Protecting Your Privacy

Protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your personal information is fundamental to the way Western Xposure does business.

As a tour operator with an online booking platform, Western Xposure has a history of handling personal information confidentially. We treat very seriously the ongoing trust you have in us to protect your personal information.

We have systems and procedures in place to protect your privacy whenever we collect, store, use or disclose your personal information. You can request details about the information that Western Xposure holds about you and you have a right to ask it to correct this information.


Privacy Framework

Western Xposure is bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth) and the ten National Privacy Principles set out in that Act.

Handling of personal information relating to Western Xposure employees is outside the scope of the Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth), if the handling of the information relates directly to a current or former employment relationship between an employee and Western Xposure.


How We Collect Your Personal Information?

We collect most personal information directly from you. For example, your personal information will be collected when you book a tour or any other service, when you deal with us over the telephone, send us a letter, visit our websites or when you visit us in person.

The type of personal information we collect may include your name, mailing address, telephone number, e-mail address, date of birth, place of work, credit card details and billing information.


How We Use Your Personal Information?

We will tell you the purposes for which we intend to use your personal information.

We only collect personal information about you that is necessary to perform our functions and activities. If you do not provide this information, Western Xposure company may not be able to deal with you, or provide you with a product or service.

We may use personal information for several purposes

Western Xposure may collect your personal information:

• to assist in providing information about a product or service;


• to consider your request for a product or service;


• to enable it to provide a product or service;


• to tell you about other products and services that may be of interest to you;


• to assist in arrangements with other organizations in relation to the promotion and provision of a product or service;


• to perform other administrative and operational tasks (including risk management, systems development and testing, staff training, and market or customer satisfaction research);


• to prevent or investigate any fraud or crime (or a suspected fraud or crime); and


• as required by relevant laws, regulations, Codes and external payment systems.

We may disclose personal information to third parties when we contract out some of our functions and activities. For example, we may provide names and addresses to a mailing house to mail account statements to you and other customers. In these situations, we prohibit third parties from using your personal information except for the specific purpose for which we supply it.


What About Sensitive Information?

We will not collect, use or disclose sensitive information about you unless it is necessary to provide you with a product or service and we have your consent or, unless we are legally required to collect, use or disclose that information.

Sensitive information, as defined by law, is any information about a person's racial or ethnic origin, political opinion, membership of a political association, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs, membership of a professional or trade association, membership of a trade union, sexual preferences or practices, criminal record or health information.

We will always explain the purpose for collecting sensitive information. For example, we use health information provided in a travel insurance application to assess the application and, after the insurance policy is put in place, to administer the policy and assess any claim made under that policy.


Your Consent Is Important

Personal information is usually used or disclosed only after obtaining your consent. Your consent can be express or implied.

Your express consent can be verbal or written. For example, our credit card application may contain a statement that a credit reference will be required. By signing the application, you are giving your express consent to a credit reference being obtained about you from a credit reporting agency.

You imply consent when we can reasonably conclude that you have given consent by some action you take, or when you decide not to take action. For example, if you use our online booking system and continue the booking after reading the current policy and/or any other message advising about the transmission of the information in the booking form, you have given us your implied consent to collect and transfer the data.

If you do not consent to certain uses of personal information by Western Xposure, it may not be able to deal with you, or provide you with a particular product or service.


Sharing Of Personal Information Within Western Xposure

For us to service our relationship with you and carry on business as a group, it is important that we have the capacity to share your personal information with other Western Xposure entities within the group.

We will obtain your consent to share your personal information with other Western Xposure companies and only share that information for the purposes to which you have agreed.


Disclosing To Third Parties

Subject to any general duties of confidentiality towards our customers and subject to the Privacy Act, Western Xposure may need to disclose your personal information to:

• other tour operators or providers that in conjunction complete the tour or service required;


• credit reporting or debt collecting agencies;


• an organization that is in an arrangement or alliance with it for the purpose of promoting or using their respective products and services (and any agents used by that organization in administering such an arrangement or alliance);


• any service provider it engages to carry out its functions and activities;


• regulatory bodies, government agencies, law enforcement bodies and courts;


• other parties it is authorized or required by law to disclose information to;


• other financial institutions (such as banks);


• travel insurers and any reinsurer of any such travel insurer;


• any person who introduces you to it;


• your authorized agents or your executor, administrator or legal representative.

Marketing And Privacy

Serving customers well is fundamental to our business. As part of this service we may use personal information we have collected to identify a product or service that may benefit you. We may contact you from time to time to let you know about new or existing products or services.

You can contact us at any time if you do not want to receive marketing information from Western Xposure. We will process these instructions as soon as practicable.


We Keep Your Personal Information Up-To-Date

If we have accurate information about you, it enables us to provide you with the best possible service.

We take reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information is accurate, complete and up-to-date at the time of collecting, using or disclosing the information.


We Will Correct Personal Information

If you learn that current personal information we hold about you is inaccurate, incomplete or out-of-date, you should contact us. We will promptly update any personal information that is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.

You also have the right to request that a statement be attached to your personal information if we disagree with your request to correct the information.


You Can Request Details About Your Personal Information

Subject to some exceptions, you can find out what personal information Western Xposure holds about you.

How to request details

You should contact us if you wish to find out about the personal information Western Xposure holds about you. We will need to verify your identity before giving you access. We will normally be able to deal with your request immediately. If the request is complex, we will ask you to complete a personal information request form.
In a limited number of circumstances, we may not be able to tell you what personal information is held about you including where:

• it will threaten the privacy of other individuals;


• the information relates to anticipated legal proceedings;


• the information would reveal our commercially sensitive decision making process; or


• the law prevents us from disclosing the information.

If we are unable to tell you what personal information is held about you, we will give you the reasons why and attempt to find alternative means to enable you to access your information.


We Store Your Personal Information Securely

We protect any personal information that we hold about you from misuse and loss. We also protect it from unauthorized access, modification and disclosure. Your personal information can only be accessed by people properly authorized to have access.


Your Personal Information May Be Stored In Hardcopy Documents Or Electronically

We maintain physical security, such as locks and security systems, over our paper and electronic data stores and premises. We also maintain computer and network security: for example, we use firewalls (security measures for the Internet) and other security measures such as identification codes and passwords to control access to computer systems.


We Destroy Personal Information We No Longer Need

We will destroy personal information if it is no longer needed:

• for the purposes for which we collected it; or


• for the purposes of meeting legal requirements.

We will properly dispose of all paper files, letters, correspondence and any other hardcopy documents that contain personal information that is no longer needed.
All information stored in electronic form that is no longer required will be deleted from our systems.


Web Site Security And Privacy

The Internet has rapidly changed the way we do business. It allows Western Xposure to provide booking and quotation services that you can access from the convenience of your home or office.

Western Xposure continually maintains and monitors its online security systems to ensure your personal information is appropriately protected.
How you can help protect your privacy You can help us to protect your privacy by:

• observing our security requirements relating to personal identification numbers (PINs) or passwords; and


• contacting us immediately when you change contact details, such as your address and telephone number.

Resolving Your Concerns

You are entitled to complain if you believe that your privacy has been compromised. We will respond to a complaint as soon as possible but within 48 hours, to let you know who is responsible for managing your complaint. We will try to resolve the complaint within 10 working days. When this is not possible, we will contact you within that time to let you know how long it will take to resolve the complaint.


How To Make A Complaint

If you have a privacy complaint, you should contact the person, Western Xposure department or office that you have been dealing with. We will take responsibility for your complaint at the point where the problem occurs.


Need More Information?

If you have a query relating to our Privacy Policy, contact the person, department or office that you normally deal with, or call the Western Xposure Contact Centre on +618 9417 8423, 6am to 5pm WST, Monday to Friday.

Western Xposure
46 Cutler Road, Jandakot
Perth WA 6164
Phone: +618 9414 8423
Toll Free: 1800 321 200
Fax: +618 9417 7709
E-mail: info@westernxposure.com.au