Privacy notice

Who we are

VLA Queensland is a service provided by Van Lawrence & Associates Ltd. We provide independent advocacy and practical support to employees and residential tenants.

If you have a privacy question, access or correction request, or complaint, please contact:

Privacy Officer
Email: info@vanlawrence.co.nz

Information we collect

We collect information that is reasonably necessary to respond to enquiries and provide our services. Depending on the matter, this may include:

• Your name and contact details.
• Information about your employer, workplace, rental property or living arrangement.
• A summary of your concern, relevant dates and any approaching deadlines.
• Correspondence, agreements and other documents you choose to provide after we discuss your matter.
• Records of our communications with you and, where you engage us, information about the work performed and fees charged.

Please provide only a brief outline in the initial enquiry form. Do not include identity documents, medical records or detailed evidence at that stage. We will discuss any further information needed with you.

Some matters may involve sensitive information, including information about health, ethnicity, union membership or other protected characteristics. Where applicable, we will seek your consent before collecting sensitive information, unless an exception under the relevant law applies.

How we collect information

We may collect information directly from you through our website, email, telephone or video consultation.

With your authority, or where otherwise permitted by law, we may also obtain information from other sources relevant to your matter. Where required, we will tell the person concerned about information collected from another source and how we handle it.

You may make a general enquiry without giving us all the information requested. However, if you do not provide information we reasonably need, we may be unable to assess whether we can assist, contact you or provide the requested service.

Why we use your information

We use personal information to:

• Respond to enquiries and arrange consultations.
• Understand the nature and urgency of a matter and assess whether our service may be suitable.
• Provide and administer agreed services.
• Communicate with you, maintain records, manage fees and meet applicable legal obligations.
• Protect our clients, staff and business where reasonably necessary and permitted by law.

Submitting an enquiry does not, by itself, mean that VLA has agreed to act for you. It does not lodge a claim or stop a deadline.

Sharing information

We may share information with people or organisations involved in providing our services, such as authorised staff and contractors, technology providers, and professional advisers.

We may also share information with another person or organisation with your authority, or where disclosure is required or otherwise permitted by law. We will not sell your personal information.

Storage, security and overseas access

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information against unauthorised access, use, alteration, loss and disclosure. These steps include access controls and multi-factor authentication.

Depending on the services and systems used, personal information may be stored or processed in Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland and the United States of America.

Where an applicable privacy law places conditions on an overseas disclosure, we will take the steps required by that law before making it. This may include assessing the recipient’s protections and putting appropriate arrangements in place.

Retention

We keep personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described above, including providing services, maintaining appropriate business records and meeting applicable legal requirements. When it is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to delete, destroy or de-identify it, subject to any applicable retention requirement.

Access and correction

You may ask us what personal information we hold about you and request access to it or correction of it. Contact us using the details above.

We will consider and respond to requests in accordance with applicable law. In some circumstances, the law may permit or require us to withhold information or decline a correction. If that happens, we will explain the position as required.

Privacy complaints

If you are concerned about how we have handled your information, please contact our privacy contact and explain your concern. We will consider the complaint, investigate as appropriate and respond.

Depending on which law applies and which organisation handled the information, you may also be able to complain to:

• Australia: the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
• New Zealand: the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.

Changes to this notice

We may update this notice to reflect changes to our services, information-handling practices or legal requirements. The current version will be available on our website.