Introduction

1.1 Melbourne Writers Festival (MWF) is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy outlines how we manage the use, disclosure and protection of your personal information.

1.2 We collect your personal information when you become a subscriber, guest or business partner, or request information about the Festival.

1.3 Please read this Policy carefully. By using our website, you consent to us collecting, using, disclosing and handling your personal information as described by this Policy, and agree to abide by the terms and conditions contained within this Policy.

1.4 The policy is subject to change from time to time. We may amend it at any time without notice. You should review this Policy from time to time. Your continued use of this website constitutes an agreement by you to be bound by this Policy, as amended.

Explanation of terms

1.1 ‘Privacy policy’ means this policy.

1.2 ‘Personal information’ means information or an opinion (including information or an opinion forming part of a database), whether true or not, and whether recorded in a material form or not, about an individual whose identity is apparent, or can reasonably be ascertained, from the information or opinion.

1.3 ‘We’ means Melbourne Writers Festival.

1.4 ‘You’ means the user of this website.

Collection of personal information

1.1 We mainly collect personal information through our ticketing website (for example, when you purchase tickets or create an account with us), although personal information may also be collected from you in person, in writing, by telephone, when you download our mobile applications or make a donation. We may also collect information about you if you connect with social media (eg. Facebook, Twitter), subscribe to a blog, e-bulletin, make a comment on our webpage or provide information via other electronic means.

1.2 Depending on the situation, we may collect the following information about you:
       1.2.1 your name and contact details (including phone numbers, address and email);
       1.2.2 your company details;
       1.2.3 payment information (such as credit card or banking details);
       1.2.4 interests in particular topics, writers or subject matter areas;
       1.2.5 comments you have made, or various views on particular topics (which have been posted on our website).

1.3 Wherever practicable, we will ask you for personal information directly. However, there may be circumstances where we collect personal information about you from other individuals, including but not limited to friends, associates or other third parties who provide information about you (for example, if they subscribe to a service on your behalf).

1.4 When you visit our website our internet service provider makes a record of your visit and logs the following information for statistical purposes:
      1.4.1 
               1.4.1.1 your server’s IP address;
               1.4.1.2 your top level domain name (for example .com .gov, .au, .uk etc);
               1.4.1.3 the pages you accessed and the documents downloaded;

the previous site you have visited; and 

     1.4.1 the type of browser you are using.

1.5 MWF will not attempt to identify you or your browsing activities. However, in the unlikely event of an investigation, a law enforcement agency or other government agency may exercise its legal authority to inspect our Internet Service Provider’s logs.

1.6 Our website does not use session cookies for anonymous site visitors. However, administrators of the webpage (not members of the general public) will have session cookies stored on their machine for the duration of each log in. Cookies can be either persistent or session based. Persistent cookies are stored on your computer, contain an expiration date, and may be used to track your browsing behaviour upon return to the issuing website. Session cookies are short-lived, are only used during a browsing session, and expire when you quite your browser.

Use and disclosure of personal information

1.1 Personal information may also be disclosed to our, or our business partners’, contracted service providers, including but not limited to customer service staff, sales agents, marketing people, advisers and IT and internet service providers. These people or organisations may be located, or may store information, on computer servers outside of Australia 

1.2 If you consent we will use your personal information to send you details of other products and services that may be of interest to you. If at any time you no longer wish to receive such material, you may unsubscribe or otherwise let us know, and your details will be removed from relevant databases.

Collection of personal information about other people

1.1 In subscribing to our newsletter, e-bulletin or other services and by posting comments on our website or responding to blogs you may provide us with personal information relating to other individuals. If you provide us with personal information about other individuals, you must have obtained their consent to provide their personal information to us.

Security of information

1.1 We will take all reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Where information is held in electronic form, we will take all reasonable steps to ensure such information is kept secure.

1.2 Our information systems and files are secured from unauthorised access. Our staff, contracted agents and service providers to whom we provide personal information, understand the importance we place on protecting your privacy and their role in helping us to do so.

Retention of your information

1.1 We will keep a copy of personal information for our business records or to provide you with adequate services. Australian law generally requires business information to be maintained for seven years. If your information is deleted from our database it may be retained in de-identified form on the servers of our internet service provider.

Accessing your information

1.1 Subject to any legal restrictions, we will advise you what personal information we hold about you if you request this. If your request is particularly complex or requires detailed searching of our records, there may be a cost to you in order for us to provide this information.

1.2 If you believe there are errors in the records we hold about you, please let us know and we will be happy to investigate and correct any inaccuracies.

Limitation of liability

1.1 Our website may also contain links to websites that are not owned, operated or endorsed by us. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites, or for the content, products or services provided by, or contained on, those websites.

1.2 This website is provided by MWF on an “as is” and “as available” basis. MWF makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the operation of this site or the information, content material, or products on this site. You expressly agree that your use of this site is at your sole risk.

1.3 MWF does not warrant that this site, its servers, or emails from MWF are free of viruses or other harmful components. MWF will not be liable for any damages of any kind arising from the use of this website including, but not limited to direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, and consequential damages.

1.4 MWF attempts to be as accurate as possible in the descriptions of the events. However, MWF does not warrant that event descriptions or other content of this site is accurate, complete, reliable, current or error free.

Melbourne Reads: Rebecca Giggs

The information in this form is being collected by the University of Melbourne to: contact you regarding the abovementioned event; ensure your information is up to date in the University’s relationship management system; and to tailor University alumni communications about events, alumni benefits, donor relations and fundraising activities. Your personal information may also be used in future to facilitate alumni networks, enhance donor relations, and for analysis, planning and quality assurance.The University of Melbourne will be using third-party audio video conferencing platform, Zoom, to conduct this online event remotely. In some instances, events may be recorded or livestreamed, in which case you will be informed prior to the event. Your registration details and participation in the forum (including your recorded voice and image) may be collected by both Zoom and the University to facilitate the event. The University has a business account under its licencing agreement with Zoom and recommends that you review Zoom’s Privacy Information, settings and controls, and Terms of Service before registering and participating in this event.

The collection of personal information by the University of Melbourne is governed by the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) (together, Privacy Laws). The University is also considered to be a data controller for the purposes of the European Union (EU) General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR) in relation to the collection of personal information from individuals located in the EU in relation to certain activities. Further details about how the University of Melbourne handles your personal information can be found in our full Privacy Collection Notice. You can contact us (including to request a copy of the full privacy notice) at arts-tickets@unimelb.edu.au.

Contact information

If you would like further information or if you have any concerns over the protection of the information you have given to us, or that we have collected from others, please contact Melbourne Writers Festival.