Privacy Policy /

NSW Rugby League (ABN 11 002 704 761) and its related and associated bodies corporate (NSWRL, us, we, our) maintain a policy of strict confidence concerning your (you, your) personal information (Privacy Policy).  This Privacy Policy has been developed in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act).  This Privacy Policy has been reviewed and authorised by the NSWRL’s Board, Executive Committee and has been endorsed by the Chief Executive Officer. Each member of the Executive has ultimate responsibility for promoting the principles and intent of the policy across their respective teams.

The Privacy Policy applies to the collection, storage, use and disclosure by us of your personal information.  You accept the terms of this Policy by accessing any site provided by NSWRL or any club which participates in a competition administered by NSWRL including the sites through which you register to become a player, volunteer, coach or other official (Site). This Privacy Policy applies to information provided to us whether via this Site or any other means and demonstrates how we will comply with the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act.  

Although we will comply with this Privacy Policy in respect of information provided to us by persons under the age of 18 years, those persons must obtain the consent of a parent or guardian prior to using the Site and the parent or guardian will be responsible for appropriately supervising the person’s use of the Site and provision of personal information to us.

If you have any further questions or if you wish to receive more information on our information practices and Privacy Policy, please direct your enquiry to:

The Privacy Officer
New South Wales Rugby League
PO Box 584
Sydney Markets NSW 2129
dnissen@nswrl.com.au

1. Collection of Personal Information

1.1 Players and Participants

When you register as a player, volunteer, coach, or other official with a club which participates in a competition administered by NSWRL, we collect personal information including your name, address, gender, date of birth, email address, phone numbers, emergency contacts, educational institution, occupation, birth certificate, drivers licence, passport, information about rugby league clubs you have played with or participated in, details of rugby league programs you have participated in, details of rugby league club memberships you have purchased, and your playing history. A record of this personal information is made by NSWRL (or by the club you have registered with on behalf of NSWRL) in a national player registration database.

We may take photos or audio-visual recordings of you during your participation in or attendance at any of our programs.

All personal information that we or our related bodies corporate collect, is reasonably necessary for the purposes relating to the governing and administering of NSWRL programs and competitions.

In some circumstances, we may collect (with your consent) information about your health or other information which is treated under privacy laws as “sensitive information.” Examples of these circumstances include:

• collecting information about your health (such as injuries you have suffered) to ensure our programs are run safely;
• collecting information about your health for the purposes of administering competition rules and anti-doping rules; and
• collecting information about your racial or ethnic origin (such as when conducting games or competitions for indigenous players).

If it is reasonable and practical to do so, NSWRL will collect personal information directly from you. We may collect your personal information on paper-based or electronic (online) forms, over the telephone or when you engage with us via social media or via our Site.

Personal information about players, volunteers, coaches and other officials is collected via an online system and recorded in a national player registration database. If you are a player under the age of 18 years, your personal information will be collected from your parent or guardian.

Clubs which participate in competitions administered by NSWRL will collect information about players, volunteers, coaches and other officials on behalf of NSWRL when you register with that club.

1.2 Supporters and others

We may collect personal information about individuals who are not players or participants in our programs. This includes members of NSWRL supporter programs, ticket purchasers, rugby league supporters, and individuals who have made enquiries about NSWRL and our programs. The types of personal information we collect will vary depending on your interaction with us but may include your name, contact details, event and activities you have participated in, club membership or supporter status, match attendance history, your interests and marketing preferences.

If it is reasonable and practical to do so, NSWRL will collect personal information directly from you. We may also collect personal information about you from third parties such as other rugby league governing bodies and competition administrators (including the National Rugby League as part of the administration of its data storage architecture for processing personal information across its website and digital media channels (Rugby League Exchange), ticket agencies and our commercial partners.

1.3 Personnel of other organisations

We may collect personal information about individuals who interact with us (for example, individual service providers and contractors to NSWRL and other individuals who interact with NSWRL on a commercial basis. This is typically information such as your name, contact details, professional details and information regarding interactions with NSWRL. This information is collected for the purpose of administration, management and operation of NSWRL and our programs.

1.4 Prospective employees, applicants and volunteers

When recruiting personnel, NSWRL collects some personal information including your name, contact details, qualifications and work history. Generally, we collect this information directly from you. We may also collect personal information from third parties such as recruitment agencies or your nominated referees. Before offering you a position, we may collect additional details such as your tax file number and superannuation information. 

When recruiting prospective employees and volunteers, we may collect sensitive information necessary to conduct background checks to determine your suitability for certain positions (for example, positions which involve working with children and young people).

We will not collect personal information unless the information is reasonably necessary for or directly related to one, or more of our functions or activities.  You can always decline to give NSWRL any of the personal information we request, but this may mean you cannot participate in our programs. For example, it is generally not practicable to participate in a competition or program we administer without identifying yourself.

2. Cookies

When you visit the Site the server may attach a "cookie" to your computer's memory.  A “cookie” assists us to store information on how visitors to the Site use it and the pages that may be of most interest.  This information may be used to provide users of your computer with information that we think may interest the users of your computer.  However, this information is not linked to any personal information you may provide and cannot be used to identify you.  If you choose, you should be able to configure your computer so that it disables “cookies” or does not accept them.

3. Use and disclosure of information

3.1 Players and Participants

We may use personal information about you for the primary purpose of providing you with our services, and for which you would reasonably expect us to use that information, including:

• Organising, promoting and conducting competitions and matches;
• Convening clinics, camps and player development activities; 
• Select and administer representative teams; and
• Administer the rules of NSWRL competitions (including judiciary review).

We may use and disclose images or audio-visual recordings which identify you where you would reasonably expect this to occur.

We may disclose your personal information to:

• A club you are registered with;
• Other rugby league governing bodies and competition administrators (including the National Rugby League as part of the Rugby League Exchange);
• Persons and organisations responsible for administering anti-doping rules; and
• Sponsors, commercial partners and broadcasters (where you would reasonably expect us to do so).

3.2 Supporters and others

The purposes for which we may use and disclose your personal information will depend on your interaction with us. If you are a rugby league supporter or a ticket purchaser, we may use your information to:

• Develop and administer our programs and develop the sport of rugby league;
• Promote and deliver matches and events;
• Develop and promote our services, products and merchandise and the services, products and merchandise of other rugby league competition administrators and our corporate partners and sponsors; and
• Keep you up to date with information and news relating to rugby league, including through newsletters, publications and social media content.

If you have attended a match or an event as a spectator, we may use and disclose images or audio-visual recordings which identify you for promotional purposes where you would reasonably expect this to occur.

We may disclose your personal information to:

• Other rugby league governing bodies and competition administrators (including the National Rugby League as part of the Rugby League Exchange);
• Companies that carry out functions and activities on our behalf, including ticketing agencies;
• Our corporate partners and sponsors to enable them to provide you with information and to promote their services, products and merchandise.

Third parties to whom we disclose your personal information may contact you directly to let you know that they have collected your information and to give you information about their information handling and privacy policies.

3.3 Other uses and disclosures 

NSWRL will also use and disclose personal information for a range of administrative, management and operational purposes including:

• Planning, managing, monitoring and evaluating our programs;
• Training staff, contractors and other workers;
• Risk management and management of legal liabilities and claims (for example, liaising with insurers and legal representatives);
• Responding to enquiries and complaints regarding our services;
• Obtaining advice from consultants and other professional advisers; and
• Responding to subpoenas and other legal orders and obligations.

We may provide certain information about you including your personal information to our related bodies corporate.

We will not disclose information that personally identifies you to any third party other than as set out in this Privacy Policy. We take reasonable steps to ensure that these organisations are bound by privacy obligations in relation to the protection of your personal information.

In the event of a security incident involving unauthorised access, use or disclosure of personal information where a third party with whom we share personal information is involved, we will seek to work cooperatively with them to protect the personal information we have shared with them.

4. Direct marketing

We may use personal information about you for the primary purpose of keeping you informed about our competitions and programs and to promote our events and the sport of rugby league. This includes sending you newsletters or promotional offers regarding our competitions, events and merchandise (including offers from our corporate partners and sponsors) by post, telephone or any form of electronic communication. You authorise us to use any email address or other contact information you provide to us at any time for this purpose. 

You can, at any time, opt out of receiving marketing material by contacting us. You agree and acknowledge that even if you opt out of receiving marketing material, we will still send you essential information that we are legally required to send you relating to our programs and competitions. Once you opt out of receiving marketing material from us, you agree and acknowledge that this removal from our distribution lists may take several business days after the date of you request to be removed.

5. Accuracy of your information

We take all reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information held by us is accurate, up-to-date, complete, relevant and not misleading.  If you believe that any of your personal information is not accurate, up-to-date, complete, relevant and not misleading, please contact us (see below) and we will take all reasonable steps to correct it within a reasonable time.

6. Third Parties and your information

We will only collect, store, use or disclose personal information as set out in this Privacy Policy unless we are required by law to protect our rights or property (or those of any third party), or to avoid injury to any person.

Although the Site may link directly to websites operated by third parties (Linked Sites), you acknowledge that Linked Sites are not operated by us.  We encourage you to always read the applicable privacy Policy of any Linked Site on entering the Linked Site.  We are not responsible for the content or practices of the Linked Sites nor their privacy policies regarding the collection, storage, use and disclosure of your personal information.

7. Disclosure of Information Overseas

NSWRL does not typically or routinely disclose personal information to overseas recipients. However, we may transfer any of your personal information to international rugby league associations to facilitate the administration of international rugby league competitions.

We will only transfer your personal information to an overseas service provider, if:  

(a) you have given consent to this transfer; or 

(b) we consider these service providers are bound to legislation similar to the APPs and we have a contractual mechanism with them to enforce your rights.

8. Your consent

By your use of the Site you consent to the collection, storage, use and disclosure of your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and as otherwise permitted under the Privacy Act.

9. Storage and security

We will use all reasonable endeavours to keep your personal information in a secure environment, however, this security cannot be guaranteed. Information held in electronic form is held securely on servers and computer systems located in Australia. Certain information may be collected and held in paper documents (such as player registration forms). However, such information is typically transferred to electronic form and the original paper documents securely destroyed. NSWRL maintains physical security over paper and electronic data stores such as through locks and security systems at our premises. We also maintain computer and network security, for example we use firewalls and other security systems such as user identifiers and passwords to control access to our computer systems.

These security measures are designed to ensure your personal information is not subject to unauthorised access, loss or misuse.  If you reasonably believe that there has been unauthorised use or disclosure of your personal information please contact us (see below).

If we no longer need your personal information, unless we are required under Australian law or a court or tribunal order to retain it, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify your personal information, in accordance with our document and information retention policy.

Notwithstanding the reasonable steps taken to keep information secure, breaches may occur.  In the event of a security incident we have in place procedures to promptly investigate the incident and determine if there has been a data breach involving personal information, and if so, to assess if it is a breach that would require notification.  If it is, we will notify affected parties in accordance with Privacy Act requirements.

We will use all reasonable endeavours to keep your personal information in a secure environment, however, this security cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, we will not be liable for any breach of security or unintended loss or disclosure of information due to the Site being linked to the Internet.

10. Variation and consent to variation

We may vary the terms of this Privacy Policy at any time.  You should check this Privacy Policy regularly so that you are aware of any variations made to this Privacy Policy.  You will be deemed to have consented to such variations by your continued use of the Site following such changes being made.

11. Access to information we hold about you

If you request access to the personal information we hold about you, we will respond to your request within a reasonable period of time and, where reasonable and practicable, give access to the information in the manner you request.  This will be subject to any exemptions allowed under the Privacy Act. You may request this information by writing to:

The Privacy Officer
New South Wales Rugby League
PO Box 584 
Sydney Markets NSW 2129
dnissen@nswrl.com.au 

We may charge a reasonable fee for the time and expense incurred in providing that information.

When contacting us you have the option to either not identify yourself or to use a pseudonym.  However, this will not apply if it is impracticable for us to communicate with you that way.  We are required or authorised under Australian law (or a court or tribunal order) to only deal with individuals who have identified themselves.

12. Complaints

If you have contacted us and your question has not been able to be resolved to your satisfaction, you may make a complaint to the General Manager using the contact details above. The General Manager will first consider your complaint to determine whether there are simple or immediate steps which can be taken to resolve the complaint. We will generally respond to your complaint within a fortnight. 

If your complaint requires more detailed consideration or investigation, we will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within a fortnight and endeavour to complete our investigation into your complaint promptly. We may ask you to provide further information about your complaint and the outcome you are seeking. We will then typically gather the relevant facts, locate and review relevant documents and speak with individuals involved.

In most cases, we will investigate and respond to a complaint within 30 days of receipt of the complaint. If the matter is more complex or our investigation may take longer, we will inform you as soon as practicable.

If you are not satisfied with our response to a complaint, or you consider that NSWRL may have breached privacy laws, you can make a complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. 

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner can be contacted by telephone on 1300 363 992 or by using the contact details online at www.oaic.gov.au.