Updated April 2019
This Privacy Policy applies to L&H Group (ABN 19 730 781 473), a limited partnership, (“we, us, our, or L&H”). We currently carry on business under trading names including L&H, Lawrence & Hanson, Auslec, Pacific Datacom, Specialised Lighting Solutions, L&H Solar+Solutions. This Privacy Policy also applies to our other divisions or related bodies corporate from time to time. We are committed to protecting your privacy, in accordance with applicable Australian privacy laws including the Australian Privacy Principles and credit reporting provisions in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (“Privacy Act”). This Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose and otherwise handle personal information, including credit-related personal information. Personal information means information or an opinion, whether true or not and whether recorded in a material form or not, about an individual who is identified or reasonably identifiable (for example, your name, email address and phone number).
This Privacy Policy applies to L&H Group (ABN 19 730 781 473), a limited partnership, (“we, us, our, or L&H”). We currently carry on business under trading names including L&H, Lawrence & Hanson, Auslec, Pacific Datacom, Specialised Lighting Solutions, L&H Solar+Solutions. This Privacy Policy also applies to our other divisions or related bodies corporate from time to time. We are committed to protecting your privacy, in accordance with applicable Australian privacy laws including the Australian Privacy Principles and credit reporting provisions in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (“Privacy Act”). This Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose and otherwise handle personal information, including credit-related personal information. Personal information means information or an opinion, whether true or not and whether recorded in a material form or not, about an individual who is identified or reasonably identifiable (for example, your name, email address and phone number).
1. What we collect
The type of personal information that we collect about you depends on the type of dealings you have with us. For example, if you:- are a commercial customer, we collect details such as your name, job title, address, telephone number, email address, credit-related information about you (see under heading 5), payment details and transaction related information (such as your purchasing and payment history with us). We may also collect your driver's licence number if you pay by cheque, for identification purposes
- are a supplier, we collect details such as your name, job title, address, telephone number, email address, payment details and transaction related information (such as items we have purchased from you)
- register to attend a trade show, we will collect your name, job title, email address and phone number, whether you are an exhibitor or a delegate and, if you are a delegate, details about your business (such as whether you have an L&H account)
- enter one of our competitions, we will collect your name, contact details and any other information you provide when submitting your entry
- send us an enquiry or provide us with feedback, we may collect your name, contact details, details of your enquiry or feedback and information about our response
- apply for a job with us, we will collect the information you include in your job application, including your cover letter, resume, contact details and referee reports
1.1 Sensitive information
Sensitive information is a subset of personal information that is generally afforded a higher level of privacy protection, such as health information. We only collect sensitive information where it is reasonably necessary for our functions or activities and either the individual has consented, or we are required or authorised by or under law (including applicable privacy legislation) to do so.1.2 Collection of information other than personal information through our website
When you visit our website, some of the information that is collected about your visit is not personal information, as it does not reveal your identity. Site visit information For example, we record your server address, the date and time of your visit, the pages you visited, any documents you downloaded, the previous site you visited and the type of device, browser and operating system you used. We use and disclose this information in anonymous, aggregated form only, for purposes including statistical analysis and to assist us to improve the functionality and usability of our website. You are not individually identified, however we reserve the right to use or disclose this information to try to locate an individual where we reasonably believe that the individual may have engaged in any unlawful or inappropriate activity in connection with our website, or where we are otherwise required or authorised by law to do so. Cookies A cookie is a small string of information that a website transfers to your browser for identification purposes. The cookies we use do not identify individual users, although they do identify the user's internet browser. We use cookies to hold anonymous session information. This information is used to personalise your current visit to the website, for example to allow the website to remember who you are. Most internet browsers are set to accept cookies. If you prefer not to receive them, you can adjust your internet browser to reject cookies, or to notify you when they are being used. There are also software products available that can manage cookies for you. Rejecting cookies can, however, limit the functionality of our website.2. How we collect personal information
We collect personal information in a number of ways, including:- when you provide information in person (for example, in our stores and at industry trade shows)
- through our website (for example, if you use our online platform or complete the "email us" form)
- over the telephone
- through written correspondence (such as letters and emails)
- on hard copy forms (for example, competition entry forms and surveys)
- through surveillance cameras at our stores and corporate premises
- from third parties, including credit reporting bodies and other credit providers (see under heading 5)
2.1 Collection notices
Where we collect personal information about you, we will take reasonable steps to provide you with certain details about that collection (such as why we are collecting the information and who we may share it with). We will generally include this information in a collection notice. Collection notices provide more specific information than this Privacy Policy. The terms of this Privacy Policy are subject to any specific provisions contained in collection notices and in the terms and conditions of particular offers, products and services. We encourage you to read those provisions carefully.3. Why we collect personal information
The main purposes for which we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information are set out below.- processing transactions for products and services (both in-store and online) and delivering products and services to customers
- establishing and operating credit accounts for our customers, conducting credit checks (see under heading 5) and collecting overdue payments
- establishing and operating online accounts for our customers
- operating incentive programs
- promoting ourselves and our products and services, including through direct marketing, events and competitions (see under the heading "Direct marketing" below)
- sourcing products and services for our business
- performing research and statistical analysis, including for customer satisfaction and product and service improvement purposes
- protecting the security of our offices, stores, staff, customers, suppliers and merchandise (including theft and fraud prevention)
- answering queries and resolving complaints
- recruiting staff and contractors
- contacting us (details under heading 10 below)
- advising us if you receive a marketing call that you no longer wish to receive these calls
- using the unsubscribe facility that we include in our commercial electronic messages (such as emails and SMS)
4. Who we may share your personal information with
We may share your personal information with third parties where appropriate for the purposes set out under heading 3, including:- financial institutions for payment processing
- credit reporting bodies and other credit providers (see under heading 5)
- regulatory, investigative or government bodies where required or authorised by law
- referees whose details are provided to us by job applicants
- our contracted service providers, including:
5. Credit-related personal information
5.1 General
We may provide credit within the meaning of the Privacy Act to our customers in connection with the supply of our products and services (for example, if we bill you after supplying products or services to your business). If we share credit-related personal information about you with credit reporting bodies (“CRBs”) or other participants in the credit reporting system (including other credit providers), we are required to comply with the credit reporting provisions in Part IIIA of the Privacy Act and the Credit Reporting Privacy Code (“CR Code”).5.2 Why we collect credit-related personal information
We collect, hold, use and disclose credit-related personal information for the purposes permitted by the Privacy Act and the CR Code, including:- to assess your application for credit and verify your identity
- if you are a director of a corporate customer:
- to derive assessments, evaluations, scores, ratings and summaries relating to your credit-worthiness
- to manage your account, including collecting payments and assisting you to avoid defaulting on your credit obligations
- to undertake debt recovery and enforcement activities
- to participate in the credit reporting system (including by providing credit-related personal information to CRBs and other credit providers)
- for other purposes required or authorised by law
5.3 The credit-related personal information we collect
The credit-related personal information that we may collect and hold includes:- your current and prior names, addresses and employers, gender, date of birth and driver's licence number
- the fact that you have applied for credit with us or other credit providers and the type and amount of credit sought
- the fact that you have agreed to guarantee the obligations of another under a credit facility offered by us
- the day that credit is entered into with us or other credit providers, the terms or conditions of that credit and the maximum amount of credit available
- the day on which credit provided to your business is terminated or otherwise ceases
- credit payments of $100 or more owed to us or another credit provider that are overdue for more than 60 days that you have been notified of (and whether you have subsequently repaid the overdue amount)
- whether you have committed a serious credit infringement
- whether you have entered into an arrangement with us or another credit provider in connection with credit provided to your business
- credit-related court proceedings and personal insolvency information
- publicly available credit-related information
- a credit rating or score that is calculated by a CRB (or by us using information from a CRB) and that has a bearing on your credit-worthiness
- administrative information relating to credit provided by us
5.4 How we collect and hold credit-related personal information
We collect credit-related personal information from you (directly or through the operation of your account with us), from CRBs and other credit providers and from other third parties where this is permitted under Part IIIA of the Privacy Act. We may also generate the information ourselves, through our own analyses. The information will be held by us on our customer database, in physical and/or electronic form located in Australia.5.5 Who we disclose credit-related personal information to
We may disclose credit-related personal information to third parties for the purposes outlined above, including to:- CRBs and other credit providers
- our related bodies corporate
- third parties that manage credit applications for us
- debt collectors and credit management agencies
- third parties in connection with the potential assignment of debts, security for credit or purchase of an interest in L&H
- other third parties where required or authorised by law
5.6 The CRBs we use
The CRBs we deal with are not limited to Equifax, Ilion and Experian Australia. Contact details for each, and details about how you can obtain each CRB's privacy policy, are set out below. Equifax Mail: Customer Relations, Equifax, PO Box 964, North Sydney, NSW, 2059 Email: SubscriberAssist.au@equifax.com Phone: 13 83 32 Privacy Policy: Available at www.mycreditfile.com.au. Ilion Mail: Ilion Public Access Centre, Ilion, PO Box 7405, St Kilda Rd VIC 3004 Email: pacaustral@ilion.com.au Phone: 1300 734 806 Privacy Policy: Available at www.checkyourcredit.com.au. Experian Australia Credit Services Pty Ltd Mail: Privacy Manager, Experian Australia, PO Box 1969, North Sydney, NSW, 2060 Email: creditreport@au.experian.com.au Phone: 1300 783 684 Privacy Policy: Available at www.experian.com.au.5.7 Your rights in relation to CRBs
(a) Pre-screening for direct marketing
Credit providers can ask CRBs to use your credit reporting information to "pre-screen" marketing lists for the credit provider. You can tell CRBs not to use your credit reporting information for this purpose by contacting them (details above).(b) Victims of fraud
If you think you have been, or are likely to be, a victim of fraud (including identity fraud), you can contact the CRB (details above) and ask them to put a ban on using or disclosing your credit reporting information.5.8 Access and correction of credit eligibility information
You have the right to access and correct the credit-related personal information that we hold about you. If you wish to make an access or correction request, please refer to heading 8.5.9 Complaints about credit-related personal information
If you have a complaint about our handling of credit-related personal information, please refer to heading 9.6. Cross border disclosure of personal information
We may disclose personal information to third parties located overseas in the following locations:- France
- Hong Kong
7. Data quality and security
7.1 General
We hold personal information in a number of ways, including in hard copy documents, electronic databases, email contact lists, and in paper files held in drawers and cabinets. Paper files may also be archived in boxes and stored offsite in secure facilities. We take reasonable steps to:- make sure that the personal information that we collect, use and disclose is accurate, up to date and complete and (in the case of use and disclosure) relevant;
- protect the personal information that we hold from misuse, interference and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure; and
- destroy or permanently de-identify personal information that is no longer needed for any purpose that is permitted by the Australian Privacy Principles (“APPs”).
