Privacy Policy

Policy on Handling and Use of Private Information at St Matthias

Commonwealth Government privacy legislation which came into effect on 21 January 2001 extended the operation of the Privacy Act 1988 to cover the operation of private sector organisations. Small businesses (those with an annual turnover of $3 million or less in the previous financial year) are exempt from the legislation. As a result, St Matthias and all other churches within the diocese of Sydney are currently exempt from the legislation.

However St Matthias intends, as far as possible, to comply with the legislation. Accordingly, the following is St Matthias’ policy on the handling of all private and personal information.

1. Purpose of Collecting Information

Personal information about people who attend St Matthias church meetings is collected primarily for the purpose of maintaining contact with people in order to minister to them effectively. Part of this involves generating lists of who attends public meetings and small groups. A secondary purpose for collecting personal information is to facilitate the administration of the following:

  • church (eg. rosters, Bible study groups);
  • church events (eg. conferences);
  • registration for external events;
  • use of church equipment by members and non-members of St Matthias (eg. for weddings etc.).

St Matthias believes that ministering to people effectively may involve contact over many years even after they have left St Matthias and are attending other churches. Personal information is therefore held indefinitely and updated when updated information is provided voluntarily.

2. What Information is Held?

If the information has been voluntarily provided, the following personal information is held by St Matthias:

  • Name (First name, surname, maiden name, spouse’s name);
  • Children’s names and dates of birth;
  • Address (home, postal, vacation);
  • Phone numbers (home, work, fax, mobile);
  • Email address;
  • Congregation attended;
  • Church status (newcomer, contact, regular, partner, short term staff or long term staff);
  • Bible study or Bible fellowship group attended;
  • Date individual first attended a public meeting;
  • Date individual became a partner/member;
  • Method of giving to church (note NOT the amount);
  • Car make, model and registration number (only for people who meet at the church’s Paddington site);
  • Country of origin, years in Australia (needed only for overseas students).

In order for St Matthias to comply with government requirements under the Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 1998, individuals who work with children in St Matthias will be asked to provide the following information:

  • Date of birth;
  • Occupation;
  • Previous experience with children/youth ministry;
  • Relevant training or qualifications for working with children;
  • Information about whether or not they are a prohibited person under the terms of the Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 1998.

3. Sensitive Information

Sensitive information relates to a person’s:

  • Racial or ethnic origin;
  • Membership of political bodies, religions or trade unions;
  • Sexual preferences or activities;
  • Criminal record;
  • State of health;
  • Medical history.

St Matthias undertakes to collect only the following information that is deemed to be sensitive information:

  • Membership of political bodies, religions or trade unions: The form of information collected will be restricted to the denomination, location and name of the church that the individual may attend once they leave St Matthias.
  • State of health and medical history: On occasions St Matthias (or members of St Matthias responsible for a particular ministry or event) may seek to collect this information when we consider that the collection is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the life or health of an individual. This would particularly apply when we are dealing with children who for a stated and agreed reason will be absent from their parents and under the care of St Matthias staff or members. This would also apply when considering dietary issues at conferences and catered events. In such a case, a separate form will be provided for the collection of such information.
  • Criminal record: During the course of collecting and processing information for the Working with Children Check (under the Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 1998), it may become apparent that an individual has a criminal record. This information will only be held as according to the guidelines set down in the Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 1998. Under circumstances other than the collection of information pertaining to the Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 1998 sensitive information regarding criminal records will not be collected.

4. How is Information Obtained?

St Matthias only collects and retains personal information that is voluntarily provided by individuals. Generally this information is provided via response slips distributed at each public meeting. Personal information may also be provided via census forms that are distributed biannually or registration forms for conferences, weekends away, and events. Information received via other avenues will not be retained by St Matthias unless permission is expressly sought from and granted by the individual concerned, unless that information is already available to the general public.

5. Storage and Access to Information

Most personal information held by St Matthias is stored in a FileMaker Pro database (hereafter referred to as “the church database”). St Matthias’ administrative and pastoral staff as well as Ministry Training Strategy staff and trainees who work in St Matthias churches have access to the church database.

Information that is stored in this database may be accessed directly from a computer on the local area network at the St Matthias church office. Access to this information is limited by secure password.

Alternatively the personal information stored on this database may be accessed via an internet connection to the server at the church office. This remote form of access is strictly limited to St Matthias pastoral staff by a separate secure password.

The passwords for both forms of access are changed regularly.

(a) Event Registrations
With the exception of credit card details, personal information that is provided in order to register for St Matthias events and other external events will only be retained on the church database. Where the information provided for an event registration is not already on the database the details provided for the event may be added to the individuals church database record. Individual registration forms for events will be destroyed in a secure manner once the event has finished.

(b) Credit Card Details
Credit card details provided for event registrations are only accessible by church office administrative staff. They are not stored in the church database or any other form of database. Rather they are stored as individual documents (hard and soft copy) to record credit card transactions made by St Matthias. When credit card details are provided for event registrations the details are sent to the Commonwealth Bank for crediting to St Matthias bank accounts. Deposit and balance payments to event organisers and venues are subsequently made from St Matthias accounts.

(c) Requests to View and Make Amendments
Any individual can at any time view or amend the information that is held about them by St Matthias. Requests to view or amend personal information can be made by contacting the St Matthias church office

6. Use of Information

Personal information about people who attend St Matthias will only be used by St Matthias staff for church related activities and for the purpose of ministering to them. The information may be made available to St Matthias pastoral staff, trainee staff, employees and senior leaders at the discretion of the relevant staff members. This is in keeping with our stated purpose for the collection of the information.

7. Distribution and Dissemination of Information

The overriding principal governing the distribution and dissemination of personal information provided to St Matthias is that personal information will only ever be distributed to someone else or to another organisation with the consent of the individual volunteering the information. Personal information will not be passed on to organisations or individuals not associated with St Matthias unless the consent of the individual is explicitly given.

Individuals can provide their consent for their personal information to be distributed to, and to receive information from, organisations related to St Matthias (for example Matthias Media, Ministry Training Scheme, Campus Bible Study) by using the relevant check boxes on response cards and census forms distributed at St Matthias public meetings. A record of consent provided in this matter will be recorded as part of the individual’s personal information stored on the church database .

Consent to distribute personal information that is volunteered is assumed in three cases. Firstly, by volunteering personal information it is assumed that consent is given for that personal information to be distributed to St Matthias staff members and to other church group leaders at the discretion of the relevant church staff members. Secondly, consent to distribute personal information is assumed when personal information is provided for the purposes of registering for an event run either by St Matthias or an external organisation. Thirdly, consent to distribute personal information is assumed when personal information is provided for the purposes of assisting in the running of a church meeting or Bible study group (eg. rosters).

Other than the three cases outlined above, personal information will not be passed on to other people attending St Matthias churches unless the express consent of the individual has been obtained. In general, if a St Matthias member requests another St Matthias member’s phone number, address or email address then a message will be taken and the other person will be asked to contact the person seeking the details. Personal information about members of St Matthias will not be passed on to other members for matters that are not related to St Matthias.