COTA NT (also known as Council on the Ageing NT) is the peak body for Seniors in the Northern Territory advocating for their rights and wellbeing since 1969
COTA NT (“we”, “us”, “our”) is dedicated to protecting the privacy of our members, volunteers, service users and website visitors. We operate in compliance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). This policy details how we collect, hold, use, and disclose your personal information through our website and organizational functions.
2. Information We Collect
We only collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for our core advocacy, support and community services:
Demographic Data: Age range, location and language spoken.
Membership Details: Membership number, type (Individual/Joint/Associate), and financial status.
Sensitive Information: In limited instances, with your explicit consent, we may collect information regarding cultural background, health status, or lived experience to support our systemic advocacy or specialised aged care consultations.
Technical Data: IP address, browser type, cookies and website interaction metrics.
3. How We Collect Your Information
We collect data through transparent and lawful methods, including when you:
Apply for or renew a COTA NT membership.
Submit a form via our website (e.g., enquiry, feedback or publication requests).
Register for events or expos (e.g., Seniors Expo).
Reach out to our Aged Care Navigators or Home Maintenance Scheme.
Subscribe to our newsletters.
4. How We Use Your Information
We process your personal information strictly to fulfill our mission as the peak body for senior Territorians, including to:
Deliver member benefits, resources and administrative notifications.
Respond directly to your enquiries and support service requests.
Send tailored updates, digital editions of Seniors Voice, and event alerts.
Aggregate non-identifiable data for community research and government advocacy.
Improve website performance and secure our digital infrastructure.
5. Information Sharing and Disclosure
We never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third-party companies for marketing purposes. To deliver our services, we securely share minimal required data with trusted platforms:
Member & Email Management (MemberWizard): We use MemberWizard to manage our membership database and distribute digital communications, including our newsletters. Your contact details are stored securely within MemberWizard and are subject to their privacy guidelines.
Online Payment Processing (Stripe): When you pay for memberships or make donations online, your financial details are processed securely by Stripe. COTA NT does not view, capture, or store your credit card or bank account details. Your payment information is collected directly by Stripe and is subject to the Stripe Privacy Policy.
Legal Obligations: We will only disclose your details without consent if required or authorized to do so by an Australian law or court order.
6. Website Tracking and Cookies (Google Analytics)
Our website uses cookies and Google Analytics to monitor visitor behavior and optimize site performance.
Data Collected: This includes data on how you arrived at our site, pages visited, and time spent on the platform.
Anonymity: This data is aggregated and does not personally identify individual users.
Opt-Out: You can control or block cookies by adjusting your internet browser settings or using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
7. Data Security
We take all reasonable steps to safeguard your personal data against unauthorized access, loss, or misuse:
Online Transactions: All online data transmissions, including membership forms and Stripe payment sessions, are secured using industry-standard SSL/TLS encryption.
Digital Records: General personal data is stored on secure, password-protected cloud servers and local systems with restricted staff access.
Physical Records: Kept secure in locked filing systems at our local office premises.
Destruction: Data is securely destroyed or permanently de-identified once it is no longer required or mandated by law to be retained.
8. Your Rights: Access, Correction, and Opt-Out
You hold full control over your personal data:
Access & Correct: You can request to view or correct the personal data we hold about you at any time by reaching out to us.
Opt-Out: You can unsubscribe from our newsletters or membership lists instantly by clicking the “unsubscribe” link inside our MemberWizard emails, or by requesting total removal from our active databases.
9. Third-Party Links
Our website links out to external resources, partners, and government channels. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or data handling rules of those external entities. We advise reviewing their individual privacy statements.
10. Complaints and Contact Information
If you have questions, wish to access your data, or want to register a privacy complaint, please connect with our Chief Executive Officer:
We aim to acknowledge all privacy complaints within 5 business days and provide a formal response within 30 days. If you are unsatisfied with our handling of your complaint, you can bring the matter directly to the attention of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
