the information may be used for by us. We only collect personal information about you that is necessary for our functions and activities and, ordinarily, you will be told the purposes for which we collect that information when it is collected.
As a general rule the collection of your personal information will be necessary for us to provide a product or service to you or to maintain our relationship with you.
The information we collect about you depends on how you use our websites.
If you visit an unsecured area, for example - that's to say one which doesn't require you to log on to read, browse or download information - our system will record the date and time of your visit, the pages you look at, and any information you download. We won't record any information which could identify you. This information does not record your personal details.
Although our websites offer you a number of interactive facilities including tools, home loan calculators, and online application forms, we will not use these facilities to capture any personal information which could identify you which you might enter while using any of them without your prior consent.
If you decide to complete an online application form, the personal information that you enter into the form will only be collected by us. If at any stage you cancel your application or log out prior to submitting it, the information you have entered up to that point will be automatically deleted.
The types of personal information we collect generally from our online application forms are set out in our Privacy Policy. In certain circumstances, we may also collect personal information about you which is sensitive. Sensitive information includes information about your health, religious or philosophical beliefs, membership of professional or trade associations or a criminal record. Unless the collection of sensitive information is required or permitted by or under law, we will obtain your consent to its collection. If the sensitive information relates directly to your ability to meet a financial obligation to us, you consent to our collection of it.
Our websites also contain links to the websites of other, third party providers of goods and services. If you visit such sites via any of our sites - and if those third parties collect information about you, we may get a copy of that information - or have access to it - as part of our arrangements with those third parties.
We may also share cookie information, information about your preferences or other information you have given the third party. You can't usually be identified from the shared information, but if you can, we'll ask you first before sharing it.
You should also review the Privacy Policy and any disclosure statement which appears on a Third Party Website.
Advertising and Tracking
We share personal information with our related bodies corporate.
We use several advertising companies to devise and deliver our online advertising. This often involves serving banner adverts on third party websites.
When you see one of our ads on a third party website, cookies and, in some cases, spotlight tags are sometimes used to collect information such as:
- the server your computer is logged onto.
- your browser type.
- the date and time of your visit.
- the performance of their marketing efforts.
When you visit our website after seeing one of our ads on a third party website, information is collected on how you use our website. This might include which pages you view, and whether you start and complete an online application.
We also use tracking companies like Nielsen//NetRatings to collect information about how you use our websites. These companies also use cookies to collect information similar to that which is collected by advertising companies.
The tracking companies aggregate all the captured information and use it to study Internet user behaviour patterns. They don't include personal information in their studies and use the data mainly to measure advertising effectiveness and relative consumer interest in the various areas of our websites. As a general rule, no personal information is collected during this process. If, however, any information is automatically collected, the tracking companies are required under their arrangements with us, to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of that personal information.
We may disclose the information collected, in an aggregate form only, to third parties including advertisers or potential advertisers.
Cookies
We use cookies to interact with your Internet browser so that we can continually improve our websites and learn how to provide you with a better and more customised service.
A cookie is a small text file placed on your computer by our web page server. We can later retrieve it. Cookies are frequently used on websites and you can choose if and how they are accepted by configuring your preferences and options in your browser.
We use cookies for two different purposes.
First of all, we allocate a cookie to each Internet browser that visits our websites. This doesn't allow us to collect personal information which would identify you, and instead, we use it to:
- allocate a BankWest identification number to your Internet browser (but we cannot identify you from this number);
- determine if you have previously visited our website;
- identify pages you have accessed and third party websites you have visited
- manage security measures
So, if you want to make full use of our websites, you'll need to set up your browser to accept cookies.
Secondly, we use cookies for security and personalisation. Bear in mind that if your browser is set up to reject all cookies you'll be unable to use the many secure services on our website that require cookies in order to allow you to participate. Those services include, for example:
- Online Banking
- Online Applications
You may still be able to use some information-only pages if you choose not to accept cookies.
How we Handle Email
We will store the content of any Email you send us. The content may be monitored by us for security issues - such as where Email abuse is suspected - and our response to you may be monitored to help us meet our quality assurance goals.
Use and Disclosure of Information
We will only use or disclose personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy or as otherwise notified to you.
Acceptance of, and Changes to our Security and Privacy Statement
You acknowledge and accept that you use of our websites indicates your acceptance of our Terms of Use and Security and Privacy Statement.
This is our current Security and Privacy Statement. It replaces any other one which has appeared previously on our websites. We may at any time vary the Security and Privacy Statement by publishing the changed version on the website. By accepting our terms, you agree that we have provided you with sufficient notice of any changes and any subsequent access to, viewing or use by you of our website will constitute an acceptance of those changes.
Gaining Access to Information
We will, on request, provide you with personal information we have collected about you unless there is an exception which applies under the Principles. Unless there is an exception which applies under the Principles, you can gain access to the information we hold about you for the purpose of correcting or updating such information. You can do so by calling us on 13 17 18. We may recover from you the reasonable cost in supplying you with this information. We will try and deal with your request within a reasonable time.
