Information Access & Privacy

• Information Access Policy
• Information Privacy Policy
• Procedures & Application forms

About Us Contact Us Agreements & Awards Appeals & Grievances Careers in the NTPS Code of Conduct Commissioner's Bulletins Equity, Diversity & Flexibility Indigenous Employment Legislation NTPS Staffing Numbers NTPS Wages Policy Pay & Conditions People Management Professional Incentives Rates of Pay Remote Workforce Workforce Development Related Links Feedback

Policy Statement

The Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment respects the privacy of individuals in accordance with the Northern Territory Information Act 2002. The Act establishes Ten Information Privacy Principles to govern the collection, use, storage and management of personal information by NT Government Agencies.

The Officeis committed to collecting, using, storing and managing personal information in a manner that complies with the Information Privacy Principles. The Office undertakes to protect such information from unauthorised access and disclosure and to hold such information for only that period of time that it is required by the legislation, business needs, or historical or cultural reasons associated with the function for which the information is collected. The Office will take reasonable steps to correct personal information if appropriate.

Legislative Framework

Northern Territory Information Act 2002
Northern Territory Government Records and Archives Management Standards
Public Sector Employment and Management Act
Public Sector Employment and Management Regulations
Public Sector Employment and Management Employment Instructions

Back to top 

Related Policies

The OCPE Information Access Policy

Back to top 

Principles

Collection | Storage and Security | Use and Disclosure
Access and Correction

1. Collection
The OCPE will only collect personal information necessary for, or directly related to, its activities and functions and only by fair and lawful means. The OCPE will at all times endeavour to only obtain personal information about an individual directly from the individual. When collecting personal information the OCPE will ensure that a person is aware of:

• The purpose for which information is being collected;
• To whom the information could be disclosed;
• Our Office's correct name and address/contact details;
• The fact that the individual is able to have access to the information;
• Any law authorising the collection, and
• The consequences (if any) for the individual if all or part of the information is not provided.

The OCPE delivers a wide range of programs to support the strategic workforce development and human resource management of the Northern Territory Public Sector and its' employees and for the advice and administration of the annual, long service leave and public holidays acts affecting non-award employees throughout the NT private sector.

This may involve the collection of personal information from individuals, other agencies and stakeholders.

Personal information is collected by us in order to:

• Assess and effectively determine and administer employment conditions (ie. in accordance with the Public Sector Employment and Management Act and subordinate legislation, Long Service Leave Act, Annual Leave Act, Public Holidays Act, Enterprise Agreements and Awards)
• Establish governance structures, committees and boards relating to employment services and workforce management matters;
• Establish and administer committees, boards and tribunals as required by legislation;
• Conduct research for the purposes of providing data and developing policies for workforce development and employment services;
• Provide information about up and coming events;
• Provide a library borrowing service to participants of executive and leadership development programs coordinated by OCPE;
• Administer the employment, development and management of OCPE personnel and volunteers and consultants.

The OCPE will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information it collects, uses or discloses is accurate, complete and up to date.

The OCPE may collect sensitive information if the collection is necessary for research or statistical purposes, is relevant to a persons employment related matters, or limited to any other purpose as stated in the Information Act.

Back to top

2. Storage and Security
The OCPE has possession of personal information and will ensure that there are safeguards in place to protect against misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. The OCPE will also take reasonable steps to de-identify personal information as it is no longer required.

Back to top

3. Use and Disclosure
The OCPE undertakes to use personal information for the primary purpose for which it was acquired, or for related secondary purposes. Reasonable steps will be taken to acquire a person's consent before disclosure of the information to third parties. However, the OCPE may use or disclose personal information for any other purpose if it is required by law or believed necessary to prevent a threat to an individual's or the publics' health and safety.

The OCPE will ensure that any information sent outside the Northern Territory is sent only to recipients who will protect privacy under standards similar to the Northern Territory Information Privacy Principles.

If clients do not wish to consent to the OCPE using their personal information as outlined in this section, and there is no legal reason that requires this use, they may request that agency not to use their information in this manner.

Back to top

Requests should be directed to:

Director Corporate Management
Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment
GPO Box 4371
Darwin NT 0801

The OCPE assumes that people have consented for their information to be used and disclosed for the purposes such as:

• For use in mail, email and telephone contact lists to receive information about the Office's programs and initiatives, where these are relevant to the reasons why those people provided information to the OCPE
• To comply with the requirements of legislation under which the OCPE administers employment services
• To provide advice to the OCPE's Minister about matters related to the reasons why those people provided the information to the agency, and for correspondence from the Minister in relation to these matters
• For surveys or inquiries to establish or gain information from clients about the effectiveness and/or satisfaction with services provided by the OCPE
• To allow the OCPE to effectively communicate with individuals in relation to their dealings with this agency
• To refer matters to other NT Government agencies where clients have specifically requested services from those agencies, or where the involvement of an other agency is necessary to determine or respond to an employment related matter
• To comply with the requirements of the law, or of a law enforcement agency, as established in the IPPs.

4. Access and Correction
The OCPE will undertake to provide access to any personal information requested under the Act and will endeavour to meet requests to correct any information that is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date. Rights of access and correction are limited to existing rights under the Information Act and in accordance with OCPE's Information Access Policy.

Application forms to seek access to personal information, and to seek the correction of personal information, are available from www.nt.gov.au/ocpe.

Back to top