Privacy Policy — Forensic Engineering Society of Australia (FESA)
1. About This Policy
The Forensic Engineering Society of Australia Inc. (FESA) (ABN 92 626 516 176, Registered Association A0051560P) is committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of our members, event attendees, speakers, and website visitors. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, hold, use, and disclose personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
2. What Personal Information We Collect
Depending on how you interact with FESA, we may collect the following types of personal information:
Contact & Identification Details: Name, title, postal address, email address, and telephone number.
Professional & Membership Details: Employer/firm name, job title, engineering disciplines, qualifications, professional memberships (e.g., Engineers Australia), areas of forensic expertise, and biography details (for membership applications and the Member Directory).
Event & Attendance Information: Registration details for in-person dinners (e.g., at the Auburn Hotel, Hawthorn) and online sessions (e.g., via Google Meet), including dietary requirements or accessibility needs.
Financial & Transaction Information: Membership fee payment records, event ticket purchases, and billing details. (Note: Credit card details are processed securely via third-party payment gateways and are not stored directly on FESA servers).
Website & Technical Data: IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and cookie data collected when you browse https://www.forensicengineering.net.au/ or access the Member Portal.
Communications: Records of inquiries submitted via our website contact form, emails, or event feedback.
Sensitive Information
We generally do not collect sensitive information (such as health data, racial or ethnic origin, or political opinions) unless you voluntarily provide it—for example, dietary allergies or accessibility requirements for an in-person FESA dinner event—and only with your consent.
3. How We Collect Personal Information
We collect personal information directly from you when you:
Apply to become a FESA member or renew your membership;
Update your profile in the Member Portal or opt into the public Member Directory;
Register for an in-person event, dinner, or online presentation;
Submit an inquiry through our website contact form or email us directly; or
Present as a speaker at a FESA event (including recording consent for member-only video archives).
We may also collect information indirectly through third-party service providers used to operate our website, events, and communications (such as Squarespace, Google Meet, or event ticketing platforms).
4. Why We Collect, Hold, and Use Your Information
We collect and use your personal information to:
Administer Membership: Process applications, maintain our statutory register of members (as required under the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 (Vic)), and manage access to the Member Portal and recorded presentations.
Operate the Member Directory: Promote the diverse forensic engineering expertise of our members to legal practitioners, insurers, government bodies, and the wider community (subject to your directory visibility settings).
Deliver Events & Education: Organise monthly technical talks, manage venue catering and dietary needs, and send links for online Google Meet sessions.
Communicate With You: Respond to website inquiries, send event invitations, society newsletters, governance notices, and AGM documentation.
Meet Legal & Governance Obligations: Comply with Victorian incorporated association laws, tax/accounting requirements, and committee governance duties.
5. Disclosure of Personal Information
FESA does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may disclose your information to:
The Public & Industry Stakeholders: Where you are a member who has consented to appear in our online Member Directory.
Service Providers & Venues: Trusted third parties who assist us in operating our society, including website hosting providers (e.g., Squarespace), video conferencing platforms (e.g., Google), payment processors, email distribution services, and event venues (for catering/seating lists).
Committee Members: Elected FESA committee members who require access to administer society functions.
Legal & Regulatory Authorities: Where required or authorised by Australian law.
Overseas Disclosure
Some of our third-party technology providers (such as cloud hosting, email marketing, and Google Workspace/Meet) store or process data on servers located outside Australia (including in the United States). Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure those providers handle your information in a manner consistent with the Australian Privacy Principles.
6. Direct Marketing & Communications
We may use your contact details to send you updates about upcoming FESA talks, networking dinners, and society news. You can opt out of non-essential communications at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in our emails or by contacting us at fesa@forensicengineering.net.au. (Note: As a member, you will still receive essential administrative and statutory governance notices).
7. Security and Retention of Information
We take reasonable physical, technical, and administrative steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, and unauthorised access or disclosure. These measures include password-protected member portals, encrypted website connections (SSL/TLS), and restricted administrative access.
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy or as required by Victorian association and Australian taxation laws. When no longer required, information is securely destroyed or de-identified.
8. Cookies and Website Analytics
Our website (https://www.forensicengineering.net.au/) uses cookies and similar technologies to ensure basic site functionality, manage Member Portal logins, and understand website traffic. You can adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies, though doing so may affect your ability to log into the Member Portal.
9. Accessing and Correcting Your Personal Information
Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you and to request corrections if it is inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, or irrelevant.
Members: You can view and update much of your profile directly through the FESA Member Portal.
All Individuals: You may request access or correction by emailing our Secretary/Privacy Officer at fesa@forensicengineering.net.au. We will respond within a reasonable period (usually within 30 days) and do not charge a fee for making a request.
10. Privacy Complaints and Enquiries
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, or if you believe FESA has breached the Australian Privacy Principles, please contact us first so we can investigate and resolve your concern:
Attention: The Secretary
Organisation: Forensic Engineering Society of Australia Inc.
Address: 116 Stokes Street, Port Melbourne VIC 3207
We will acknowledge your complaint promptly and aim to provide a formal response within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):
Website: www.oaic.gov.au
Phone: 1300 363 992
Post: GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our operations or legal obligations. The current version will always be published on our website at [https://www.forensicengineering.net.au/