Privacy

Clickstreams are the paths you take when navigating a website and the internet. When you visit a business.gov.au site, our servers may record the following information for statistical purposes:

• where you click, scroll or hover with your mouse
• your server (IP) address and machine name
• location details such as longitude, latitude, city, region and country
• the date and time you visited the site
• the top level domain name
• pages accessed and documents downloaded
• the number of bytes transmitted and received for each request
• the previous site or page visited
• search terms used
• the type of browser used

We examine this information to determine the traffic through the server and to specific pages or applications. This is so we can deliver better services. We also conduct statistical analysis to set priorities and allocate resources.

We will not identify users or their browsing activities. The only time this could happen is in the unlikely event of an investigation, where a law enforcement agency may exercise a warrant to inspect server logs. We may keep statistics and log files indefinitely and use them at any time to prevent security breaches and to ensure the integrity of our site informatio

A cookie is information in a small data file that a website sends to your browser when you access a website. The cookie is stored on your device, but cannot do anything to it. It helps coordinate your access to pages on the website. We cannot find out your name or email address, or anything about your computer, by using cookies.

Cookies are essential to provide seamless access to some online databases. business.gov.au uses cookies to gather session details for parts of our sites. We don’t store or collect cookie information.

We use Google Analytics to help improve the efficiency and usability of our websiteGoogle Analytics gathers statistics about how people access and use our website. It anonymously tracks things like:

• your country
• what you did on the site (such as news registration)
• your IP address

Google stores this information and uses it to:

• evaluate use of our website
• compile report on website activity for website operators
• provide other services relating to website activity and internet usage

Google may transfer this information to third parties where required to by law, or where third parties process the information on Google's behalf.

By using this website, you consent to Google processing data about you. Check Google's Privacy Policy for more information.

You can opt out of Google Analytics by disabling cookies and JavaScript, or using Google’s opt-out service. You can also find their contact details on Google's Contact us page.

We use Google Tag Manager to improve the efficiency and usability of business.gov.au by measuring traffic and visitor behaviour.

Google Tag Manager uses tags that allow us to:

• measure traffic and visitor behaviour
• understand the impact of online advertising and social channels
• use remarketing and audience targeting
• test and improve our site

Google Tag Manager does not collect any personally identifiable information. Information about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be stored by Google on servers outside Australia. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google. Check Google's Privacy Policy for more information. You can opt out of Google Analytics by disabling cookies, JavaScript, or using Google’s opt-out service.

If you wish to contact Google, you can find contact details on Google's Contact us page.

We host SmartForms separately from the business.gov.au website. Only this section of the privacy statement is relevant to the SmartForms service. SmartForms does not record clickstream data, use cookies, Google Analytics or Tag Manager.

We will only use personal information contained in the SmartForms to provide you with a department service or program.

Avoka host our SmartForm service. Avoka (part of Temenos Infinity) don’t have permission to access your personal information. But we may provide them with approval to access data in the SmartForm for incident diagnosis only.

We recommend you read the department's Privacy statement and Privacy Policy on the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources website, as well as the Temenos Privacy Policy. 

The department and Avoca do not access information in a SmartForm for non-department programs (for example, a program provided by another government agency).

The only exception is when we require access to your information to troubleshoot technical errors. In this situation, we’ll only access the data when our client agencies ask us to and give us permission.

If you use a SmartForm for another agency’s service or program, you should also refer to that agency’s privacy policy

business.gov.au will only record your email address and personal information if you supply it to us, either by sending a message or completing and submitting a form.

business.gov.au hosts the SmartForms, ABN Lookup and Business Consultation websites.

When you use these applications you need to provide personal information. This information will be used only for the purpose you provide it for. We won’t:

• add it to a mailing list unless you ask us to
• disclose or redistribute it unless we have your permission or we’re authorised or required by an Australian law, court or tribunal order

Collection of personal information

Personally identifiable information about you is collected only when you knowingly and voluntarily submit it to us. It may be used for acknowledgement and training purposes or future reference unless we disclose other uses in this Privacy Statement or at the time of collection.

If you provide us with your email address, it will not be added to any other mailing list or disclosed without your consent.

When you sign up to business.gov.au email subscriptions, the information you provide will be available to the department and to the email service we use.

• SendGrid is used for the business.gov.au news subscription service.
• MailChimp is used for subscriptions to the R&D Tax Incentive Information Bulletin, Venture capital Newsletter and Entrepreneurs programme updates.

We’ll use the information you provide to send you relevant emails.

MailChimp holds the information you provide in the USA, so relevant USA legislation will apply. MailChimp also complies with the Australian Privacy Act.

For more information:

• read the SendGrid Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
• read the MailChimp Privacy Policy and Terms of Use

How to check on your personal information

You may contact the department if you want to know what personal information SendGrid, MailChimp and the department has about you. Read the department's Privacy Policy to find out how to access the information or to complain about a breach of privacy.

If we’re satisfied that the information is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading, we’ll take reasonable steps to correct it. If we don’t, we’ll send you a written notice explaining why and any options you have to challenge our refusal.

You can contact:

• the Department by sending an email to support@business.gov.au
• MailChimp

Other ways you can receive our updates

We understand you may not feel comfortable subscribing under these terms and conditions.

If you still wish to receive the information provided in our email updates, you can get the same information through:

• our news page
• following us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter

When you use business.gov.au's social media pages, you are using an external site so are bound by their privacy principles. We encourage you to review their privacy policies. business.gov.au does not endorse, and is not accountable for, any views expressed by third parties using that site.

business.gov.au records all information posted to our social media channels and uses it:

• to administer the channels
• for record keeping
• to consider or address any comments made

We do not try to further identify social media subscribers unless requested and authorised by law.

Sharing our content through social media

business.gov.au interfaces with social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, GooglePlus and others. If you choose to "like" or "share" or "recommend" information from this website through these services, you should review their privacy policy.

If you're a member of a social media site, these interfaces may allow it to connect your visits to this website with other personal information.