Privacy Policy

1. Our Commitment to Your Privacy

Austradies (“we”, “us”, or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy of all users of our platforms, Austradies.com (the “Customer Platform”) and Austradies.net (the “Worker Platform”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our websites or use our services.

We are committed to complying with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained therein, as well as any other applicable privacy legislation. By using our platforms, you consent to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

2. What Personal Information We Collect

The type of personal information we collect depends on how you interact with our platforms.

3. How We Use Your Personal Information

We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:

• To Operate and Maintain the Platform: To facilitate connections between Customers and Workers, process job requests, and manage user accounts.
• To Verify Identity and Credentials: To assist in verifying the information provided by Workers, such as their ABN and licensing.
• To Communicate with You: To send you service-related notifications, respond to your inquiries, and provide customer support.
• To Improve Our Services: To analyse usage trends, monitor the effectiveness of our platform, and develop new features.
• For Safety and Security: To detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraud, or other illegal activity.
• To Comply with Legal Obligations: To meet our obligations under applicable laws and regulations.

4. Disclosure of Your Personal Information

We may share your personal information in the following circumstances:

• Between Customers and Workers: When you post a job or submit a quote, relevant information (such as your name, contact details, and job specifics) is shared with the other party to facilitate the service.
• Third-Party Service Providers: We may share information with trusted third parties who help us operate the platform, such as hosting providers, email services, and analytics tools. These providers are bound by confidentiality obligations and are only permitted to use your data as necessary to provide their services to us.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court order or a government agency).

5. Data Storage and Security

We store your personal information on secure servers, which may be located in Australia or overseas. We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. Our security measures include:

• Access controls and authentication measures to restrict access to personal information to authorised personnel only.
• Encryption of data in transit and at rest where appropriate.
• Regular review of our information collection, storage, and processing practices.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. The following retention periods apply:

• Active account data: Retained for the duration of your account plus 7 years after your last activity or account closure, in accordance with Australian tax record-keeping requirements (ATO).
• Job request details and communications: Retained for 7 years after job completion or cancellation.
• Transaction and payment records: Retained for 7 years as required by Australian taxation law.
• Technical logs and usage data: Retained for up to 12 months, then aggregated or deleted.
• Unconfirmed accounts: Automatically deleted after 3 days if email is not verified.

After the applicable retention period, personal information is securely destroyed or de-identified. You may request early deletion of your account data by contacting us, subject to our legal retention obligations.

7. Your Rights: Access and Correction

Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you. You can request a copy of your personal data by contacting us.
• Correct any personal information that is inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, irrelevant, or misleading. You can update most of your information directly through your account settings, or by contacting us.

We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe and, in any case, within the timeframes required by the Privacy Act.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our platforms use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience. Cookies are small data files stored on your device. We use them to:

• Keep you logged in and remember your preferences.
• Understand how you use our platform to improve its functionality.
• Collect aggregated analytics data.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our platforms.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the “Last Updated” date. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

10. How to Make a Complaint

If you believe that we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles or if you have a complaint about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us using the details below. We will investigate your complaint and respond to you within a reasonable timeframe.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to access or correct your personal information, or want to make a complaint, please contact us through the contact information provided on Austradies.com or Austradies.net.