Privacy policy

 

APA Privacy Policy

Our commitment to your privacy

Your privacy is very important to the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA). The APA is committed to protecting personal information in compliance with the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

This Privacy Policy is designed to assist you in understanding how we handle your personal information when you interact with us, for example, through our dealings with you as a member, supplier, contractor, or job applicant. It also applies to information we collect when you visit and use our website www.australian.physio/ (Website).

This Privacy Policy outlines:

  • the kind of personal information the APA may collect about you
  • the purposes for which we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information
  • how we use and disclose that information
  • what your rights are regarding any personal information collected by the APA.

When we collect your personal information, we will tell you why we are collecting it and what we will do with it (a 'collection notice'), in line with Australian Privacy Principle 5. We will then use and disclose that information only for the purposes set out in this Policy and any related purposes you would reasonably expect, in line with Australian Privacy Principle 6. Where we need your specific consent (for example, to collect sensitive information), we will ask for it separately at the point of collection. If you do not accept this Privacy Policy, do not use the APA’s services and/or Website. In these circumstances, you should not register an account, utilise APA services or purchase anything further from the APA.

Your information and your right to privacy

You can elect to provide the APA with as much or as little information as you choose although the APA requires a minimum set of information from you in order to provide you with access to the APA’s website. What information you provide is your choice.

Examples of personal information we collect include:

  • personal information you knowingly choose to disclose that is collected on an individual basis, including your name, address, telephone number(s), gender, nationality, age, date of birth, educational qualifications, occupation
  • contact information such as your mailing or street address, email address, telephone numbers
  • transaction details associated with services we have provided to you, financial information such as your bank or credit card information, other information that enables transactions
  • additional information about the products and services we provide to you
  • information you have provided to the APA via surveys
  • information we collect about you when you visit our Website.

The APA may collect aggregated data such as statistical or demographic data derived from your personal data. For example, the APA may aggregate data about your use of the APA’s website to calculate the percentage of users accessing a specific feature or to produce benchmarking reports. However, if the APA combines or connects aggregated data with your personal data so that it can directly or indirectly identify you, the APA treats the combined data as personal data which will be used in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Sensitive information

Sensitive information is given extra protection under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (see section 6). The APA collects sensitive information only where it is necessary for our work and only with your consent, unless an exception under the Privacy Act applies. The kinds of sensitive information we may collect include: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander status (collected on a voluntary basis); health information about members where relevant to the provision of our services or member benefits; and information about professional memberships or qualifications. We use sensitive information only for the purpose for which it was collected and do not use it for any other purpose without your express consent, unless required or authorised by law. We take all reasonable steps to ensure sensitive information is handled securely and in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles.

Collecting information

The APA only collects personal information by lawful and fair means. In most cases, we will collect personal information directly from you, including when you:

  • complete digital or hard copy forms
  • deal with us, in person, in writing, online or by telephone
  • submit a request, or through our other dealings with you
  • take part in or support APA education, training, assessment or credentialling activities — including submitting applications or supporting materials
  • engage in feedback, evaluations, complaints, appeals or governance processes relating to APA education, training, assessment or credentialling
  • access and use the APA’s Website or submit information through our Website
  • access and use the APA’s products, services, and member benefits
  • register an account on the APA’s Website
  • leave a comment on the APA’s Website and digital platforms
  • place an advertisement on the APA’s Website
  • make an enquiry about a particular product on the APA’s Website
  • submit a general enquiry to the APA’s Website
  • enter a competition on the APA’s Website or otherwise with the APA
  • create a wish list on the APA’s Website
  • subscribe to the APA’s digital communications
  • leave your feedback or review on the APA’s Website
  • manage your marketing preferences with the APA
  • make a payment through the APA’s Website.

In some cases, we may receive personal information about you from third parties with whom we engage for the purpose of carrying out our functions and activities, for example, recruitment agencies, previous employers, government departments, education providers, regulatory bodies and from third party service providers of criminal and other checks. We may also collect personal information about you from publicly available sources of information.

This Privacy Policy applies to all personal information collected by us, whether or not we have directly requested that information.

If the APA proposes to collect information about you that you would not reasonably expect, you will be provided with “just in time” notice when that information is collected.

Digital tracking and cookies

The APA may use cookies and similar digital tracking technologies to enhance your experience on the APA website, within other digital platforms, analyse usage, and improve our services.

By continuing to use our Website, you consent to our use of cookies and similar technologies as described.

You have control over cookies and other digital tracking mechanisms by selecting the appropriate browser settings and/or deleting cookies stored on your computer, but our Website may not work as intended for you if you do so. Our Website may integrate with social media platforms, which can use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect data about your interactions with services. This data may be used by the APA and by the social media providers to deliver tailored content, advertisements, and to analyse your engagement.

You can manage your tracking preferences directly on the respective social media platforms. These platforms typically offer settings that allow you to control the extent of data collection and personalisation. We recommend reviewing the privacy settings and policies of these social media platforms to understand and manage how they track and use your data.

By interacting with our content on social media, you acknowledge that your data may be collected and used according to the privacy policies of those social media platforms. We encourage you to review their privacy practices to make informed decisions about your social media interactions.

Your personal password to access the APA website protects your privacy. We recommend that you do not disclose, share or reveal this password to any other individual.

Why does APA collect personal information and how do we use it?

The APA collects personal information for the purpose of carrying out our functions and activities in providing our products, services, and member benefits, as well as other related purposes, including:

  • responding to your communications
  • to engage with you in relation to your membership
  • to engage with you in relation to your holding of a governance position with the APA
  • to manage your membership including to process applications and renewals and to update your APA membership details and profile information
  • to provide you with access to and information about current and future member benefits
  • providing and marketing our products, services, and membership benefits to you
  • to notify you and the public that you have met our requirements for credentialing (e.g. specialisation or titling)
  • to process applications for and continue enrolment in the CPD online and face to face courses offered by the APA
  • to engage with you in relation to Professional Development Education programs and Conference related activities
  • to provide members with APA publications, information and resource materials
  • from job applicants who apply for employment with us, so that we can assess their suitability for vacant positions and/or contact them about future employment opportunities that arise
  • promotion of members to consumer audiences and other health professionals, including but not limited to medical practitioners, specialists, private health insurance, and other funder audiences
  • conducting market research in order to identify and analyse the ongoing needs of APA members
  • providing you with the ability to advertise for job vacancies
  • verifying the identity of our members and users including conducting credit checks to prevent fraud
  • to measure and improve our products and services and the features on our Website to provide you with the best service experience
  • invoicing and debt recovery
  • ensuring compliance with the APA's Constitution and Regulations
  • to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, resolve any complaints or disputes that we may have with any of our users, and enforce our agreements with third parties.
  • for other purposes reasonably necessary to carry out the APA’s functions and activities.

Disclosure of personal information

Ordinarily we will only use or disclose your personal information for the purposes for which it was collected, and which relate to our functions and activities in providing our products and services to you, or for other purposes related to the purposes set out above that you would reasonably expect. For example, we may disclose your personal information to third parties for the purposes set out above, such as to our partners, suppliers, advisors and contractors who assist us in providing our products, services, and member benefits to you. Such third parties include, but are not limited to:

  • IT and website service providers
  • marketing and communications agencies
  • third party platforms, including online, social media and digital communication platforms
  • agencies that conduct member surveys on our behalf
  • mailing houses
  • printers that print and distribute our publications and marketing material
  • regulatory authorities when required to do so by law.

Otherwise, we will only use or disclose your personal information with your consent.

Opt-out

From time to time we may use and disclose the personal information we hold about you to contact you about membership, administrative notices, publications, and communications relevant to the profession, special offers, promotions, and products and services we think may be of interest to you. We send direct marketing in line with Australian Privacy Principle 7, the Spam Act 2003 (Cth) and the Do Not Call Register Act 2006 (Cth). You can opt out of all direct marketing at any time by using the unsubscribe link in any marketing communication, by updating your communication preferences in your member profile, or by contacting the Privacy Officer. We will action any opt-out request promptly and without charge. Where we send marketing through third parties, we require those third parties to honour your opt-out.

If you choose to block or unsubscribe from communications from the APA within your own email or mobile platform, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are receiving important communications in relation to your membership by managing your settings accordingly, and you should periodically review your email settings and relevant folders or spam filters to ensure you do not miss important information from us. The APA does not accept responsibility for any message delivery failure which may result from user notification preferences.

Security

Your data may be stored with various vendors or suppliers who provide systems and services to the APA. The information stored on APA-owned infrastructure is located in secure data centres. The APA is committed to using industry-standard mechanisms to protect the confidentiality of your personal information, including firewalls, data encryption, and Secure Socket Layers. Additionally, the APA has implemented security measures to detect fraudulent identity verification activity and prevent unauthorized access to or deletion of personal information, thereby minimizing cybersecurity risks. Vendors and suppliers who store your data also use their own security measures to protect your information.

If we become aware of a data breach affecting your personal information, we will respond in accordance with our Data Protection Response Plan and the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). Where the breach is an eligible data breach under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, we will notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and affected individuals as required by law. This applies equally to breaches that occur within our own systems and to breaches at third-party service providers that hold personal information on our behalf. If you suspect any misuse or unauthorised access to your personal information, you should contact the Privacy Officer immediately.

Do we send your personal information overseas?

We use overseas service providers to store and process some of the personal information we hold. This includes cloud-based services located in North America and other jurisdictions. Where we disclose personal information to an overseas recipient, we comply with Australian Privacy Principle 8 by taking reasonable steps to ensure the recipient handles the information in line with the Australian Privacy Principles, or by relying on an exception in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). Where we deliver services to customers located in the European Union, the United Kingdom, or other jurisdictions with their own privacy regimes (for example the GDPR), we obtain specific legal advice on the additional obligations that may apply.

Artificial intelligence and automated decision-making

The APA does not use artificial intelligence (AI) or automated tools to make decisions about you that have a legal or similarly significant effect (for example, decisions about membership eligibility, credentialing, or employment). Where we use AI or automated tools to support our work, a person remains responsible for the decision. Our use of AI is governed by the APA AI Use Policy and the APA Cybersecurity Policy. If we change our position on automated decision-making in future, we will update this Policy and tell you.

Third party websites

Please note that our Website may contain links to other websites, plug-ins and applications which are operated by third parties that have their own privacy policies and are not subject to this Privacy Policy. Clicking on those links or enabling those connections may allow third parties to collect or share data about you. The APA do not have control over or rights in those third-party websites and make no representations or warranties about the information of statements you may encounter on third party websites or how those websites handle your personal information. The privacy policies of these third parties may differ substantially from this Privacy Policy. The APA encourages you read the privacy policy of every website you visit before using them.

Access to personal information

We retain personal information only for as long as it is reasonably needed for the purposes set out in this Policy, or as required by law. Different categories of information are kept for different periods.

If we no longer require your personal information for any purpose for which the information may be used or disclosed in accordance with this Privacy Policy, we will take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to destroy the information or to ensure that the information is de-identified.

You have the right to access, review, correct and alter any personal information that the APA stores about you.

Should you wish to:

  • request access to your personal information collected by us
  • request details of the sources from which that information was collected
  • advise of any updates or changes to your personal information
  • ask for a correction of your personal information
  • request the deletion of any parts of your information held by the APA

you can do so by emailing the privacy officer. Records of your requests will be maintained by the APA.

Unless the access you request will require special steps or significant resources, there will be no charge for providing you with this access.

Policy updates

This Policy may change from time to time. Please check back here for the latest version.

Complaints and feedback

If you have a complaint regarding any aspect of your privacy rights, or any other complaint or feedback please visit the Complaints and Feedback page. 

Contact us

If you have a query about our Privacy Policy or concern or issue in relation to how we handle your personal information, you can contact us as follows:

Australian Physiotherapy Association
Postal address: PO Box 437 Hawthorn BC VIC 3122
Email: privacy@australian.physio
Telephone: 1300 306 622 | (+61 3) 9092 0888
 

Policy updated: 24 April 2026