The Department of Housing and Works is committed to safeguarding the privacy of individuals and managing Personal Information in accordance with the Privacy and Responsible Information Sharing Act 2024 (WA) (PRIS) and other applicable legislation.
Collection of Personal Information
We collect Personal Information when it is necessary for the delivery of services and the performance of departmental functions. Information may be collected when individuals:
- interact with us online, by phone, or in person
- submit forms, applications, enquiries or complaints
- participate in surveys, consultations or engagement activities
- provide information directly or through an authorised representative.
Provision of Personal Information is voluntary. However, if required information is not supplied, we may not be able to respond to an enquiry, process an application, or deliver certain services.
Types of information collected
To deliver services and carry out our functions, we may collect Personal Information about an individual, including:
- Contact and identification details.
- Information about an individual’s circumstances relevant to the services sought or received. For example, information relating to eligibility, housing needs, wellbeing, or other contextual information provided by the individual.
- Information provided during interactions with us, including forms, applications, enquiries, complaints, feedback or participation in engagement activities.
- Employment-related information which is necessary to recruit, vet, support and manage our staff throughout their engagement with the department. This may include information collected for workforce management, workplace health and safety, professional development, or integrity-related processes.
- Images or recordings where relevant to our activities, events, or service delivery.
- Technical information generated when an individual accesses our websites or online services. For example, device or browsing information collected through standard analytics tools.
- Other Personal Information that is reasonably necessary for us to perform our statutory functions or deliver services.
Accessing our online services
Most of our online content can be accessed without providing your personal details. However, basic information about your visit such as pages viewed or time spent on the site may still be collected automatically through standard website tracking tools.
Use and disclosure of Personal Information
Personal Information is used or disclosed only for:
- the primary purpose for which it was collected
- a related purpose that an individual would reasonably expect
- purposes authorised or required by law
- purposes for which the individual has provided consent
- reporting purposes, for example Commonwealth Government reporting.
Protection of Personal Information
We take reasonable steps to protect Personal Information from loss, unauthorised access, modification, use or disclosure, and ensure information is stored, retained and disposed of in accordance with the State Records Act 2000 (WA).
External websites
Our websites may contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites and encourage individuals to review the privacy statements of those websites before use.
Access and correction
Individuals may request access to, or correction of, their Personal Information by contacting our PRIS Officer.
Privacy enquiries and complaints
Individuals can contact our PRIS Officer (details below) if they have questions, require further information, or wish to lodge a complaint about the way we have handled their Personal Information.
PRIS Officer
Mailing address
Attention: PRIS Officer
Department of Housing and Works
Djookanup, 16 Parkland Road, Osborne Park WA 6017
Email address
Email: privacy@dohw.wa.gov.au
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