Privacy policy

Ainsworth Accounting Solutions respects the privacy rights of our clients and other organisations with whom we deal (“you”). We are committed to complying with all applicable privacy laws including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and Australian Privacy Principles.  Ainsworth Accounting Solutions believes that the responsible use of personal information collected on its Web site is valuable to its business objectives and reputation being maintained. As part of our commitment to your privacy, we have adopted this Online Privacy Statement.

Ainsworth Accounting Solutions recognises its responsibility for protecting the online privacy of your personal information. If you have questions or comments about our administration of your personal information, please contact us.

You should also use this address to communicate any concerns you may have regarding compliance with our Online Privacy Policy.

Confidentiality

We will take all reasonable steps to keep confidential all confidential information you disclose to us as part of our engagement, except where you permit us to disclose it or where we are required to disclose it by law, by regulatory bodies, by our insurers or as part of a quality review.

Our files may be subject to review as part of the quality control review program of CA ANZ which monitors compliance with professional standards by its members. Byaccepting our engagement you acknowledge that, if requested, our files relating to this engagement will be made available under this program. Should this occur, we will advise you.

We reserve the right, for the purpose of promotional activity, training or for similar business purpose, to mention that you are a client. As stated above we will not disclose any confidential information.

Data protection

Where you disclose personal information regarding a third party (including your directors and employees), you confirm that you have complied with the Privacy Act 1998 (Cth), including that the personal information was lawfully collected, that you are entitled to disclose the personal information to us, and that we may use and disclose the personal information in the course of providing our services to you.

We will comply with the provisions of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles when processing personal data about you, your directors and employees and your family.

In order to carry out the services of this engagement and for related purposes such as updating and enhancing our client records, analysis for management purposes and statutory returns, legal and regulatory compliance and crime prevention we may obtain, process, use and disclose personal data about you.

Limitation of liability

We will provide our services with reasonable care and skill. Our liability to you is limited to losses, damages, costs and expenses directly caused by our negligence or wilful default.

Our liability may also be limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation. Further information on schemes is available from the Professional Standards Councils’ website. 

What personal information do we collect

We only collect personal information necessary to manage our relationship with you, administer the products and/or services you request, notify you about our products and services and to comply with applicable Laws. Information collected is only used and disclosed in a manner consistent with applicable Laws and this privacy policy. Some of the information we collect about you is required or permitted by the Corporations Act and superannuation and taxation legislation.

The personal information we may collect, hold and/or use about you will depend on the type of product/service you request. Examples of personal information we may collect include, but are not limited to:

  • Personal identification and contact details;
  • Banking, payment and contribution details;
  • Tax file & Medicare numbers;
  • Records of service contacts;
  • Financial situation, needs and objectives;
  • Employment details and history; and
  • any other personal information which is either required to acquire a product or service or needed during the lifecycle of that product or service.

We will only collect, maintain and use personal information about you if it is necessary for us to adequately provide you the products and services you have requested, provide you with information about other products and services offered by Ainsworth Accounting Solutions, or to meet our obligations under applicable Laws (e.g. the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorist Financing Act (2006) (AML Act).

We will at all times seek to ensure that the personal information collected and held by us is protected from misuse, loss, unauthorised access and disclosure. Additional privacy measures are employed to protect sensitive information.

You have the right not to disclose your personal information to us. However, this may limit our ability to provide you with the products and services you have requested.

Where you provide us with unsolicited personal or sensitive information which we do not require to deliver products and services to you (for example on a phone call that is recorded), such information will be subject to our normal security arrangements for client information. Where reasonable to do so, we will not hold unsolicited personal or sensitive information we do not require, however often we are unable to delete such information, particularly where it forms part of correspondence, phone records or other interactions that we do need to retain. Deletion in such circumstances is generally not reasonable or practicable.

Personal information records are held for a period considered appropriate to provide you with the product/service you require and consistent with applicable Laws and the Privacy Act. Should you cease to be a client of Ainsworth Accounting Solutions, any personal information which we hold about you will be maintained for the relevant periods required by Law.

Ownership of documents

All original documents that we obtain from you arising from the engagement remain your property. However, you agree that we may make a reasonable number of copies of the original documents for our records and to provide the services to you.

We retain all copyright in any document prepared by us during the course of carrying out the engagement for you, save for where the law specifically provides otherwise.

Insofar as we are permitted to do so by law or professional guidelines, we reserve the right to exercise a lien over all funds, documents and records in our possession relating to all engagements for you until all outstanding fees and disbursements are paid to us in full.

Privacy enquiries and complaints

If you have an enquiry or complaint about our information handling practices, please contact us by calling 0405 442 626.