GROUPMATE PTY LTD – PRIVACY POLICY

GroupMate Pty Ltd (ABN 57 692 862 347) (we, us or our) is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use and protect your personal information. It applies to all personal information we handle, whether we collect it through our website, in person, or through other means.

1. Quick Overview

We collect information you provide to us and information we gather when we interact with you.
We use this information to provide our services and improve your experience.
We protect your information using secure systems and processes.
You have rights regarding your personal information, including access and correction rights.

2. Information We Collect

Basic Identifying and Contact Details

If you're a student: name and your parents' names.
If you're a teacher: name, email address, school's name.
If you're a school administrator: name, email address, phone number, school's name.
If you contact us through our website: full name, phone number, school, email address.
Professional details.
Your school’s name.

Service Related Information

If you’re a student: we also collect trip (excursion) records, including your location during a trip, and your messages or calls with your school’s teachers or staff through our app.
If you’re a teacher: we also collect records of your messages, notifications, and calls with students during a trip through our app.
If you’re a parent/guardian: we also collect records of permission slips that have been sent to you by your child’s school through our app.
If you’re a school: we also collect payment and transaction details for products and services you've purchased from us.
Your preferences for our services and your marketing preferences.
Feedback and survey responses.

Digital Information

IP address and general location information derived from your IP address.
Search and browsing behaviour.
Website usage patterns.
Cookie preferences.

Professional Information (for Job Applicants and Workers)

Employment history.
Professional experience.
Required authorisations and licences.
Professional registrations.

3. How We Collect Personal Information

Directly from you: when you interact with us, contact us, fill out forms.
From your school: when your school asks us to supply our app and other services to it.
Automatically when you: join a trip by scanning the QR code on our app, visit our website, use our technologies, interact with our online services.
From third parties: service providers, business partners, public sources, government organisations and organisations or people authorised by you.

4. Why We Collect, Hold, Use and Disclose Personal Information

We collect and use your personal information to run our business and provide our services as set out below.

Business Operations

To manage our relationship with you as a customer or supplier.
To process and deliver our products and services.
To handle your inquiries, support requests, and communications.
To maintain accurate records for billing and administration.
To verify your identity when required or permitted by law.

Communication and Support

To respond to your questions and support requests.
To communicate important updates about our services.
To handle inquiries made through our website or platforms.
To manage your participation in surveys, feedback sessions, or events.

Service Improvement

To conduct analytics and market research.
To improve our business operations and services.
To develop and enhance our applications and platforms.
To understand how our services are used.

Marketing and Promotions

To send you promotional information about our services and events.
To inform you about products or services that may interest you.
To manage your marketing preferences.
To run competitions, promotions, and special offers.
To provide additional benefits to our customers.

Employment Purposes

To assess employment applications.
To evaluate candidate qualifications.
To manage professional certifications and licences.
To maintain employment records.

Legal and Compliance

To comply with our legal obligations.
To assist with student safety.
To respond to court orders or legal processes.
To maintain required business records.
To fulfill regulatory requirements or reporting obligations.
To protect our legal rights and interests or as authorised by law.

5. Our Disclosures of Personal Information to Third Parties

We may disclose personal information to:

Service Providers

IT service providers.
Data storage providers.
Web hosting and server providers.
Payment processors.
Marketing and advertising providers.
Analytics providers.

Professional Advisers

Bankers.
Auditors.
Insurers and insurance brokers.
Legal advisers.

Business Partners

Our existing or potential agents.
Our business partners or contractors.

Corporate Transactions

If we merge with or are acquired by another company, or sell our business assets:

Your information may be disclosed to our advisers.
Your information may be disclosed to the potential purchaser's advisers.
Your information may be included in the transferred assets.

Legal and Regulatory Bodies

Courts and tribunals.
Regulatory authorities including as required for reporting obligations.
Law enforcement officers.

Other Parties

Third parties you have authorised.
Emergency services when necessary.
Any other parties as required or permitted by law.

6. Overseas Disclosure

Storage and Access

We store your personal information in Australia. If our practices change and we ever disclose overseas or use service providers overseas, we will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the recipient treats your information in accordance with applicable law by only sending what is necessary, requiring recipients to protect your information through contractual agreements which require the recipient to comply with the privacy standards in applicable law or through other mechanisms that provide comparable safeguards and by monitoring how recipients handle your information.

7. Your Privacy Rights and Choices

Providing Information

You can choose whether to provide personal information to us, however, if you don't provide certain information, we may not be able to provide some services. Let us know if you don't want to provide information and we will let you know when information is required versus optional.

Access to Your Information

You can request access to the personal information we hold about you and we will respond to your request within a reasonable time. We may charge a reasonable administrative fee for providing access and if we cannot provide access, we will explain why and explore alternative ways to share relevant information.

Correction Rights

You can ask us to correct any information that is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading and we will take reasonable steps to correct your information promptly. If we cannot make the correction, we will explain why and discuss alternatives. You can ask us to add a statement to your information noting your requested correction.

Marketing Communications

You can opt-out of receiving marketing communications at any time. Each marketing communication will include an unsubscribe option. You can change your marketing preferences by contacting us. We will process your request as soon as practicable.

8. How to contact us about your rights or to make a complaint and what happens next

Step 1: Contact Our Privacy Officer

Email: Enquiries@GroupMate.com.au
Phone: 0400 627 332
Post: 28 Venus Street, Narangba, Queensland, 4504

What to include: Your full name, contact details, clear details about your request or complaint, and any relevant dates or reference numbers.

Step 2: Our Response

We will:

Verify your identity before processing your request.
Investigate thoroughly (for complaints) or process your request (for rights).
Respond to you in writing within reasonable timeframes.
Explain what actions we will take and keep you updated on progress.
Not charge you for making a request (except for reasonable access fees if applicable).
Help you understand and exercise your rights.

Step 3: If You're Not Satisfied (Complaints Only)

If you're not satisfied with our response to your complaint, you can:

Ask for a review by our senior management, or
Contact external bodies: Australian residents: Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (Phone: 1300 363 992, Website: www.oaic.gov.au)

This is the same process whether you want to access your information, correct mistakes, change marketing preferences, or make a complaint about our privacy practices.

9. Protecting Your Information

We use multiple layers of security to protect your information.

Technical Safeguards

Enterprise-grade encryption for data storage and transmission.
Regular security testing and monitoring.
Automated threat detection systems.

Operational Security

Regular security audits and incident response procedures testing.

Physical Security

Secure disposal of physical documents.
Equipment security protocols.

Public Information

Please note that any information you choose to share publicly on online platforms (such as comments or reviews) can be accessed and used by others. We cannot control or protect information that you make publicly available.

10. How Long We Keep Your Information

We keep your personal information only as long as we need it for the purposes we collected it, or as required by law. When we no longer need it, we securely destroy or de-identify it. We usually erase excursion-related data within two weeks.

11. Cookies and Analytics

What We Use

We use cookies, tracking pixels, and similar technologies on our website and in our emails to improve your experience and our services.

Cookies

Small text files stored on your device.
Help remember your preferences.
Enable certain website functions.
Make your interactions with our website more efficient.

Tracking Pixels

Tiny, invisible images in web pages and emails.
Help us understand how you interact with our content.
Allow us to measure email engagement.
Enable more relevant content delivery.

How We Use These Technologies

Essential Functions

Remember your login status.
Maintain your session security.
Store your preferences.
Enable core website features.

Analytics and Performance

Understand how our website is used.
Measure page views and traffic.
Analyse user navigation patterns.
Identify areas for improvement.

Personalisation

Remember your preferences.
Tailor content to your interests.
Improve your browsing experience.
Provide relevant recommendations.

Your Control

You can manage these technologies by:

Adjusting your browser settings to block or delete cookies.
Using privacy-focused browser extensions.
Configuring your email client to block images.
Using our cookie preference settings.

Note: Blocking all cookies may affect website functionality and your user experience.

Google Analytics

We may use Google Analytics to understand how people use our website. This involves cookies that collect information about your browsing activity. If relevant, you can opt out of Google's advertising features through your Google account settings, browser add-ons, or your device's privacy settings. Google provides various tools and options to control how your data is used for advertising purposes. You can learn more about how Google uses your data and your available options on Google's privacy pages.

Meta Advertising Tools

We may use Meta's advertising tools (such as Meta Pixel) to understand how our ads perform and to show you more relevant advertisements on Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram when you visit our website or app. If relevant, you can manage whether we connect information from our website with your Meta account for advertising purposes by adjusting your settings within your Meta account preferences.

12. Use of Location Services Data

We collect your precise location via our mobile application to enable teachers and school staff to view your location in real-time when you are on a trip with them.

We collect this information when you have connected your app to a school's trip group by scanning the QR code on your teacher's device. When our mobile application is open (whether on-screen or not). If you do not want us to use your location for the purposes above, you should turn off the location services in your mobile phone settings. If you do not provide geolocation data to us, it may affect our ability to work with your school as a customer of our business.

13. Amendments

We may update this policy at any time by posting the revised version on our website. We recommend that you review our website regularly to stay current with any policy changes.