Service NSW, together with the NSW Reconstruction Authority, and the Department of Communities and Justice manages the Disaster Impact Form (DIF), related case notes, recovery care plans and grant information (collectively referred to as DIF+) for the purpose of assisting with disaster recovery and to deliver services to you, your family and, where relevant, your business.
We have established the DIF as part of the NSW Government's 'Tell Your Story Once' (TYSO) initiative. TYSO aims to let you register for support when you experience a disaster without repeating the same information to multiple government agencies or non-government organisations.
Purpose for collecting your information
Service NSW, on behalf of the NSW Reconstruction Authority, and the Department of Communities and Justice, collects your personal and health information when you complete the DIF. The purpose of the collection is:
- to send a registration confirmation email or SMS to you
- to create a recovery care plan for you designed to provide you with the support services, guidance, and assistance related to the disaster you are experiencing
- to contact you so we can:
- confirm or obtain further information or to follow up on your situation
- discuss the services and assistance you have requested or may be eligible for
- discuss the outcomes of your requests for services or assistance
- request participation in evaluation activities
- to determine any grants, vouchers, and rebates or other financial assistance you may be eligible for
- to provide your personal information, including your health information to other NSW government agencies and entities (including their contractors), local councils, Commonwealth agencies and non-government agencies providing services following a disaster
- to match your details with your MyServiceNSW Account, where you have created a guest account
- to establish, maintain, and/or add to your MyServiceNSW Account, your MyServiceNSW Business Profile if you have one, and pre-populating future applications in your MyServiceNSW Account
- to plan the provision of services and assistance in response to the disaster, or future disasters
- for other purposes directly related to the disaster you are experiencing, and we have no reason to think that you would object to us doing so. For example, delivering Federal and State Government disaster relief initiatives that may arise from the disaster.
Types of information we collect
Service NSW, on behalf of the NSW Reconstruction Authority, and the Department of Communities and Justice, may collect the following information related to the disaster that has impacted you. This may include personal or health information such as:
- your full name
- your date of birth
- your contact details i.e. your mobile number or email address
- the address of any property impacted by the disaster
- whether it is your business, home or other property that has been impacted by the disaster
- your business details, if you own one, and if it has been impacted by disaster
- the number of people residing at the impacted address
- information about any damage to your property or business
- what support you and your household are seeking such as accommodation, business support, livestock support, financial support and health services etc
- whether you require additional support such as reading and writing support, hearing assistance or an interpreter
- case notes where we may record other personal information that you provide voluntarily
- recovery care plans
- details relating to access to grants.
How we use your information
Service NSW, on behalf of the NSW Reconstruction Authority, and the Department of Communities and Justice maintains and uses information collected about you to assist you following a disaster, including for the purpose of our interactions with you and internal administrative purposes.
We will use your personal and health information for the purposes for which it was collected or a directly related purpose. We may also use it where we are otherwise authorised or required to do so by law.
If you have previously completed a DIF in relation to a disaster, and are now impacted by another disaster, Service NSW, the NSW Reconstruction Authority and the Department of Communities and Justice may, if directly relevant to the provision of services to with respect to the disaster you are experiencing, share or access information you have provided in relation to previous disasters for the purposes of assisting with your recovery.
Who the agencies will share information with
Service NSW, the NSW Reconstruction Authority and the Department of Communities and Justice, will disclose information you provide in the DIF+, and any further information collected throughout your recovery to each other (see table below). This is for the purposes of helping you recover from the disaster you are experiencing and the range of support you may need.
Service NSW holds the personal and health information you provide in the DIF in its secure systems and provides access to the NSW Reconstruction Authority and Department of Communities and Justice through a shared 'Agency Portal'. This will allow the NSW Reconstruction Authority and Department of Communities and Justice to view your DIF information and any grants you apply for that are related to the disaster you are experiencing.
They will also be able to create case notes and update your information through the portal which will be visible to all three agencies. This may include the collection of further personal or health information. They will explain the purposes of that collection at the time.
Service NSW will not share any personal or health information you have provided to us in interactions or transactions not related to the purposes set out in this notice.
There may be instances where Service NSW or the NSW Reconstruction Authority discloses personal information to other government agencies or organisations not specified in this collection notice. This is because it is not always clear which support services or assistance you may need as a disaster develops. We will only disclose your personal information to these types of agencies or organisations when it directly relates to a purpose that is outlined in this collection notice. Examples of the entities we might share your information with are set out below.
NSW Reconstruction Authority
The NSW Reconstruction Authority (the Authority) is responsible for facilitating disaster prevention, preparedness, recovery, reconstruction, and adaptation to the effects of natural disasters in NSW. The Authority works in cooperation with, and seeks assistance from, other NSW government agencies, councils, and non-government agencies to provide disaster-related support services.
The Authority may use the information you provide in the DIF+ for the purposes of:
- assessing customer eligibility for support or assistance
- contacting customers to provide information about available services and assistance
- referring your case to government and non-government organisations and/or businesses that have been contracted by the Authority to deliver services or assistance
- updating your case records and sharing this information with Service NSW and the Department of Communities and Justice
- using evidence of disaster impact you provide (e.g. photos, documents) to support your future applications for services and assistance, including grants administered by the Authority
- administering, reporting on, and evaluating the TYSO program
- research and statistical purposes to support service delivery and planning
- other directly related purposes.
Below are examples of the types of agencies and organisations the Authority usually engages with to help deliver disaster support and recovery services. The exact organisations engaged will depend on the disaster impacting you, together with your particular circumstances. Service NSW may also share this information directly with the providers.
As indicated above it is not always clear which support services or assistance you may need as a disaster develops, therefore this list is not exhaustive and is presented as a guide only.
| Why we might share your information | Examples of providers Service NSW and the Authority may share your information with |
|---|---|
| Customer support |
|
| Mental health support |
|
| Financial support |
|
| Business support |
|
| Clean up |
|
| Legal support and documentation |
|
| Non-government organisations that provide disaster support services |
|
Unless you provide consent or if lawfully required, these organisations or agencies may not use or disclose your personal information for a purpose other than the purpose for which it was provided.
Department of Communities and Justice
The Department of Communities and Justice (the Department) provides emergency accommodation where individuals cannot live in their home because it is uninhabitable due to natural disasters such as fires, floods, earthquakes, or storms.
The Department may use the information you provide in the DIF+ for the purposes of:
- assessing your eligibility for support or assistance
- assessing your current situation and contacting you to provide information about services and assistance that may be available
- using evidence of disaster impact you provide (e.g. photos, documents) to support your future applications for services and assistance
- other directly related purposes
Unless you consent or the Department is otherwise authorised by law, the Department may not use or disclose your personal information for a purpose other than the purpose for which it was provided.
Other disclosures made by Service NSW
In addition to the above, Service NSW and the NSW Reconstruction Authority may disclose your personal information to:
- the NSW Police, other law enforcement agency or the Australian Taxation Office if Service NSW reasonably suspects fraud or other criminal activity.
- Twilio or SendGrid, third party SMS and email senders, but only for the purpose of sending you SMS or emails from Service NSW in relation to disaster support.
Service NSW will not provide your personal and health information to third parties for any purposes not already stated in this privacy notice, or to which you have not otherwise consented, unless Service NSW is required, or authorised, by law to do so.
Are you required by law to provide us with this information?
Providing us with the requested information is not required by law. However, if you choose not to provide us with the requested information, we may not be able to provide you with the services and assistance you require.
Further information
You may ask for access to the personal or health information we hold about you at any time and request to update, correct or amend your personal or health information by calling 13 77 88.
Please see our privacy statement for more information about how Service NSW handles your personal information. This includes how you can access and seek correction of the information, how you can make a privacy enquiry or complaint, how we securely store information, and how to contact us. Service NSW is located at 2-24 Rawson Place Sydney NSW 2000.