Privacy policy

Purpose of this policy

ESI Super and its subsidiaries are bound by the National Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988. The National Privacy Principles are a set of rules organisations must comply with in managing personal information about individuals.

ESI Super is committed to protecting your privacy. This document sets out ESI Super's policy on the management of personal information about members. A copy of this document is available to any person who asks for it.

Personal information that we hold and why we collect it

When a member joins the Fund ESI Super asks for the following information:

• Identification details, which are normally the member's name and address, tax file number
• Gender, date of birth and contact numbers

Identification details are needed to process each member's application, administer their funds and work out their benefits. Information about the member's state of health and medical history may be needed so that the member's eligibility for death and disablement benefits can be assessed.

All information that ESI Super collects is provided to ESI Financial Services (ESIFS). ESIFS is a wholly owned subsidiary of ESI Super and employs all staff members who provide administrative and other services to ESI Super members.

ESI Super will hold the details of each member's account balances, investments, contributions and benefits during the course of each member's membership, and for defined benefit members will hold details of their salary.

When a benefit is due to be paid, ESI Super may ask for bank account details for payment of the benefit, and may also ask details of the member's future employment intentions to confirm whether the benefit can be paid in cash.

If a member dies, ESI Super needs information about persons who are entitled to be considered for distribution of the death benefit. This includes the member's spouse, children, any other dependant, and any person who might be a beneficiary of the member's estate.

The information ESI Super may ask for about those persons will be their name and address, gender, date of birth, details of their financial position and financial needs, and any other information that will assist ESI Super in deciding who the death benefit should be distributed to.

How we collect, use and disclose personal information

ESI Super collects information about members through Application Forms completed by new employees, and through various other forms completed by members to update their details.
Some information about members is collected from employers:

• When a member joins the Fund, the employer may provide the member's name, address, tax file number, and salary details, and the employer will normally provide the date of commencement of employment
• For defined benefit members, the employer provides details of the member's salary each year
• When a benefit is payable, the employer provides details of the date of termination of employment and contributions; and employers may also notify ESI Super of updated address details from time to time.

On a member's death, ESI Super will normally collect information about potential beneficiaries from the beneficiaries themselves. However, ESI Super will also collect some information about the identity of potential beneficiaries from the member's executor or administrator or whoever notifies the member's death.

If a member makes a claim for a disability benefit, more information is collected about the member's disability in order to assess the member's eligibility for the benefit. Most of this information is collected from the member, but information is also collected from the member's employer and from doctors and other experts.

Information ESI Super holds about members is not normally disclosed to any external parties but is shared between all related companies in the ESI Super group. ESI Financial Services employs financial planners to provide services to Fund members. ESI Financial Services sometimes assesses information about the benefit entitlements of terminating members to identify those who could benefit from the services of a financial planner.

Should any external party request information about a member of ESI Super, written authorisation from that member will be required before ESI Super will provide any information.

However, where a member makes a claim for a disability benefit, information might then be disclosed to doctors and other experts nominated by ESI Super. In addition, if there is any dispute about a member's entitlement, ESI Super may disclose information about the member to other advisers (for example, legal advisers).

For Defined Contribution members and all NRG members who have insurance cover, information about them may be disclosed to the external insurer, and if a claim is made the insurer may disclose information about them to doctors and other experts.
ESI Super does not disclose information about members to other organisations for marketing purposes.

Member access to information

Members are entitled to access information ESI Super and its related entities hold about them. If a member wants to check that their personal details are correct or find out information about their benefit, they can contact ESI Super by telephone or in writing.

Requests for information can sometimes be answered over the telephone, or a copy of the information can be sent by post. To correct member details, written confirmation may be required but some changes (such as a change of address) can be made by telephone.

For security reasons, ESI Super will not give any information over the telephone unless the person making the enquiry is able to answer some questions designed to confirm their identity. Written requests for information must be signed by the member.

Members can also make arrangements, by telephone or in writing, to come in to ESI Super's office at an appointed time during normal working hours to look at their information on their file. Again, proof of identity will be required.

Members cannot access information about any other member, including their spouses without the other member providing consent.

Keeping information up-to-date

ESI Super tries to ensure that the information it holds about members remains accurate, complete and up to date. At the time of joining, members are sent a "welcome letter" asking them to check and correct their details. When members are sent their annual member statements, they are asked to notify any changes in their personal information.

Complaints

If any member has a complaint about a possible breach of their privacy, the member should first contact the Manager / Secretary of the Fund. ESI Super's complaints procedure is set out in the member booklet.

If the complaint is not resolved, members can complain to the Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner, telephone 1300 363 992.