Privacy
Scope
This statement applies to all users who access the Parliament of Australia
Web Site.
General
The Parliament of Australia Web Site makes some use of data that only
indirectly identifies users. We take great care with practices that affect
personal privacy. As a general rule, we do not collect or record data
that directly identifies users.
Data Collection
Data that indirectly identifies users is gathered during interactions
with the Parliament of Australia Web Site in the following circumstances:
- Computer Information
It is necessary that your web browser provides your machine's network
address, so the web server can address its replies back to the correct
machine. In addition, the browser type and operating system information
may be recorded.
- Navigation and Click-Stream Data
Browsing any web site generates a trail of pages visited, the amount
of data transferred and the time of access. This information is recorded
against the network address supplied by your web browser.
- Electronic Mail
It is a necessary part of electronic mail that a sender and receiver
address is supplied. These are recorded as well as a message identifier,
amount of data and the time. The address you supply as sender is only
a pseudonym and may possibly bear no relation to your real name, so
is not considered as directly identifying you.
Forms
If you use forms on the site to provide information, register interest,
or purchase publications, the information you provide is not retained
on the public web server and will not be used for purposes other than
that for which it was provided.
We will only record your e-mail address if you send us a message. It
will only be used for the purpose for which it was provided and will not
be added to a mailing list unless that is the purpose of the message.
We will not use your e-mail address for any other purpose, and will not
disclose it without your consent.
Data Storage, Retention, Use and Disclosure
The data referred to above is generated by the systems you are accessing,
and stored in system logs. These logs are preserved and archived for possible
future use.
The data is used by Parliament of Australia Web Site software, and by
our support staff, only for
- web site and systems administration, including monitoring as a security
measure
- customisation of the web site to meet your needs
- evaluation, research and development.
The data collected will not be disclosed to a third party except where
it is legally required, such as in the investigation of a criminal offence,
and in compliance with a search warrant or subpoena.
Cookies
A cookie is a very small text file placed onto your computer when you
visit a Web site. A cookie can be 'persistent' (meaning that it is written
to a permanent file on your hard disk) or 'session-only' (in which case
the cookie is deleted at the end of your browsing session).
Cookies are not generally used on the Parliament's site. The exception
to this is the search facility, which has been built to use only temporary
'session ID' cookies. One cookie is created at the beginning of the user's
search session and discarded at its conclusion. The cookie is not used
to collect or store any information about the user, only to allocate a
temporary identifier to the search session.
Without such a session ID, the user would lose the entire search context
each time a new web page is visited during a search session e.g. by viewing
a document retrieved by a search. If cookies are disabled, the search
program could not provide more than a very basic functionality - far less
than is expected by our users.
Our live broadcasts do not use cookies.
User Feedback *
We seek feedback from our users in order to improve the service offered
by the site. Answering feedback questions is voluntary and does not in
any way affect your access to the Parliament website.
Parliament records the information requested on the online forms in a
database. The information will only be used for the purpose for which
it was requested and will not be distributed further, or disclosed, without
your consent.
* Note
Our agency recognises that there can be risks associated with the transmission
of information over the internet.
Links to other sites
This site contains links to other sites. The Parliament is not responsible
for the privacy practice or the content of such web sites.
Accountability
Parliamentary staff comply with information privacy principles.
Accessibility
We are committed to making the Parliament of Australia Web Site fully
accessible to the public, including people with disabilities or technical
constraints (such as older browsers and low speed Internet connections).
In order to achieve this we endeavour to keep the site at the World Wide
Web Consortium (W3C) Level A conformance rating for accessibility. Documents
which are sometimes displayed on the site in PDF format alone are able
to be obtained in more accessible formats by requesting such from the
relevant contact on the particular page. Any problems locating suitable
formats should be directed to the Parliamentary
Web Manager
The Parliament of Australia Web Site is regularly tested for accessibility
and all new website contracts include accessibility as a key performance
measure.
Comments on the accessibility of the Parliament of Australia Web Site
are welcome and can be sent by email to the Parliamentary
Web Manager .
In particular, if you are having a problem accessing the site, please
let us know.
Comments may also be submitted in writing to:
Parliamentary Web Manager
Parliamentary Library
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia
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