Privacy Policy

1. What this policy covers

This policy applies to personal information handled through www.fingalbeachslsc.org.au, including information submitted through the Club's online contact form and technical information generated when the website is used.

Some Club activities, including membership systems and services provided through external organisations, may be governed by separate privacy arrangements. Where this website links to an external service, you should also review that service's privacy information.

2. Information we may collect

Depending on how you use the website, we may collect:

• your name, email address and other contact details you choose to provide;
• the enquiry category and message you submit through the contact form;
• information you voluntarily include in correspondence with the Club;
• standard server and security logs, which may include an IP address, request time, requested page, browser information and related technical data.

Please do not include sensitive personal information in a general website enquiry unless it is necessary for us to deal with the matter.

3. How we collect and use information

We primarily collect information directly from you when you submit a form, send us an email or otherwise contact the Club. Technical information may also be generated automatically when your browser requests pages or website services.

We use website-related information to:

• respond to and appropriately route enquiries within the Club;
• operate, secure, maintain and troubleshoot the website;
• keep appropriate records of correspondence; and
• meet applicable legal, safety or governance requirements.

4. Contact form and enquiries

Information submitted through the contact form is used to respond to your enquiry and may be directed to the Club officer or volunteer responsible for the subject you selected. This may include areas such as membership, Nippers, education, surf sports, sponsorship, member protection or child safety.

We only ask for information reasonably needed to understand and respond to the enquiry. The website is not intended as an emergency reporting service.

The contact form also uses privacy-preserving anti-abuse controls, including a hidden bot-detection field, a form-completion timing check and limited rate-control data. These controls are used only to protect the form and are not used for advertising or profiling.

5. Children and young people

The Club provides programs for children and young people, including Nippers. The public website is not intended to collect personal information directly from children through general enquiries. Enquiries concerning a child or junior member should ordinarily be made by a parent, guardian or responsible adult. Where information relating to a child is collected, the Club will take reasonable steps appropriate to the circumstances to protect that information and involve a parent or guardian where appropriate.

6. Website analytics, cookies and local storage

The website uses local browser storage for functional purposes, including temporarily caching weather, beach-condition and public calendar data to improve performance and avoid unnecessary repeat requests.

The website does not currently operate an analytics service or use analytics cookies. It does not use advertising pixels, behavioural advertising cookies or cross-site marketing trackers. If analytics are introduced in future, the Club will update its public information and implement any required privacy controls before loading that service.

See our Cookies & Local Storage Policy for more information about functional browser storage and external website services.

7. Weather and external website services

The website displays weather, marine, water-quality, calendar and Club-announcement information using external data sources and Club-operated website services. Depending on the feature used, your browser may connect to Open-Meteo, Google Maps, Facebook-hosted media or Club services hosted through Google Apps Script. A provider receiving a direct browser request receives technical information normally associated with an internet request, such as your IP address, browser information and the requested resource.

External links and services have their own privacy practices. We encourage you to review the privacy information of a third-party service if you choose to use it.

8. Disclosure and service providers

We may disclose information to Club officers, authorised volunteers and service providers where reasonably necessary to operate the website, respond to an enquiry or perform Club functions. We may also disclose information where required or authorised by law, or where reasonably necessary for safety, security or law-enforcement purposes.

Some technology or service providers may process information outside Australia. Where this occurs, the Club will take reasonable steps appropriate to the service and any applicable legal obligations. We will update this policy where our regular website information flows materially change.

9. Security and retention

We take reasonable steps to protect information we hold from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Access is limited to people who require it for an authorised purpose.

Information is retained only for as long as reasonably required for the purpose for which it was collected, Club record-keeping, dispute resolution, safety or applicable legal requirements. When information is no longer required, reasonable steps are taken to delete, destroy or de-identify it where appropriate.

10. Access, correction and privacy concerns

You may contact the Club if you would like to ask what personal information we hold about you, request a correction, or raise a concern about how information has been handled. Any access request may be subject to applicable law and the privacy rights of other people.

We will consider privacy enquiries and complaints in a reasonable timeframe and explain our response where appropriate.

11. Contact us

Depending on the circumstances and the privacy law that applies, you may also be able to raise a privacy complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when website functions, information-handling practices or applicable requirements change. The current version will be published on this page with an updated date.