Privacy Policy

Australia Disability Services

Effective Date: August 2026
Last Reviewed: August 2026

Australia Disability Services is committed to protecting your privacy, dignity, choice and personal information.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, hold, protect and disclose personal and sensitive information when you receive our services, communicate with us, work with us or visit our website.

1. Our Commitment to Your Privacy

Australia Disability Services (“ADS”, “we”, “us” or “our”) respects the privacy, dignity, choice and rights of every person who interacts with our organisation.

We handle personal and sensitive information in accordance with applicable Australian privacy legislation, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), together with applicable NDIS legislation, rules and standards.

We are committed to ensuring that your information is:

collected lawfully and only where reasonably necessary;
handled respectfully and confidentially;
used for appropriate and authorised purposes;
protected from misuse, loss and unauthorised access or disclosure; and
shared only with your consent where consent is required, or where disclosure is otherwise required or authorised by law.

Where appropriate, we will communicate information about privacy and confidentiality in a language, format or method that you are most likely to understand.

2. What Information We May Collect

We only collect information that is reasonably necessary for our functions, activities and the safe and effective delivery of our services.
Depending on your relationship with ADS and the services being provided, we may collect:
your name, date of birth, address and contact details;
emergency contact information;
NDIS participant and funding information;
information about nominees, guardians, carers and authorised representatives;
health, disability and medical information relevant to your supports;
medication and support requirements;
assessments, support plans, care plans, behaviour support plans, risk assessments and progress notes;
cultural, communication, language and accessibility requirements;
incident, complaint, safeguarding and feedback information;
service agreements and consent records;
financial, billing and payment information;
employment, qualifications, training and worker screening information;
photographs, video or audio recordings where required and appropriately authorised; and
other information reasonably necessary to provide safe and appropriate services or meet our legal and regulatory obligations.
Some of this information is considered sensitive information under Australian privacy law.
We recognise the particularly private nature of information concerning your health, disability and personal circumstances and will handle sensitive information with additional care.
3. How We Collect Your Information
Where practicable, we collect personal information directly from you.
Information may be collected:
during face-to-face discussions;
by telephone, email, text message or other communication;
through our website or online forms;
through referrals, intake documentation and service agreements;
from your nominee, guardian, family member, carer or authorised representative;
from a support coordinator, recovery coach, health professional or other service provider where you have authorised this or where otherwise permitted by law;
from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) or NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission where appropriate;
from employees, contractors and workers; and
through records created while we provide supports and services to you.
Where information is collected from another person or organisation, we will handle that information in accordance with applicable privacy requirements.
4. Why We Collect and Use Your Information
We may collect, hold and use personal information to:
understand and assess your individual support needs;
plan, coordinate and provide safe, appropriate and person-centred supports;
develop and review service agreements, support plans and risk assessments;
communicate with you and people you have authorised;
coordinate your supports with authorised health professionals, support coordinators and other providers;
maintain accurate progress notes and service records;
manage incidents, complaints, feedback, risks and safeguarding matters;
process NDIS claims, invoices and payments;
respond appropriately to emergencies and risks to health or safety;
manage employees, contractors, training and compliance requirements;
monitor and improve the quality and safety of our services;
meet NDIS registration, certification, audit and regulatory requirements; and
comply with applicable Australian laws and lawful requests from authorised bodies.
We will not use your personal information for an unrelated purpose unless you have provided consent or the use is otherwise permitted or required by law.
5. Consent, Choice and Control
ADS respects your right to understand and make informed decisions about how your personal information is handled.
Where consent is required, we will obtain your consent before collecting, using or disclosing your personal or sensitive information.
Where appropriate, we will explain:
what information we are collecting;
why we need it;
how it will be used;
who we may need to share it with;
how it will be stored and protected;
how you can access or correct your information; and
how you can withdraw or change your consent.
Your consent will be specific to the purpose for which it is sought.
Where appropriate, ADS will maintain records of who you have authorised us to communicate or share information with and the type of information that may be shared.
You may withdraw or change your consent at any time, subject to legal requirements and circumstances where particular information must be collected, retained, used or disclosed by law or is necessary for us to safely provide the requested services.
Where lawful and practicable, you may interact with ADS anonymously or by using a pseudonym.
6. Children, Young People, Nominees and Representatives
Where we provide services to a child, young person or participant who has a nominee, guardian or other authorised representative, we will take appropriate steps to ensure information is collected, used and disclosed with appropriate authority.
We will respect the participant’s rights, preferences, capacity, communication needs and involvement in decisions about their personal information to the greatest extent appropriate to their circumstances.
Having a representative does not remove our responsibility to respect the participant’s privacy, dignity and rights.
7. Photographs, Video and Audio Recordings
ADS respects your privacy in relation to photographs, video and audio recordings.
Where consent is required, we will obtain appropriate consent before taking, using or sharing identifiable photographs, videos or audio recordings.
We will explain why the recording is required and how it is intended to be used or disclosed.
Where applicable, you may withdraw your consent for future use, subject to legal and record-keeping requirements.
8. When We May Share Your Information
Australia Disability Services does not sell your personal or sensitive information.
We recognise that information about your disability, health, supports and personal circumstances is private and sensitive.
We will only share personal information where there is a legitimate and lawful reason to do so.
Sharing Information With Your Consent
Where consent is required, we will seek your consent before sharing your personal or sensitive information with another person or organisation.
Depending on your circumstances, this may include sharing relevant information with:
your support coordinator or recovery coach;
your plan manager;
health and allied health professionals;
other NDIS providers involved in your supports;
your nominee, guardian, family member, carer or authorised representative;
external auditors undertaking an authorised audit of ADS;
contractors or service providers who require information to perform an authorised service; or
another person or organisation you have authorised us to communicate with.
Where appropriate, we will explain what information is being shared, why it is required and who it will be shared with.
ADS will aim to share only the minimum information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.
External Auditors and NDIS Audits
As a registered NDIS provider, ADS may be required to participate in external audits, certification activities, regulatory reviews and other assurance processes.
Where an external auditor requires access to participant information, ADS will manage that access in accordance with applicable privacy, confidentiality, consent and NDIS requirements.
Where participant consent is required, we will obtain consent before identifiable participant information is provided to or accessed by an external auditor.
Where appropriate, information may be de-identified or access limited to information reasonably necessary for the audit or review.
When Information May Be Shared Without Consent
There are limited circumstances where ADS may be required or authorised to use or disclose personal information without obtaining your consent.
This may occur where:
disclosure is required or authorised by Australian law, regulation, court or tribunal order, or another lawful process;
disclosure is required to meet lawful obligations to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, NDIA or another authorised regulatory body;
we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious threat to the life, health or safety of an individual, or to public health or safety, where permitted by law;
information is lawfully required by Victoria Police, emergency services or another authorised government agency;
disclosure is required or authorised for the investigation, management or reporting of a reportable incident, allegation of violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation or another safeguarding concern; or
another exception under applicable Australian privacy legislation permits or requires the disclosure.
Where information must be disclosed without your consent, ADS will take reasonable steps to ensure that the disclosure is lawful, appropriate and limited to information reasonably necessary for that purpose.
9. Accuracy and Quality of Your Information
ADS takes reasonable steps to ensure personal information we collect, use and disclose is accurate, current, complete, relevant and not misleading.
We encourage you, your nominee or authorised representative to let us know when your information changes or if you believe information we hold about you is incorrect.
Where appropriate, we will correct or update information in accordance with applicable privacy requirements.
10. Unsolicited Personal Information
Sometimes ADS may receive personal information about you that we did not request.
Where this occurs, we will assess whether the information could lawfully have been collected and whether it is reasonably necessary for our functions or activities.
Where the information is not required and we are not legally required to retain it, we will take reasonable steps to securely destroy or de-identify it.
11. Information Security and Confidentiality
ADS takes reasonable steps to protect personal and sensitive information from:
misuse;
interference;
loss;
unauthorised access;
unauthorised modification; and
unauthorised disclosure.
Information may be stored electronically or in secure physical records. We use administrative, physical and technological safeguards appropriate to the nature and sensitivity of the information.
Access to participant information is limited to employees, workers and other authorised persons who require access to perform their duties.
Employees, contractors and authorised third parties with access to personal information are expected to maintain confidentiality and only access, use or disclose information for an authorised purpose.
While we take reasonable precautions to protect information, no electronic transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
12. Incident, Complaint and Safeguarding Information
ADS maintains appropriate records relating to incidents, complaints, risks, safeguarding and service delivery.
These records are treated confidentially and stored securely.
Where an incident is reportable, or disclosure is otherwise required or authorised by law, ADS may provide necessary information to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, police, emergency services or another authorised body.
We will aim to disclose only information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.
13. Accessing and Correcting Your Information
You may request access to personal information we hold about you.
You may also ask us to correct information that you believe is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date, irrelevant or misleading.
We may need to verify your identity or authority before providing access to or changing personal information.
In limited circumstances, we may refuse access where permitted or required by law. Where appropriate, we will explain the reason for our decision.
If we cannot make a requested correction, we will manage the request in accordance with applicable privacy requirements.
14. Retention and Secure Disposal
We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to:
provide supports and services;
comply with NDIS and other regulatory requirements;
meet applicable record-keeping obligations;
manage incidents, complaints, safeguarding and legal matters; and
meet other applicable legal and business requirements.
When personal information is no longer required and we are not legally required to retain it, we will take reasonable steps to securely destroy or de-identify it.
15. Our Website, Cookies and Online Information
When you visit the Australia Disability Services website, certain technical information may be collected automatically, including your IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited and general website usage information.
We may use cookies and similar technologies to:
support website functionality;
understand how visitors use our website;
improve website performance and user experience; and
maintain website security.
You can change your browser settings to restrict or disable cookies. Some website functions may not operate correctly if cookies are disabled.
Information submitted through our website, including enquiry, contact or referral forms, will be handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
16. Links to Other Websites
Our website may contain links to websites operated by other organisations.
ADS is not responsible for the privacy practices, content or security of external websites.
When you leave our website and visit another website, that organisation’s privacy policy and practices will apply. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of an external website before providing personal information.
17. Marketing Communications
Where permitted by law, ADS may use your contact details to provide information about our services that may be relevant to you.
Where consent is required, we will obtain it before sending marketing communications.
You may ask us to stop sending marketing communications at any time by using an available unsubscribe option or by contacting us.
We do not sell personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.
18. Third-Party Service Providers
ADS may use trusted third-party service providers to support our operations, including information technology, communications, rostering, record management, payment processing and other business functions.
Where a third-party provider has access to personal information, ADS will take reasonable steps appropriate to the circumstances to ensure information is handled securely, confidentially and only for authorised purposes.
Where consent is required before information is provided to a third party, ADS will seek that consent.
19. Data Breaches
ADS takes suspected privacy and data breaches seriously.
If a suspected data breach occurs, we will take reasonable steps to:
identify and contain the breach;
assess what information may have been affected;
assess the potential risk of harm;
take steps to reduce or prevent further harm;
take appropriate corrective action; and
comply with applicable notification requirements, including the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, where applicable.
Where notification is legally required, affected individuals and the appropriate regulatory authority will be notified in accordance with applicable requirements.
20. Privacy Complaints and Concerns
If you believe ADS has not handled your personal information appropriately, we encourage you to contact us.
We will treat privacy complaints seriously, respectfully and confidentially.
We will:
1.acknowledge and review your concern;
2.investigate the matter appropriately;
3.communicate the outcome to you; and
4.take corrective action where required.
Making a privacy complaint will not adversely affect your right to receive safe, respectful and quality services from Australia Disability Services.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may have the right to contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) or another relevant regulatory authority.
21. Changes to This Privacy Policy
ADS may review and update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to:
privacy legislation;
NDIS requirements;
regulatory requirements;
technology and information systems;
our services; or
our information-handling practices.
The current version will be published on our website and will show the date it was last reviewed.
22. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, would like to access or correct your personal information, change or withdraw consent, ask how your information has been used or disclosed, or make a privacy complaint, please contact:
Australia Disability Services
Email: info@australiadisabilityservices.com.au
Website: australiadisabilityservices.com.au
Australia Disability Services is committed to protecting your personal information and handling it lawfully, respectfully, confidentially and securely, while supporting your privacy, dignity, choice, control and rights.