Privacy Policy
Protecting your privacy under Australian law (Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) & APPs).
- Plain-English summary
- Australian servers where practical
- No sale of personal data
- Easy opt-out
Effective: • Jurisdiction: Australia (VIC)
Key Points
- We follow the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
- We only collect what’s needed to run and improve this site.
- We do not sell personal information.
- You can request access, correction, or deletion (where lawful/feasible).
- In emergencies, use official services. This site is information-only.
Information We Collect
Basic usage data
IP address, device/browser type, pages viewed, timestamps, referrers, approximate location (city/region). Used for security, performance, and analytics.
Contact details you provide
Name and email (e.g., newsletter or contact form). We keep the message and relevant metadata to respond and maintain records.
Cookies & local storage
Functional cookies (session, preferences) and analytics cookies (see below). You can control cookies in your browser.
User-generated content
Any text you submit (e.g., corrections or resource suggestions). Don’t include confidential or medical information.
Why We Collect & Use It
- Provide information: Deliver local storm/emergency guidance.
- Operate the site: Security, performance, debugging, spam prevention.
- Communicate: Reply to your queries; send optional updates (with consent).
- Compliance: Meet legal obligations and enforce terms.
Legal Basis & Australian Privacy Principles (APPs)
We handle personal information in line with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and APPs, including:
- APP 1—Open & transparent management of personal information.
- APP 2—Anonymity/pseudonymity where lawful and practicable.
- APP 3–5—Fair collection, notice, and consent where required.
- APP 6—Use/disclosure for primary/related purposes or with consent.
- APP 11—Reasonable steps to protect information.
- APP 12–13—Access and correction on request.
Sharing & Disclosure
- Service providers (hosting/CDN, analytics, email delivery, form processing) under confidentiality obligations.
- Legal & safety where required by law or to protect rights, safety, or security.
- Aggregated data (non-identifying statistics) to improve the site.
- We don’t sell personal information.
International Transfers
Some providers may process data outside Australia. We take reasonable steps to ensure overseas recipients handle personal information consistently with the APPs.
Cookies, Analytics & Tracking
- Functional cookies keep the site working (e.g., preferences).
- Analytics (privacy-respecting configuration) to measure traffic and improve content; IPs may be truncated or pseudonymised.
- Opt-out: Use your browser settings, content blockers, or the toggle below.
Email & Newsletters
- We collect your name and email if you subscribe or contact us.
- You can unsubscribe anytime using the link in our emails or by contacting us.
- We keep basic subscription records to manage preferences and comply with spam laws.
Forms & Submissions
We use Web3Forms to process contact/newsletter submissions. Data may transit via their infrastructure and be delivered to our inbox. Avoid including sensitive information. We retain records as necessary to respond and maintain security, then delete in line with retention rules.
Retention & Security
- Retention: We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purposes above or as required by law, then delete or de-identify it.
- Security: Access controls, encryption in transit (HTTPS), least-privilege accounts, and regular updates. No system is 100% secure, but we take reasonable steps under APP 11.
Your Rights
- Access—Ask for a copy of your personal information.
- Correction—Request fixes to inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Withdrawal of consent—Where we rely on consent (e.g., newsletters).
- Complaint—Contact us first. If unresolved, you can complain to the OAIC.
OAIC: oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-complaints
Children
This site is general audience. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 15 without parental consent. If you believe a child has provided personal information, contact us to delete it.
Third-Party Services We May Use
- Hosting/CDN and DDoS protection
- Web analytics (privacy-respecting settings)
- Email/newsletter delivery
- Form processing (Web3Forms)
Vendors can change over time; we select providers with privacy and security commitments appropriate for our needs.
Contact Us
Questions, access/correction requests, or privacy complaints—use this form.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy to reflect changes in law or our practices. We will post the new version here with an updated “Effective” date.
