ServiceWA mobile app privacy policy

ServiceWA is an app provided by the State of Western Australia (also called the WA Government) to help people connect online with WA Government services.
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About ServiceWA

ServiceWA is an app provided by the State of Western Australia (also called the WA Government) to help people connect online with WA Government services. It is designed for people who live in Western Australia, who do business here or are visiting WA. The app includes an inbox for receiving messages from the WA Government.

The app also includes OptionalServices. These include:

  • Emergency WA for notification of bushfire warnings in your current location;
  • SharkSmart WA to help you see information about reported sightings, tagged shark detections and current alerts and warnings (note that SharkSmart WA is also available as a standalone mobile application outside of ServiceWA);
  • FuelWatch to help you see information about fuel prices in different places around Western Australia;
  • Weather Stations to help you see information about local weather conditions;
  • Unclaimed Money to help you search for unclaimed money that may be owed to you by the WA Government or Western Australian organisations;
  • FishCatchWA to help you report your catches of demersal scalefish in the West Coast Bioregion;
  • Viewing your previously shared COVID-19 digital certificate;
  • Online Licence Search to help you search for information about licences issued by various WA Government agencies; and
  • Offers to help you receive rebates, payments and vouchers from the WA Government – for example, you can use Offers to submit a claim for the WA Student Assistance Payment from the Department of Education.

Each Optional Service includes websites and associated software.

By using ServiceWA, your information is made available to the WA Government (and the WA Government can use it in accordance with the relevant privacy policies).

About this Privacy Policy

What this policy is about. This ServiceWA Privacy Policy sets out how the WA Government collects, processes, holds, discloses and uses personal information of individuals for the purposes of accessing and using ServiceWA.

Changes to this policy. The WA Government may update this policy from time to time. If the WA Government changes this policy, the WA Government will place the updated policy on the relevant ServiceWA website.

If you continue to use ServiceWA, the changed policy will apply from the time it was changed.

Information ServiceWA collects about you

You may use ServiceWA without setting up an account or logging in. 

However, to use some Optional Services on ServiceWA, you will need to set up a ServiceWA account, and log in using a Digital Identity (such as myGovID). If you choose to use ServiceWA as a logged in user, ServiceWA collects your name, date of birth, email address, mobile phone number, and the type of Digital Identity. 

ServiceWA also collects other information about you, such as which Optional Services you choose to enable. 

As of 25 May 2023, the WA Government removed the option to import the COVID-19 digital certificate in ServiceWA. If you have imported your digital certificate prior to this date, you can continue to view your digital certificate in ServiceWA as a logged in user. Other people who have access to your device may also continue to be able to view your certificate.

The Optional Services also collect information about you – for example, some Optional Services use your mobile device's camera, GPS location services, or motion sensor or map function. Some Optional Services give you the option to provide information such as your address or bank account details. More information is in the Optional Services section below.

How the WA Government uses your ServiceWA information

The WA Government uses your personal information to:

  • determine if your identity is verified (if you have logged in);
  • provide you with services that you enable through the app; and
  • process applications that you submit through the app (including, where appropriate, making payments to your nominated financial institution).
  • send you push notifications and Inbox messages from WA Government bodies (such as Emergency WA);

Your information may also be used to:

  • respond to your comments and questions;
  • resolve your support incidents; and
  • send you related information.

The WA Government also uses your personal information to support, maintain, protect and improve the ServiceWA app, including by:

  • understanding and enhancing the user experience of the ServiceWA app and the Optional Services; and
  • protecting, investigating and deterring fraudulent, unauthorised or illegal activity.

Your personal information is not sold or shared for commercial purposes.

Other disclosure, use and storage of your information

Information collected using the ServiceWA app may be disclosed to, and used by:

  • authorities with powers and responsibilities in relation to COVID-19 (and those helping them) such as the State Emergency Coordinator, the Chief Health Officer and other authorities for the purpose of overseeing and managing WA's COVID-19 response);
  • other government agencies within Western Australia and around Australia to prevent, or in connection with any investigation in relation to, fraud or misuse of government-issued information;
  • those to whom the WA Government is required or authorised (by law) to disclose your information (e.g. a court or tribunal, or another government body); and
  • the WA Government's other service providers for the purpose of assisting the WA Government to operate, manage, use and improve ServiceWA and the Optional Services.

How your information is stored

Amazon Web Services. Your ServiceWA information is stored using Amazon Web Services. Amazon is subject to both Australian and overseas laws that may require the disclosure of your information (in limited circumstances) to government authorities here and overseas.

Your ServiceWA information:

  • will be stored in Australia; and
  • will be encrypted before being stored on Amazon Web Services to make it safer from external attack. Encryption is designed to make data unreadable – and to make it readable again only with the right encryption key. The encryption keys are with the WA Government and Amazon, with strict policies restricting use of keys without proper authorisation.

According to Amazon's privacy policies, Amazon does not have access to, nor does it use, your information for any purpose other than providing the services required for the operation of ServiceWA, and to maintain their own services (or as required by law).

WA Government may continue to keep your information. The WA Government may keep your information for its compliance and monitoring purposes (but see below if you delete your account). Keeping your information may be required by law (such as State records laws).

Deletion of your information. If you delete your account, this deletes your account information and Inbox messages. Your information provided using ServiceWA support or Optional Services – such as Emergency WA, SharkSmart WA, FuelWatch, FishCatchWA and Weather Stations– may continue to be kept under the privacy policies for those services.

Optional services

The Optional Services also collect information about you (if you enable them).

For example:

  • Emergency WA, FuelWatch and Weather Stations use your mobile device's location services to provide you with more specific information.
  • Emergency WA uses your mobile device’s motion sensor to check whether your location has changes (this helps to reduce your battery use).
  • FuelWatch uses your mobile device's map function to provide you with directions to your selected service station. 
  • Offers gives you the option to save your personal details (such as your address and your bank account details) for use on other Offers, or on other Optional Services. 
  • Optional Services collect information that you upload or provide. 
  • Many of the Optional Services link to external websites that collect analytical information, and use cookies to collect information about visits to those websites and the technology you use to access them. This information is used for statistical analysis, and to manage and improve those websites.

This Privacy Policy applies also to your personal information collected by the Optional Services.  

Information collected by the Optional Services may be stored using different service providers. The information is used to provide you with the Optional Services, and also for the other purposes, such as to communicate with you. Your information may also be disclosed to others - for example, to service providers who help the WA Government to operate and manage the Optional Services, or as required or authorised by law.

The Privacy Policies for each Optional Service provide more information about the collection, storage and use of your information. You can get more information about information collected through the Optional Services by clicking on the links below:

Your other rights

Access to your personal information. You may have the right to access personal information that is collected about your through your use of ServiceWA. To access your personal information, use the contact details below.

Correcting your personal information. If you believe that personal information that is held about you in connection with ServiceWA is incorrect, incomplete or out-of-date, then please update your details through the ServiceWA app or contact the WA Government at the details given below, and provide the correct, updated information.

Complaints. If you have any enquiries or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or the way your personal information is handled, please use the contact details below.

Contact us. To contact the WA Government about ServiceWA, call 13 33 WA (13 33 92).

Page reviewed 12 April 2024

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