Privacy Policy

CANSTAR CANNEX understands that you may have concerns about privacy and security of personal information, that we may gain or you supply. We are committed to protecting all personal information about you that we hold.

This privacy policy describes how we manage your personal information and safeguard your privacy.

1. The National Privacy Principles

CANSTAR CANNEX complies with the National Privacy Principles ("NPPs") which came into effect 21 December 2001.

2. Who Is CANSTAR CANNEX (Aust) Pty Ltd?

CANSTAR CANNEX is Australia's leading FINANCIAL SERVICES RESEARCH GROUP

We provide comprehensive, tailored financial information to Australia's 400-plus financial institutions which includes :-

* Banks
* Credit Unions
* Building Societies
* Mortgage Originators
* Finance Companies and
* Government bodies such as ACCC, ASIC, APRA etc.
* Life companies and other Issuers of
annuity, insurance, managed funds and superannuation products

CANSTAR CANNEX maintains a vast database of retail financial services products with associated features such as interest rates, fees & charges and terms & conditions. Products include:

* Asset products (consumer, home, business, commercial, development, leasing, agri business and margin lending);
* Liability products (transaction, saving, investment and managed funds);
* Managed fund and superannuation products - (fees and features).
* Annuity information for Term Certain Annuities and Lifetime Annuities.
* Risk product information for Term, Trauma, TPD, Income Protection and Business Expenses.

It is important to note that CANSTAR CANNEX does NOT have access to and therefore does not store, ANY confidential bank account data relating to individuals or organisations. Our subscribing business customers use the information stored in our database and system for:-

* In-depth competitor analysis;
* Distribution of banking and finance information to print and electronic media for publication and to Agents and Brokers for use in advising their clients.
* Risk assessments and pricing research.

The information is analysed and used in a variety of ways to assess financial institution competitiveness and positioning. Advisers, Dealer Groups, Agents, Accountants and Brokers use the data when advising their clients.

CANSTAR CANNEX charges its clients a subscription fee, which entitles subscribers to online access to its database of financial services products.

We are not paid commission nor do we sell any financial sevice or product, either directly or indirectly or via a broker. CANSTAR CANNEX does not charge for nor restrict any financial institution from listing their products in media tables state-by-state or nationally through media tables, internet sevices, fax back or any other medium.

3. How To Contact Us

Our contact details are:

Address:

CANSTAR CANNEX (Aust) Pty Ltd
Level 2, 107 Quay Street
Brisbane Qld 4000

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Ph: 07 3837 4100
Fax: 07 3837 4141

New Zealand:
Tollfree: 00 800 3632 4100
(Telecom line only)

4. What Does 'Personal Information' Mean?

Personal information is information or an opinion about an individual whose identity is apparent, or can reasonably be ascertained. It includes all personal information regardless of its source.

5. Data Collection

We will, if it is reasonable or practicable to do so, collect your personal information from you. This may happen when you fill out an application form for a life company product or for a 'Annuity Quote Scenario'. We may also need to collect personal information from your representative or adviser.

Collection of some of your personal information is essential for completion of some of the functions and activities of CANSTAR CANNEX. If we do not collect and make use of some of the data that you enter, we will not be able to complete some of the functions for which this web site is designed.

The data entered by you or your adviser may include your name, postal or email address, date of birth or other information considered necessary for any application process you may be undertaking.

No matter how your personal information is collected, it is dealt with by CANSTAR CANNEX in accordance with the National Privacy Principles.

6. Using and Disclosing Personal Information

In line with modern business practices common to many institutions and in order to meet your specific needs (such as where you have a financial adviser), CANSTAR CANNEX may disclose your personal information in certain circumstances, to third party organisations whose products you may require. These organisations may include life companies, managed fund and superannuation organisations, dealer groups, financial advisers and planners and their service providers. The types of organisations to whom your personal information may be disclosed, are listed in 'Who is CANSTAR CANNEX (Aust) Pty Ltd?' above.

Where your personal information is disclosed, we will seek to ensure that the information is held, used or disclosed consistently with the National Privacy Principles and other applicable privacy laws and codes. It may also be disclosed to in relation:

* to maintaining, reviewing and developing our business systems, procedures and infrastructure including testing or upgrading our computer systems;
* as required or authorised by law, for example, to government or regulatory bodies for purposes related to public health or safety, the prevention or detection of unlawful activities or to protect public revenue.

7. Consumer Calculators Available on Our Website

A 'Consumer Calculator' is defined as a calculator which is available, for free on the publicly accessible CANSTAR CANNEX website, to non-subscribing users of the calculator. 'Consumer' calculators such as the CANSTAR CANNEX aapr Calculator, CANSTAR CANNEX savings Calculator and the CANSTAR CANNEX adviserinfo Calculator among others, require only the minumum of customer data to derive a result. CANSTAR CANNEX does not collect or store any data entered into any Consumer Calculator.

8. Marketing Of CANSTAR CANNEX Products and Services

The personal information of an individual consumer will not be used by CANSTAR CANNEX for direct marketing purposes, unless that person also happens to be a financial adviser or planner who may or may not be part of a Dealer Group.

The information about a Dealer, Financial Planner, Life company or other Issuers of annuity, insurance, managed fund and superannuation products will be used to direct market CANSTAR CANNEX products and services to Dealers, Financial Planners, Life companies and other Issuers of annuity, insurance, managed fund and superannuation products.

9. Data Quality - Keeping Your Personal Information Accurate And Up-To-Date

We aim to make sure that the information we collect, use and disclose to dealers, financial planners, life companies and other Issuers of annuity, insurance, managed fund and superannuation products, is accurate, complete and up-to-date. We will take reasonable steps to make sure this is the case. This way we can provide you with better service by ensuring that these parties are up to date with market happenings.

If you believe your personal information is not accurate, please contact us. Refer to the section 'How To Contact Us' above.

10. Data Security - Protecting Your Personal Information

We store information in different ways, including in paper and electronic format. The security of your personal information is important to us and we take reasonable steps to protect it from misuse and loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Some of the ways we do this are:

* confidentiality agreements for our employees and contractors;
* security measures for systems access;
* only allowing access to personal information where the individual seeking access has satisfied our identification requirements;
* access control for our buildings;
* destroying or permanently de-identifying your personal information if it is no longer needed for the purpose which the information was originally collected, used or disclosed under National Privacy Policy Principles.

11 Your Privacy On Our Website/s

We take care to ensure that the personal information you give us on our website is protected.

12 Links from our Website to Other Sites

You may be able to access external websites by clicking on links we have provided. Those other websites are not subject to our privacy standards, policies and procedures. You will need to contact or review those websites directly to ascertain their privacy standards, policies and procedures.

13. Gaining access to your personal information

You may request access to any of the personal information we hold about you. This is subject to some exceptions allowed by law. Factors affecting a right to access include:

* where access would pose a serious threat to the life or health of any individual;
* where access would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of others;
* a frivolous or vexatious request;
* the information relates to a commercially sensitive decision making process;
* where access would be unlawful;
* where access would prejudice enforcement activities relating to criminal activities and other breaches of law, public revenue, a security function or negotiations with you;
* legal dispute resolution proceedings denying access as required or authorised by or under law.

For more detailed requests for access to personal information, for example access to information held in archives, a fee may be charged to cover the cost of retrieval and the supply of this information to you. Contact us to obtain a form requesting access (see 'How To Contact Us' above). In some cases we may be able to deal with your request over the telephone.

If we deny your request for access to, or refuse your request to correct your personal information, we will explain why.

14. Using Commonwealth Identifiers

It is not anticipated that CANSTAR CANNEX will ever need to collect Commonwealth Identifiers such as your Tax File Number or pension card details. If this were to change in the future, the CANSTAR CANNEX Privacy Policy will be amended. If we were obliged to collect this type of information, CANSTAR CANNEX would not use or disclose this information other than when required or authorised by law.

15. Do I have to be identified at all?

Wherever it is lawful and practicable to do so, we may offer you the opportunity to deal with us anonymously. For example, when making an inquiry about current interest rates applicable on term deposits or if you perform an Annuity Calculation. If you choose to apply for a product from a third party, then it would be necessary to identify yourself.

16. Your Sensitive Information

Without your consent we will not collect information about you that reveals your racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs or affiliations, membership of a professional or trade association, membership of a trade union, details of health, disability, sexual preferences or practices, or criminal record.

CANSTAR CANNEX would only collect, use or disclose sensitive information about you as is allowed by law, for example where we have received your consent to do so or the collection is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of a legal claim.

17. Resolving Your Privacy Issues

If you have any issues you wish to raise with CANSTAR CANNEX, or would like to discuss any issues about our Privacy Policy, then you are able to do so a number of ways:

* you are always welcome to speak directly to our staff and they will do their best to resolve your issue. If investigation is required we will keep you advised of progress. If staff are unable to resolve the matter, it will be escalated as appropriate to facilitate resolution
* you can call our office any time between 8am and 5pm Monday to Friday EST (Refer 'How To Contact Us' above.)
* you can email your issue when you fill out a 'Customer Relations' form outlining your issue that will then be forwarded to our Customer Relations Manager.
You can obtain a form from our office (see 'How To Contact Us' above) or fill out the online form from this location - Customer Relations Form

18. Acceptance and Changes To Our Privacy Policy

You acknowledge and accept that your use of the CANSTAR CANNEX website indicates your acceptance of the CANSTAR CANNEX website terms of use and the CANSTAR CANNEX Privacy Policy.

From time to time, our privacy statement may change. We may notify you about changes to our privacy statement by posting an updated version on our website: www.canstarcannex.com.au.

19. More Information About The National Privacy Policy

For more information about privacy in general, you can visit the Federal Privacy Commissioner's website: www.privacy.gov.au

Information Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988: The Information Privacy Principles(IPP)