Privacy Policy
Your privacy is important to Rotorua Lakes Council (RLC).
This Privacy Policy covers our collection, use, storage and disclosure of your personal information. It has been prepared in accordance with our obligations and your rights, as set out in the Privacy Act 2020.
We may amend the Policy at any time in response to developments in our services; updates or amendments to the Privacy Act or case notes from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. This Policy also incorporates the Information Privacy Principles specified in Part 3 of the Privacy Act.
Principles of the Privacy Act
Full details of the Information Privacy Principles are located in Part 3 of the Privacy Act 2020. For the purpose of this policy, a brief summary of the key features of each of the Information Privacy principles is:
| Principle | Application | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purpose of collection of personal information | Information must be collected for a lawful and necessary purpose. |
| 2 | Source of personal information | RLC must collect personal information from you unless circumstances apply where this would not be reasonably possible. |
| 3 | Collection of information from subject | RLC has obligations under this Principle to ensure that it provides full disclosure to the individual about all aspects of who will have access to the information and what the information will be used for. |
| 4 | Manner of collection of personal information | RLC must collect personal information in a fair and lawful way which does not overly intrude into the personal affairs of the individual. |
| 5 | Storage and security of personal information | RLC must ensure that personal information is stored securely against loss and misuse. |
| 6 | Access to personal information | RLC needs to provide confirmation of whether it holds personal information and to allow access to the personal information it holds. |
| 7 | Correction of personal information | An individual can request RLC to correct personal information held. |
| 8 | Accuracy of personal information to be checked before use or disclosure | RLC must ensure that personal information it uses is accurate before disclosure or use. |
| 9 | Agency not to keep personal information for longer than necessary | RLC cannot keep personal information for longer than required. |
| 10 | Limits on use of personal information | RLC must use personal information for the purpose for which it was collected. |
| 11 | Limits on disclosure of personal information | RLC must not disclose personal information to any other agency. |
| 12 | Disclosure of personal information outside New Zealand | RLC may disclose personal information to a foreign person or entity if authorised by an individual. |
| 13 | Unique identifiers. | RLC may use a unique identifier, for example a Customer Number for an individual if it is necessary for RLC to carry out its functions in an efficient way. |
Definitions
In this Privacy Policy, the following words have the following meanings:
- CCTV means Closed Circuit Television
- Council Controlled Organisations means: RotoruaNZ; CoLab; Rotorua Airport
- Information Privacy Principle (IPP) means the Information Privacy Principles specified in the Privacy Act.
- Personal Information means a) information about an identifiable individual and b) includes information relating to a death that is maintained by the Registrar-General under the Births, Deaths, Marriages and Relationships Registration Act 2021 or any former Act (as defined in Schedule 1 of that Act).
- Privacy Act means the Privacy Act 2020, including any amendments and codes of practice.
- Privacy Commissioner means Te Mana Matapono Matatapu and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.
- Protected Record has the meaning specified in the Public Records Act 2005.
- RLC websites includes the following related websites:
- Sir Howard Morrison Centre
- Creative Rotorua
- Participate Rotorua Lakes Council
- RotoruaNZ - Official Tourism website
- Redwoods - Whakarewarewa Forest
- Rotorua Airport
- Rotorua Aquatic Centre
- Rotorua Library - Te Aka Mauri
- Events & Venues Rotorua
- Rotorua Nui: Rotorua Events Guide
- Mai Rotorua
- Rotorua Museum.
- Sir Howard Morrison Centre
Who you can contact for further information
If you have any queries or concerns about this Privacy Policy or existing personal information Rotorua Lakes Council may have collected, we are happy to respond to your query.
Please contact us:
| Who | Rotorua Lakes Council Privacy Officer |
|---|---|
| info@rotorualc.nz | |
| Postal address | Rotorua Lakes Council Private Bag 3029 Rotorua Mail Centre Rotorua 3046 |
For more detailed information about our obligations and your rights under the Privacy Act, please refer to the Privacy Commissioner's guide to the Privacy Act and its amendments or call the Privacy Commissioner's privacy hotline: 0800 803 909 or email: enquiries@privacy.org.nz.
Collection
What kind and source of personal information we collect (IPP2)
The personal information we typically collect may include your name, date of birth, address, email address, telephone numbers, and gender.
It may also include information on your use of our services or facilities and any other information provided by you through your communications with us.
When and purpose for which we collect your information
We may collect personal information about you as set out below. We will ensure that the information is for a lawful purpose connected with one of RLC’s functions. The information must also be necessary for that purpose.
When you or someone authorised and confirmed as acting on your behalf provides information to us directly. For example, including but not limited to when you:
- Correspond with us in person, by letter, phone, text, email, instant messages, social media or other means of electronic communication
- Complete and submit forms or applications for consents, licences, housing, approvals, permits, funding, or other authorisations
- Use any of our services or facilities, including signing up for and using our online services and apps, such as online payment services, or newsletters, or service updates
- Prepare and submit a written submission, request, or other feedback in relation to consents, licences, approvals, permits, funding, other authorisations, or in relation to any form of draft or proposed plan, policy, bylaw or other document
- Follow or post comments in response to our social media or other facilities, such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, etc.
- Apply for employment with us.
We may keep a record of any information we provide to you. We may collect personal information about you from other organisations, entities or persons, such as:
- Our related organisations, including Council-Controlled Organisations
- Our suppliers and agencies, which include organisations such as: Land Information New Zealand, Quotable Value (“QV’), solicitors/conveyancers, the New Zealand Police, credit reporting agencies and other organisations, entities and persons who you have expressly authorised to provide us with information.
Phone calls
We may monitor and record phone calls made to us or by us for quality control or staff training purposes.
CCTV
Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) is used in some public spaces to help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, and to promote community safety. The public spaces include but are not limited to secure facilities such as the Library, Aquatic Centre and select recreation reserves.
Council CCTV operators work collaboratively with the NZ Police; Council’s Safe City Guardians and other key stakeholders in the areas specified above and nearby roads. Signage indicates the general vicinity in which CCTV equipment operates, except where signage might defeat the purpose for which the cameras are being used.
CCTV footage will only be viewed by authorised people in accordance with the above general purposes. No attempt will be made to identify individuals from CCTV footage except in cases of reported or suspected incidents requiring further investigation.
Body-worn cameras
Cameras are worn by authorised Council staff as a deterrent to anti-social behaviour towards them and to provide a clear record of events and/or evidence if required. Officers will only start recording if an interaction escalates and will take all reasonable steps to notify those present when this occurs.
Livestream of Council meetings
In the interests of making our decision-making process transparent and accessible, most public Council meetings are broadcast live online and then made available on the RLC website.
If you attend meetings in person, you will know which meetings are being livestreamed as there will be a sign clearly indicating filming before you enter the meeting room.
Most of the filming will cover elected members as they speak and debate during the meeting. However, the filming may also include shots of the public in the background and of anyone speaking at a public forum.
How we collect your information (IPP4)
Responses to online forms
When you respond to an online form on our site, we hold any information you have entered. This information is used to respond to issues you raise; correct information we hold; provide a service to you; or to inform decision making.
Online forms
In some instances, your personal information may be transferred, and held, by service providers in New Zealand and overseas (for example, where it is stored using a cloud-based service).
RLC will comply with IPP12, which deals with the transfer of personal information outside New Zealand, when personal information is transferred to overseas service providers.
Read about how we share your information (IPP11)
RLC may share your information within all RLC business units for the purposes of carrying out its business and for all associated administration processes. In the event of a request to share your personal information outside RLC, RLC would first take the approach of asking the party who made the request to contact you directly.
RLC would not share your personal information with another party unless you give permission or one of the other exceptions under IPP11 applies.
Online submission forms for public consultation
As part of its business, operations and processes, many of which are driven by legislative requirements, RLC seeks public consultation on a range of issues.
Personal information (including contact details) will be used for the administration of the consultation process, including informing you of the outcome of the consultation. All information collected will be held by RLC, with submitters having the right to access and correct their own personal information.
All submissions (including name but not contact details) may be provided in their entirety to elected members and made available to the public at our office and on the RLC website.
Any engagement on Participate RLC will include its own privacy statement. Therefore, members of the public need to check for the relevant specific privacy statement when making a submission or giving feedback and when using Participate RLC.
Website cookies, analytics and advertising
Information collected
We may collect information about your access to our website to help us improve the RLC website. This information is aggregated and does not identify you personally. The information includes:
- Your Intellectual Property address
- The search terms you used
- The pages you accessed on our site and the links you clicked on
- The date and time you visited the site
- The referring site (if any) through which you clicked through to the RLC site
- Your operating system (e.g. Windows 10, Mac OS)
- The type of web browser you use (e.g. Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari)
- Information about age, gender and interests
- Other things like your screen resolution and the language setting of your browser.
Use of statistical information
The information referred to above will be viewable by the website administrator and authorised other Rotorua Lakes Council staff. With prior notification to you, it may also be shared with other councils.
Tools and cookies on our website
We use technologies, such as cookies, to customise content and advertising; to provide social media features and to analyse traffic to the RLC website.
Google Tag Manager
We use Google Tag Manager to manage tags on our websites. Google Tag Manager is a service provided by Google and itself includes a cookie. You can view Google's privacy policy at the attached link.
Google Analytics
Rotorua Lakes Council websites use Google Analytics to measure which pages on our site attract the most interest. Google Analytics informs our overall communications and engagement strategy to ensure we are engaging with a variety of different users. Google may use the data collected to contextualise and personalise the ads of its own advertising network.
If you would like to opt-out of any of Google Analytics function visit these currently available opt-outs from the web.
Use and storage
How we use your information (IPP10)
RLC uses the information for the purposes of carrying out its standard business and all related business processes. For example, if you own a property, RLC uses your name, contact details and the property address for the purposes of issuing you with rates invoices and receipting payment of the rates invoices, as well as all associated administration work.
The personal information we collect from you, or someone authorised and confirmed as acting on your behalf, may be used for purposes including but not limited to:
- To provide you with services or facilities including those you have requested and those our Council Controlled Organisations provide to you
- To confirm your identity. This is to avoid inappropriate release or use of your information
- To respond to correspondence or provide you with information you have requested
- To process any consent, licence, approval, permit or other authorisation for which you have applied
- To process your application to use or register for any of our services or facilities, including our online services and to process payments received or made by the Council
- To respond to your requests, enquiries, feedback, or for customer care related activities
- To provide you with information about our (or our Council Controlled Organisations') events, news, services, or facilities we consider may be of interest to you
- To comply with relevant laws and regulations
- To carry out activities connected with the running of our business or operations such as staff training, or testing and maintenance of computer and other systems
- For any specific purpose that we notify you of at the time your personal information is collected
- For standard administrative and business functions and purposes, for example contacting you by phone, email and/or by way of formal letter in relation to your enquiry and/or RLC business
- For enforcement purposes as set out in legislation relevant to specific circumstances.
Keeping your information secure and accurate (IPPs 5 and 8)
We take all reasonable steps to make sure personal information is:
- Protected against loss, damage, misuse and unauthorised access. We give restricted access to RLC staff who need personal information to help us perform our duties and obligations
- Accurate, up to date, complete, relevant, and not misleading.
Disclosure of your personal information (IPP 11)
We may disclose personal information about you to:
- Any person engaged by the Council to provide products or services to you on our behalf, provided that your personal information is necessary for the provision of those products or services
- A third party, if we are required to do so under laws or regulations, including under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 or in the course of legal proceedings or other investigations. This may include sharing CCTV footage with the New Zealand Police or other public sector agencies where criminal activity is reported or suspected. The New Zealand Police may also access live feeds and/or recorded footage from CCTV cameras from time to time for law enforcement, investigation, and emergency response purposes
- Any person or entity to whom you authorise us to disclose your personal information to
- Councillors and the public when you make a submission in relation to bylaws, annual plans, district or regional plans, or draft or proposed policies, as outlined on page 7 above, regarding public consultations. Submissions are made available in full (including the submitter's name but not their contact details) on the RLC website and at our main office
- With your express approval, RLC may disclose your personal information to Council Controlled Organisations, in order to assist with the functions and services they provide. RLC Council Controlled Organisations are specified in the Definitions section of this policy.
RLC will take privacy interests into consideration in the case of requests for the identity of complainants, unless the complainant has expressly agreed to having their identity made known.
Publicly available information
If information is publicly available, for example, information held on property files or the rating information database, it is not personal Information and as such, RLC may disclose this information to any person.
How long we hold personal information (IPP 9)
The length of time we keep your personal information depends on what it is and whether we have an ongoing need to retain it (for example, to provide you with a service you’ve requested).
We may retain all personal information we collect (on both our active systems and our archive systems) for as long as administratively necessary, in accordance with the Council's Records Management Policy. The Public Records Act 2005 requires us to retain Protected Records indefinitely.
In some circumstances, your personal information may be included within a Protected Record.
Accessing and correcting your personal information (IPPs 6 and 7)
You may request confirmation of whether or not we hold any personal or other identifying information about you, and you may request access to your personal information we hold by emailing us at info@rotorualc.nz or via the Privacy Commissioner's 'About Me' tool.
Once we have verified your identity, we will provide you with confirmation of whether we hold the information and provide access to your information unless one of the grounds for refusal set out in the Privacy Act applies.
You may request that the personal information we hold about you be corrected by emailing us at info@rotorualc.nz. If we agree that your personal information is to be corrected, we will do so and we will also provide you with an amended record, if requested.
Your rights of access to and correction of any personal information we hold about you are subject to the Privacy Act.
If you do not provide us with the personal information requested
If you do not provide us with all of the personal information about you that we request from you, we may not be able to adequately respond to your correspondence; process any applications you have submitted; provide the services or facilities you have requested; process payments; or otherwise deal with any requests or enquiries you have submitted.
We would be happy to discuss this further with you.
