Vipassana Meditation in Australia

This Internet Privacy Statement applies to the web sites that are owned or operated by each of the following organisations (“the Centre“, “we” and “our”) under the following domain names:

Organisation	ABN	Web Site Name	Domain Name
Vipassana Meditation Centre Limited	12 002 063 229	www.bhumi.dhamma.org	bhumi.dhamma.org
Vipassana Centre Queensland	29 679 061 134	www.rasmi.dhamma.org/	rasmi.dhamma.org
S.A Vipassana Meditation Association Inc	68 920 286 393	www.ujjala.dhamma.org/	ujjala.dhamma.org
Vipassana Meditation Victoria Pty Ltd	17 007 543 609	www.aloka.dhamma.org/	aloka.dhamma.org
Vipassana Meditation Centre Tasmania Charitable Trust	70 041 159 641	www.pabha.dhamma.org/	pabha.dhamma.org/
Vipassana Charitable Foundation of Western Australia	47 213 759 824	www.padipa.dhamma.org/	padipa.dhamma.org/

Note: This Internet Privacy Statement should be read in conjunction with the Centre’s Privacy Policy Statement.

These web sites are owned and operated respectively by the Centres listed in the “Organisation” column above, which are committed to protecting the privacy of Internet users. Whilst the Centre strives to deliver better services that meet your present and future needs, the Centre also appreciates the uncertainty that comes with interacting in a constantly changing environment. We are sensitive to the concerns that our users may have with regards to the confidentiality, security and use of their personal information via our web sites, and would like to reassure you of our position on this matter.

The Centre encourages you to check the Centre’s Internet Privacy Statement regularly as this privacy statement may change from time to time. If you have any suggestions or concerns that are not addressed in this privacy statement, please contact us.

Aside from the contents of this statement, the Centre’s conduct in the online environment is also governed by a number of statutory and non-statutory policies as part of the telecommunications industry, and our corporate privacy principles.

The National Privacy Principles contained in Schedule 3 of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth);
Laws and codes regulating and protecting Internet content;

The Centre also has its own policies and procedures designed to ensure that personal information is protected.

The Centre operates in accordance with corporate privacy principles that reflect the intention of the National Privacy Principles (NPP’s) and are summarised in our Privacy Policy Statement.

The types of personal information that we collect from you will depend on how you interact with the Centre’s web sites. This section will explain.

Some of the web sites owned and operated by the Centre may use cookies. Cookies are pieces of information that a website can transfer to an individual's computer hard drive for tracking user navigation (site usage) and customising site information to further improve the user experience. Cookies can make using the Centre’s websites easier, for example by storing information about your preferences on a particular website. This will enable you to take full advantage of the services that the Centre sites offer. The use of cookies is an industry standard and you'll find most major websites use them.

Most Internet browsers are pre-set to accept cookies. However, if you are concerned about the use of cookies you do have the option to opt-out and refuse the transfer of cookies to your computer's hard drive. If you prefer not to receive cookies, you can adjust your Internet browser to refuse cookies or to warn you when cookies are being used. If you need further assistance to modify the cookie arrangement on your PC, please contact the company that produces your browser.

When you submit forms on any of our sites, we will collect details such as your name, address and other details of personal information. This information is necessary for us to be able to identify you accurately so that we may be able to respond to your requests. Other types of information, are collected to help us profile who is using the services and what their needs are.
In general, you may be asked to provide the Centre with personally identifiable information when you:

Send us your comments or suggestions
Seek enrolment in a course
Register with a site
Enter/Update your listing details
Request the Centre to provide you with services information

We value your trust in our web sites and, in all cases, your information will be held in the strictest confidence. For extra protection we may have processes in place so that, whenever a page is requested from our web site, we record the time, date and URL of the request, along with information on the browser software that is being used, such as, the operating system and Internet address of the user.

In all cases, the primary purpose in gathering information on our web site users is to gain a better understanding of your needs and wants, and develop new and innovative solutions.

Users are not required to register to access the public areas of the Centre’s web sites. However, registration for a course will require the user to disclose more personal information.
Our commitment is to provide you with the opportunity to 'opt-out' of any further contact by the Centre, and to access or correct any information you have submitted online to the Centre or any one of its affiliate sites.

Any personal information that you submit to our web sites is held in the strictest confidence. The Centre uses and implements industry standards for the security and protection of information collected from its users. This information is securely stored and access is restricted to authorised Centre personnel only, ensuring that your personal information is protected and safeguarded in accordance with Privacy Principle 4: Data Security. The information you submit to the Centre is used only for the purpose stipulated at the time that the information is collected. The Centre does not to reveal, disclose, sell, distribute, rent, licence, share or pass on to any third parties, any personal information that you may have provided to us.

Where there are reasonable grounds to believe that disclosure is necessary to prevent a threat to life or health; and
Where the Centre is required to provide information in response to proper legal demands, orders and process.

In some circumstances, it may be necessary to transmit your personal data to locations outside Australia in countries whose privacy laws either, do not exist at all, or are of an inferior standard to the Privacy Laws existing in Australia. In such circumstances, the Centre adheres to the Centre’s Privacy Principle 9.

The information we gather when you use the Centre sites enables us to serve you better. The data that are gathered may also be aggregated for analysis by the Centre in a de-identified format. We use the information that you submit via an online form from any of the Centre web sites to enable us to assess the suitability of our services to your needs, and in any of the following ways:

To make changes to your profile at your request
To register information at your request
To personalise our response to, your submission or inquiry

We will only record your e-mail address if you send us a message. The information that you provide will only be used for the purpose for which you have provided it, as outlined above. Your personal identifiable information will not be used for any other purpose, and we will not disclose it without your consent.

The safety of children is very important to us. Children under the age of 16 should have a parent or guardian verify their registration on web sites and the submission of online forms. Whilst the Centre will make every reasonable effort to ensure that children's privacy and other rights are not compromised, it is ultimately the responsibility of parents or guardians to monitor their children's Internet usage. Children should always ask a parent before sending any transmission over the Internet.

The Centre acknowledges that you may occasionally click-through to third party sites from our sites, and thus recommends that you refer to the privacy statement of the sites you visit. the Centre’s Internet Privacy Statement is applicable to all the Centre sites (listed in full above), and the Centre assumes no responsibility for information and content of third party sites.

Remember to close your browser when you have finished your user session. This ensures that others cannot access your personal information if you share a computer with someone else or are using a computer in a public place, such as a library or Internet cafe.
Be aware that whenever you voluntarily disclose personal information over the Internet that there is a danger that this information can be collected and used by others. In short, if you post personal information over insecure networks its privacy cannot be guaranteed.

Should you have any further related enquiries in respect of your privacy, please contact our Privacy Officer at one of the following addresses: