Privacy
Privacy Statement, Privacy Policy, Credit Reporting Policy and Statement of Notifiable Matters
ABCOE DISTRIBUTORS PTY LTD ACN 603 954 561
and its associated, related, subsidiary and parent companies,
successors and assigns (“Abcoe”)
Abcoe Centre, Cnr York Road & Batt Street, Penrith NSW 2750
Ph 1300 122 263
E accsrec@abcoe.com.au
W www.abcoe.com.au
This Privacy Statement, Privacy Policy, Credit Reporting Policy and Statement of Notifiable Matters is applicable in Australia and sets out the privacy, credit and personal information policy of Abcoe Distributors Pty Ltd ACN 603 954 561 and its associated, subsidiary and parent companies, divisions, successors and assigns that conduct business in Australia (all of which are referred to in this document as “ABCOE”).
Privacy Statement
Privacy Laws
ABCOE is committed to complying with the Privacy Act 1998 (Cth) (“the Act”), the Australian Privacy Principles (“the
APPs”) and the Privacy (Credit Reporting) Code 2014 (Cth) (“the Code”) as amended from time to time. In this document,
these statutes and codes are collectively referred to as “the Privacy Laws”.
Our Privacy Statement – We Respect Your Privacy
ABCOE is committed to your privacy. Our policy on handling Personal Information (any information that identifies you or
could reasonably identify you) and Credit Information (your repayment and default history, amount and type of credit
provided and any default information) is to comply with the Privacy Laws as amended from time to time for the fair handling
of Personal Information. Our Privacy Policy is outlined in this document and you can obtain a copy of it on our website at
www.abcoe.com.au.
We may collect types of Personal Information from you during our relationship and we will advise you of this (and other
matters about the collection of Personal Information) before, at or as soon as possible after the time of collection. We use
the Personal Information collected for several purposes, including:
1) Providing you with our products and services and/or information about our products and services;
2) Assessing applications for commercial credit and guarantee documents;
3) Assessing applications for employment (where applicable);
4) Administering our business activities;
5) Communicating with you by telephone, email, SMS or mail;
6) Managing, researching and developing our products and services;
7) Managing, servicing and reviewing accounts, including overdue accounts;
8) Managing client payment information, including credit card information and bank account details;
9) Distributing articles or publications to you;
10) Investigating any complaints; and
11) Insurance and debt collection purposes.
This information may be disclosed to our related or associated entities, overseas recipients in locations such as the
Philippines, parties related to your employment (e.g. referees and others as set out in our Privacy Policy), parties related
to your services including contractors, other credit providers whether or not your account is overdue, credit reporting bodies
including Creditorwatch Pty Ltd (www.creditorwatch.com.au) (“CreditorWatch”), Equifax Pty Ltd (www.equifax.com.au)
(“Equifax”), Dun & Bradstreet (Australia) Pty Ltd t/as Illion (www.illion.com.au) (“Illion”) and others, and, if necessary, our
professional advisors including risk insurers, solicitors and financial institutions.
You have a right not to provide information that can identify you. However, if all or part of the Personal Information that we
request from you is not provided, then we may not be able to do certain things (including supply you with goods, consider
any application for goods made by you, or process your request for a commercial credit account).
In accordance with the Privacy Laws and the ABCOE Privacy Policy, you will be given access to your Personal Information
on request. If you have any questions or concerns about our Privacy Policy, the types of Personal Information we may
hold about you, or for corrections or complaints about a breach of your privacy, please direct your requests to our Privacy
Officer at Abcoe Centre, Cnr. York Rd.and Batt Street, Penrith NSW 2750 Australia or telephone 1300 122 363 or email
sales@abcoe.com.au.
Privacy Policy
Our Privacy Policy - Collection of your Personal Information
ABCOE is committed to the protection of your Personal Information. Personal information is any information or an opinion
about an identified individual or an individual who is reasonably identifiable. We may collect types of Personal Information
from you throughout our relationship and we will advise you of this (and other matters about the collection of Personal
Information) before, at or as soon as possible after the time of collection.
Generally, the kinds of information ABCOE will collect about an individual may include an individual’s name, signature,
residential address, telephone number, date of birth, gender, details of your financial circumstances (including bank
account details or credit card information), government identifiers such as tax file numbers, employment details and
employment history, insurance policy information, and commentary or opinion about a person, for example credit
commentary, eligibility or information received from CreditorWatch, Equifax or Illion.
The specific types of Personal Information that we collect from you and how we collect that information will depend on the
services you require from us and how you interact with us. ABCOE usually collects Personal Information directly from the
individual concerned. Where this is not practical, ABCOE will take reasonable steps to ensure that the individual is informed
about the collection unless the individual has previously consented to the collection (either expressly or impliedly). In some
cases, ABCOE may collect information from a third party, such as an insurance company, recruitment agency, wholesale
and retail suppliers or via social media.
When you request goods from us we will ask you many details about you and your business. That information assists us
in making decisions about our intended relationship with you and the terms of that relationship. You have a right not to
provide information that can identify you. However, if all or part of the Personal Information that we request from you is not
provided, ABCOE may not be able to do certain things (including supply you with goods, consider any application for goods
made by you, or process your request for a commercial credit account).
At the time of collecting Personal Information about an individual, or as soon as practicable after that time, ABCOE takes
reasonable steps to ensure the individual is aware of:
(a) The identity and contact details of ABCOE’s Privacy Officer;
(b) The purposes for which the information is being collected;
(c) Any organisations to which ABCOE may disclose the information to;
(d) The fact that an individual has a right to gain access to the personal information collected; and
(e) The main consequences (if any) for the individual if all or part of the information is not provided.
We will not collect any sensitive Personal Information from you revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions or political
association memberships, religious or philosophical beliefs, professional or trade union membership, or details of health,
disability information, genetic or biometric information, or sexual activity or orientation.
Exceptions to this include:
(a) Where you have given express consent to ABCOE to do so and where is it necessary for ABCOE to carry out
one of its primary functions;
(b) Where there are reasonable grounds to believe that disclosure is necessary to prevent a threat to life or health;
(c) The use is authorised by law or reasonably necessary to enforce the law; or when the information is necessary
for the establishment, exercise or defence of a legal claim.
If we receive Personal Information which we did not solicit, we will determine as quickly as possible whether or not that
Personal Information could have been lawfully collected by us in accordance with the Privacy Laws and ABCOE’s Privacy
Policy. If so, we will only use the unsolicited Personal Information as if that information had been solicited by ABCOE (that
is, lawfully and fairly in accordance with the Privacy Laws and our Privacy Policy). If not, we will take reasonable steps to
de-identify or destroy the information.
When you use ABCOE’s website at www.abcoe.com.au, our Internet Service Provider (ISP) may make a record of your
visit and log your server address, your domain name, the date, time and duration of your visit, the pages and documents
you accessed, the previous site you had accessed (i.e. the referring URL) and the type of browser you are using. This
information is collected for statistical purposes only, and ABCOE will not make any attempt to identify users according to
their browsing activity.
In the unlikely event of an investigation, a law enforcement agency or other government agency may exercise its legal
authority to inspect our business records or ISP’s logs. It is also possible that your ISP is logging your activity while you
visit our site. This is beyond the control of ABCOE.
While you are visiting our site, we may use cookies to facilitate a more personalised web browsing experience. Except
where you volunteer personal or business information, we will not procure information about you via any alternative means
while you visit our website.
In some circumstances, ABCOE will provide you with an option of not identifying yourself, or of using a pseudonym, when
dealing with us (unless ABCOE is required or authorised by Australian law or a Court/Tribunal order to deal with individuals
who have identified themselves, or where it is impracticable to do so).
Our Privacy Policy - How we use and disclose personal information
The Personal Information that you provide to us is used for several primary purposes. These purposes include:
(a) Providing you with our products and services and/or information about our products and services;
(b) Assessing applications for commercial credit and guarantee documents;
(c) Assessing applications for employment (where applicable);
(d) Administering our business activities;
(e) Communicating with you by telephone, email, SMS or mail;
(f) Managing, researching and developing our products and services;
(g) Managing, servicing and reviewing accounts, including overdue accounts;
(h) Managing client payment information, including credit card information and bank account details;
(i) Distributing articles or publications to you;
(j) Providing you with better service for the supply of our products and services;
(k) Investigating any complaints; and
(l) Insurance and debt collection purposes.
ABCOE will not sell, rent or trade your Personal Information.
Any Personal Information which you do supply will only be used internally at ABCOE and will not be divulged to a third
party unless that third party is associated or integral to the purpose for which you gave us the information or where required
by law. We will only use and disclose Personal Information about you for the purpose for which you gave us that
information. We may use and disclose Personal Information about you for a purpose other than the purpose for which you
gave us the information where:
(a) That other purpose is related to the purpose for which you gave us the Personal Information;
(b) You have given us your consent for the Personal Information to be used or disclosed for the additional purpose;
(c) Where there are reasonable grounds to believe that use or disclosure is necessary to prevent a threat to life or
health;
(d) Where we suspect that unlawful activity is or has been engaged in and we use or disclose the Personal Information
to investigate the suspected unlawful activity; or
(e) The use or disclosure is authorised by law or reasonably necessary to enforce the law.
During the ordinary course of business, ABCOE may disclose your Personal Information as required by law or to third
parties related to your services, including:
(a) government departments such as courts, tribunals and regulatory authorities as permitted by law;
(b) our contractors;
(c) parties related to your employment, for example referees or worker’s compensation insurers;
(d) other credit providers (whether or not your account is overdue);
(e) credit reporting bodies including Creditorwatch Pty Ltd (www.creditorwatch.com.au) (“CreditorWatch”), Equifax
Pty Ltd (www.equifax.com.au) (“Equifax”), Illion Australia Pty Ltd (www.illion.com.au) (“Illion”) and others; and
(f) if necessary, our professional advisors including risk insurers, solicitors and financial institutions; and
(g) anyone else to whom you consent.
ABCOE may also disclose your personal information to organisations involved in a transfer or sale of all or part of our
business or its assets or one involved in managing our corporate risk and funding requirements.
ABCOE has well-documented, detailed procedures in managing personal data relating to the administration of customer
accounts which are compliant with the APPs. Compliance to these procedures is monitored by ABCOE on an ongoing
basis.
Our Privacy Policy – Overseas Disclosure
In the normal course of business, ABCOE may disclose Personal Information to overseas recipients, such as the
Philippines, or to third parties. This disclosure may occur if ABCOE service providers are located overseas, if any
transactions, information, products or services have an overseas connection, where the individual consents, where the
disclosure is for the benefit of the individual, or is for the performance of a contract with ABCOE then ABCOE will take
reasonable steps to protect an individual’s privacy if this disclosure occurs. You agree and consent to the possible use
and disclosure of this information to overseas recipients from time to time in accordance with this Privacy Policy and
Privacy Statement.
Our Privacy Policy - Direct Marketing
ABCOE may also use your Personal Information, including e-mail addresses, for the purpose of direct marketing. We may
only use your Personal Information or data for the purpose of direct marketing in relation to promotional activities where it
is impracticable for us to obtain your prior express consent. However, when we do this, we will provide an express
opportunity when we first contact you to decline receiving any further marketing communications from us, via an opt-out
mechanism. Please contact us if you do not want to receive any direct marketing information or if you do not want your
information disclosed for direct marketing purposes.
Our Privacy Policy - Security of your personal information
ABCOE will take all reasonable steps to ensure that all Personal Information we collect, use or disclose is stored both
physically and electronically in a secure environment accessed only by authorised persons. ABCOE will take reasonable
steps to protect any Personal Information that it holds from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure,
and to destroy or permanently de-identify Personal Information if it is no longer needed for any purpose. ABCOE requires
any third party, service provider, or other entity to which ABCOE discloses Personal Information to comply with this Privacy
Statement and Privacy Policy and to comply with the APPs.
ABCOE maintains sophisticated IT systems to keep its customer, vendor and employee data on master files. ABCOE has
security measures designed to protect against the loss, misuse and/or alteration of the information under its control,
including restricted access, firewalls and encryption.
While ABCOE employs anti-virus software and encryption technology when interfacing with its customers, suppliers,
contractors and other parties, you should be aware that there is a residual risk in transmitting any data electronically. This
risk is inherent in any internet dealings.
Our Privacy Policy - How to access, correct or update your information
ABCOE will take all reasonable steps to ensure that all Personal Information we collect, use or disclose is accurate,
complete and up-to-date. ABCOE will review Personal Information on its databases at regular internals to ensure all
information kept is up to date.
You have a right to seek access to your Personal Information and to correct that information. Please contact ABCOE if
your details change or if you believe the Personal Information we have about you is not accurate or complete. We will
provide you with reasonable opportunity to access your Personal Information and have it corrected or updated. A fee may
apply to access and you will be required to provide the appropriate identification.
Exceptions to your access rights may include:
(a) Where providing access will pose a serious threat to the life or health or any individual or pose an unreasonable
impact on the privacy of an individual;
(b) Your request for access is frivolous or vexatious;
(c) Where the information relates to existing legal proceedings between ABCOE and you and the information would
not be discoverable in the process of those legal proceedings; or
(d) Where providing access would be unlawful, may prejudice an investigation of possible unlawful activity, may
prejudice enforcement of laws, or denying access is specifically authorised by law.
Where ABCOE refuses a request for correction or access, you will be provided with written reasons for the refusal and
details of complain mechanisms.
Our Privacy Policy - Complaints
ABCOE takes your complaints seriously. If you believe that ABCOE has not dealt with your Personal Information in a
manner that complies with the Privacy Laws as amended from time to time, please contact us at Abcoe Centre, Cnr. York
Rd. and Batt Street, Penrith NSW 2750 Australia or telephone 1300 122 363 or email sales@abcoe.com.au. You must
submit your complaint in writing. ABCOE will use its best endeavours to provide a response in writing within a timely
manner, and to correct any Personal Information and notify any other entity required with updated information.
ABCOE has detailed procedures for dealing with Privacy Law breaches. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your
complaint, or if ABCOE refuses to provide access to, or correction of, your Personal Information, you may complain to the
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au.
Our Privacy Policy - Transparency
This Privacy Statement and Privacy Policy is available on ABCOE ’s website at www.abcoe.com.au and will be made
available free of charge to anyone who requests a copy. This Privacy Statement and Privacy Policy may be reviewed and
amended from time to time, and any updated version will be made available on ABCOE’s website or on request and will
apply from the date the updated version is so published or provided.
Our Privacy Policy - How to Contact Us
You can contact ABCOE and our Privacy Officer at Abcoe Centre, Cnr. York Rd. and Batt Street, Penrith NSW 2750
Australia or telephone 1300 122 363 or email sales@abcoe.com.au
Credit Reporting Policy
This Credit Reporting Policy explains how We will manage your credit information and your credit eligibility information.
Our handling of your credit information is in compliance with the obligation under the Act and the Code.
This document is to be read together with Our Privacy Policy and Statement of Notifiable Matters.
What credit information and credit eligibility do We collect?
We may collect, use, hold and disclose credit information about you. You consent to such collection, holding, use and
disclosure of your credit information in accordance with the terms of this policy.
The terms "credit information", "credit eligibility information", "credit reporting information" and "personal information", as
used in this policy, are as defined in the Act.
If you apply for commercial credit or provide a guarantee for commercial credit, the kinds of credit information and credit
eligibility information that We may collect and hold includes information used to identify you, your creditworthiness and any
other related information necessary or incidental to the products and services which We provide or propose to provide to
you. This may include:
(a) identification information; or
(b) consumer credit liability information; or
(c) repayment history information; or
(d) a statement that an information request has been made in relation to you by a credit provider; or
(e) payment or default information; or
(f) new arrangement information; or
(g) court proceedings information; or
(h) personal insolvency information; or
(i) publicly available information in relation to your creditworthiness.
Sometimes, We may gather credit information and credit eligibility information about you from a third party, for example,
from credit reporting bodies (CRB’s) or intermediaries and spouses or from publicly available information.
The credit information that you provide allows Us to perform Our functions or activities. We may not be able to transact
business with you if you do not provide all of the information requested or do not consent to how your credit information
and credit eligibility information is managed in accordance with this policy.
How will We use your credit information and your credit eligibility information?
We will collect, hold, use and disclose credit information and credit eligibility information about you to:
(a) assess applications for credit or whether to accept an individual as a guarantor in relation to credit;
(b) assist you to avoid defaulting on your credit obligations;
(c) notify other credit providers or a credit reporting agency body of a default by you;
(d) assess your creditworthiness; or
(e) offer you further services and products; or
(f) comply with regulatory or legal requirements.
We will also collect, hold, use and disclose credit information and credit eligibility information about you to comply with
Australian legislation, including the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), Proceeds of Crime Act 1987 (Cth) and Anti-Money
Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing Act 2006 (Cth) and any other similar Acts or regulations, together with any
amendments to any such Acts.
Storage of your credit information and credit eligibility information
We use industry-standard methods and take such steps as are reasonable to protect your credit information and credit
eligibility information from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure and from misuse, interference and loss.
Among other techniques, We usually:
(a) store such information on a computer behind Our "firewall" in a secure location and/or with a trusted service provider
who is in the business of providing data storage and processing services;
(b) restrict the number of employees internally who can access such data; and
(c) keep hard copies of documents in a locked room in a secure location.
Once credit information is no longer required by Us for the purposes for which it was collected or held or otherwise in
accordance with the Act, We will take all steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to ensure that it is either destroyed
or de-identified.
Disclosure of credit information and credit eligibility information
We may disclose your credit information and credit eligibility information to any of the following third parties:
(a) any regulatory, governmental organisation or industry or legal body which governs the conduct of any part of Our
business in any jurisdiction or as required by law or regulation;
(b) Our associated and related bodies corporate and entities;
(c) a third party who is supplying a service to Us;
(d) any other third party provided that We obtain your prior written consent;
(e) your representatives (including your legal adviser, mortgage broker, financial adviser, executor, administrator,
guardian, trustee, or attorney);
(f) where permitted by law, debt collection agencies and/or financiers or other lenders; or
(g) as otherwise permitted by law.
Credit Reporting Bodies (“CRB’s”) and your credit information
CRB’s are permitted under the Act and the Code to use and disclose your credit information. If you apply for commercial
credit or offer to act as a guarantor, We may disclose your credit information to, or collect credit information about you
from, a CRB. This information is used for the purpose of determining your eligibility for credit, and We may process the
information to assess your creditworthiness and suitability for credit.
We will deal with the following CRBs:
(a) Creditorwatch Pty Ltd (CreditorWatch)
Level 49, 25 Martin Place, Sydney NSW 2000
Website www.creditorwatch.com.au, telephone 1300 501 312;
(b) Equifax Pty Limited (Equifax)
100 Arthur Street, North Sydney NSW 2060
Website www.equifax.com.au, telephone 13 83 32; and
(c) Illion Australia Pty Ltd (Illion)
Level 20, 201 Elizabeth Street ,Sydney NSW 2000
Website www.illion.com.au, telephone 13 23 33.
Further information about how these CRBs manage credit related personal information can be found in their Privacy
Policies available on their websites or by contacting them directly.
Access to and correction of your credit information and credit eligibility information
You may request access to the credit information and credit eligibility information that We hold about you. We may be
able to provide you with access to this information in a manner that you request if this is reasonable and practicable.
You may request Us to correct the credit information and credit eligibility information held in relation to you if you believe
that it is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading.
Please see Our contact details below to make an access or correction request. We will endeavour to respond to your
request within 30 days.
If you are not satisfied with Our response to your access or correction request, please see Our Complaints section below
for information on making a complaint.
Approach to complaints handling
You have the right to make a complaint if you believe that We have not complied with Our obligations under the Act and
the Code. To make a complaint, please contact Us in writing using the contact details listed below.
We will endeavour to respond to your complaint within 30 days.
If you are not satisfied with Our response to your complaint, you may wish to refer your complaint to the Office of the
Australian Information Commissioner. For contact details, please see www.oaic.gov.au
Contact details
If you have any questions about this policy, please contact the Privacy Officer at Abcoe Centre, Cnr. York Rd. and Batt
Street, Penrith NSW 2750 Australia or telephone 1300 122 363 or email sales@abcoe.com.au
Changes to the credit reporting policy
We may, at Our discretion, change Our approach to the handling of credit information and will, in such instances, update
the Credit Reporting Policy to reflect these changes. The most up-to-date copy of the Credit Reporting Policy will be
available at www.abcoe.com.au.
Statement of Notifiable Matters
This statement has been prepared by Us to provide you with information on the credit reporting bodies that We deal with
and to notify you about the rights you have in relation to your credit information.
Credit information
Credit information and credit eligibility information is personal information that may have a bearing on commercial credit
that has been provided to you or that you have applied for or is about you as a guarantor of commercial credit. Credit
information about you may include:
• identification information; or
• consumer credit liability information; or
• repayment history information; or
• a statement that an information request has been made in relation to you by a credit provider; or
• default information; or
• payment information; or
• new arrangement information; or
• court proceedings information; or
• personal insolvency information; or
• publicly available information in relation to your creditworthiness.
Credit information applies to both consumer credit and commercial credit.
Credit reporting bodies and your credit information
Credit reporting bodies are permitted under the Act and the Code to use and disclose your credit information. If you apply
for commercial credit or offer to act as a guarantor, We may disclose your credit information to, or collect credit information
about you from, a credit reporting body. This information is used for the purpose of determining your eligibility for credit,
and We may process the information to assess your creditworthiness and suitability for credit.
Credit reporting bodies that We may disclose credit information to:
We deal with the following credit reporting bodies:
• Creditorwatch Pty Ltd (CreditorWatch)
Level 49, 25 Martin Place, Sydney NSW 2000, www.creditorwatch.com.au, telephone 1300 501 312
• Equifax Pty Limited (Equifax)
100 Arthur Street, North Sydney NSW 2060, www.equifax.com.au, telephone 13 83 32; and
• Illion Australia Pty Ltd (Illion)
Level 20, 201 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000, www.illion.com.au, telephone 13 23 33
Further information about how these credit reporting bodies manage credit related personal information can be found in
their privacy policies which can be obtained from their websites or by contacting them directly.
Our Credit Reporting Policy and how you may access your credit information
We manage credit information in accordance with Our Credit Reporting Policy.
Our Credit Reporting Policy contains further information on:
• how you can access the credit information that We hold about you;
• how you can correct the credit information that We hold about you;
• how you can complain about a breach of regulatory obligations by Us;
• the locations outside of Australia that We may disclose your credit information to.
Your rights in relation to your credit information
Credit reporting bodies offer a service to credit providers wishing to send direct marketing material about credit services
to individuals. This is called "credit pre-screening". You have the right to request the credit reporting bodies do not use
your credit information for this purpose. To opt out of credit pre-screening, contact the credit reporting body, using the
contact details provided above.
You can also ask a credit reporting body not to use or disclose your credit reporting information for a period if you believe
on reasonable grounds that you have been or are likely to be a victim of fraud.