Privacy Policy

Open Forum respects the privacy of users, sponsors and business partners and is committed to ensuring the protection of your personal information.  We comply with all relevant domestic and international legislation, including the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

This Statement outlines the main principles of our information handling practices, so you can feel secure and confident of how we manage any personal information you entrust to us. Like other companies operating in Australia, Global Access Partners, the parent company of Open Forum, is bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles.

Our Privacy Policy deals with the following:

  • collection, use and disclosure of personal information
  • accuracy and security of personal information collected
  • your right of access to personal information we hold about you

Collection, Use and Disclosure of Personal Information

Personal Information is any information that can be used to identify you. When you visit our website, the information we collect varies depending on whether you are merely browsing or provide specific information about yourself. The users, whose visit is limited to browsing, remain unidentified. Our server electronically analyses traffic at our website by collecting anonymous information about visitors and their number, total of pages viewed and pages most frequently viewed. This statistic is essential to us for evaluating the effectiveness of our website. We do not use the technology of ’Cookies’ to research the habits of browsers.

There are some parts of our website, however, that require you to sign up to access or which ask you to provide information about yourself. The Personal Information that you provide will be used for the ordinary operation of this website or our business. This may include, but is not limited to: sending you newsletters, invitations regarding various events organised by GAP or Open Forum, and any other specific information about our services.

We will not use your Personal Information for any purpose that is not related to the services we supply to you (or you supply to us) or for any purpose for which you would not reasonably expect us to use the information. For example, we will not sell personally identifiable information to other organisations.

You may elect not to provide us with your Personal Information or that certain information not be sent to you. If you do this however, you must keep in mind that you may be unable to access certain parts of our website and services that involve our interaction with you. Other information might be used by us to enable us to be proactive in assisting you in matters that either you or we have identified as relevant to your organisation and in particular, we may contact you to assist you in navigation of the Internet itself or location of like organisations suppliers or others with whom you may deal.

We may also use the information to contact you and alert you to matters that may affect your business. Or we simply use the information to contact you to obtain your consent or authority to use the information in a particular way not mentioned here. Where Personal Information is provided by you, about a business partner, business advisor or other individual, you are asked to inform the individual that the information is being collected, the reason for its collection and how GAP will use it. Information defined as Sensitive under the Privacy Act is not usually collected or held by either GAP or Open Forum.

How data is collected and by whom

Open Forum collects basic information about our users that helps us understand the profile of our community in relation to the provision of services via www.openforum.com.au.

Access to the information collected is limited to authorised persons – employees and in some cases contractors and consultants who are all bound by contractual obligations to maintain the confidentiality and privacy of that information. If you chose to have a contractual or other business relationship or partnership with GAP or Open Forum, we will continue to contact you in connection with that business relationship. When you provide us with personal information relating to your business partner, we kindly ask you to inform your partner about the collection, its reason and how GAP or Open Forum will use that information.

For the ordinary operation of our business, your personal information will only be transferred to GAP approved third party service providers once your permission has been sought. We will take reasonable steps to ensure that they handle personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles.

Our website may contain links to other sites. Please be aware that GAP or Open Forum are not responsible for the privacy practices of other websites and organisations. We encourage you to read the privacy statements of each and every website that collects personally identifiable information.

Direct marketing

We may, in the ordinary course of our own business, use the information we have collected to direct market our products and services. Where you have provided information by email, this electronic method will be used in preference to other methods. You should indicate in your email if you prefer not to receive that marketing material in this manner. Most of the information we send to you which might be classed as direct marketing material will also provide you with an opportunity to refuse future material from us.

Type of information collected

 The sort of information we hold and collect might, but does not necessarily include all of the following:

  • your organisation’s legal name
  • your business and trading names
  • your email address and that of your organisation
  • the website address and the domain name of your organisation
  • the telephone, facsimile, postal and street addresses of your organisation
  • the subject matter of the enquiry or message

Accessing your personal information

Subject to the rights of other visitors and persons whose information may be collected and aggregated with yours, you may request and we will disclose to you details of your personal information that we hold at any time. Given our commitment to your privacy, we can request verification from you and evidence to support such a request to ensure that the person who so requests that information is the person entitled at law to receive it.

Most importantly, your personal information will not be given to any third party by us, unless it is specifically required by law (law enforcement rights or where there is a threat to someone’s safety involved are the usual cases) or where full details have been given to you and you have provided us with your approval or consent.You may at any time request us to delete all information held by us in relation to you and your organisation and we will take all reasonable steps to action that request promptly.

However, there may be technical or other constraints to completely destroying all details of your visit and the information contained, as well as legal and statutory duties and responsibilities imposed on us that might also prevent us from destroying or removing from our records all such information.

Accuracy and Security of Personal Information Collected

GAP and Open Forum are keen to maintain accurate and up-to-date records. If you think that personal information we hold about you is inaccurate, please contact us.We will not sell, share or rent personally identifiable information to other organisations. We will take all reasonable measures to ensure the safety and confidentiality of data supplied. Please be aware that the Internet itself is not a secure environment. If you send us any personal information, including your email address, it is sent at your own risk.

GAP and Open Forum will take all reasonable measures to ensure the security of data supplied. GAP and Open Forum accept no responsibility for the unauthorised access of Personal Information held by us, as far as permissible under law. Although we intend to observe this policy at all times, it is not legally binding on GAP or Open Forum in any way.

From time to time we may regard it as necessary or desirable to act outside the policy. We may do so, subject only to any statutory rights you have under the Privacy Act or other applicable legislation.

Changes to Privacy Policy

GAP and Open Forum may make changes to this policy without notice. We recommend that you re-visit our website regularly to learn of new privacy practices or changes to our policy.

Your Right of Access to Personal Information We Hold About You

You have a right of access to personal information concerning yourself. Requests for access must be made in writing and indicate if access is required to all or just a particular part of your Personal Information. We will respond you within a reasonable time.

If you have any questions, comments or complaints regarding treatment of your privacy by us, please contact:

Open Forum

PO BOX 978

Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 Australia

Further information on privacy

For more information about privacy issues in Australia and protecting your privacy, visit the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner’s website.