Privacy Policy
Astute Business Pty Ltd and Astute Business & Consulting Services Pty Ltd (Astute) is committed to protecting the privacy of the personal and financial information you provide to us, as such we comply with the Australian Privacy Principles. Any personal or financial information that we retain is kept in such a manner as to ensure its security and confidentiality at all times.
How we collect information
We only keep information that you provide to us. If you choose to provide Astute with your email addresses, telephone numbers, addresses and/or any personal information or financial information or data, then that is the only personal information that we will hold about you. We do not collect or use any personal information on visitors to our website, through the use of "cookies" or other software or hardware techniques. This site contains links to other sites. Astute is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such Web sites, you should check the privacy policies of those sites before choosing to use them.
Why we collect information
We collect information that is necessary to enable us to do business with you.
• to provide the best possible accounting, taxation and consulting services requested by you
• to inform you of products and services and other information pertaining to your business
• to enable us to enter into financial transactions with you
• to enable us to obtain products and services from third parties on your behalf
• to enable us to liaise or conduct your affairs with the Australian Taxation Office.
How we may use that information
We use that information to communicate with you or assist you and/or your business or to conduct business with you. We may require, in the course of providing our services to you, to disclose information about you to third parties. Where this is necessary, we always communicate with you and seek your approval prior to any information being disclosed. This is usually with service or product providers with whom you already have a business relationship. Astute will not sell, trade or rent this information to third parties. An exception to this is where we may be required by law to disclose certain information. For example, the ATO is authorised to request your Tax File Number when we lodge a tax return on your behalf.
Tax File Numbers
We are authorised to request your Tax File Number.
Tax agents and accountants.
Tax agents registered under the Tax Agent Services Act 2009, and accountants and other people acting on behalf of an individual or an employer may collect the tax file numbers of their clients or their client's employees (if their client is an employer) and use them as necessary to conduct the client's affairs.
Disclosure: to the ATO and the client only.
We may request, collect and store your Tax File Number (TFN) to enable us to provide taxation and other services to you and liaise with the Australian Taxation Office on your behalf. You consent to us using your TFN to help manage your taxation, superannuation or personal assistance affairs.
It is not an offense to decline to quote your TFN, however, if you choose not to provide us with your TFN then we will be unable to help you with any Tax work.
Security of Personal Information
We take all reasonable steps to protect your personal information, from misuse, interference and loss and from unauthorised access modification or disclosure. All personal information is kept in secured storage devices on our premises and in digitally encrypted format if stored remotely.
Electronic communications
You should be aware that unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, while we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us or receive from us electronically. This is especially true for information you transmit to us via email. We have no way of protecting that information until it reaches us. Once we receive your transmission, we make our best efforts to ensure its security on our servers.
Our Providers
Our Client Secure Area uses Lockbox. The servers used by Lockbox are located in the United States. The data is digitally signed and encrypted using military grade security, therefore your data is protected from the moment it leaves your device to the point where we pull the information down to our server.
Our disaster recovery processes and procedures dictates that we store copies of our internal systems off site. Our data and systems are backed up to an Australian data centre, with a replicated server in a secondary Australian location. The data is digitally signed and encrypted using 448 bit encryption.
We do not allow any of our providers access to our internal systems remotely.
How long we keep that information
We do keep email and fax correspondence, as it is necessary to our doing business with you. We will preserve the contents of any email message that you send us if we believe that we have a legal requirement to do so. Emails sent to or from us are routinely monitored for quality control, systems administration and legal compliance purposes.
We may keep copies of data that you send to us, if we believe that it is necessary to perform the services you request of us, or to assist with statutory time frames.
Destruction of records and information
All paper based identifying records and documents that are no longer required are dealt with in the following manner:
• We contact you to ask you to collect the records.
• If you decline, we then securely destroy the paper based records by shredding in our office or we utilise a secure document destruction firm.
How you can access your personal information
To access your personal information, please contact our privacy officer at:
Privacy Officer
Astute Business Pty Ltd
P O Box 262
Chirnside Park Vic 3116
Email: privacy@astutebusiness.com.au
Compliments, Complaints, Concerns or questions about our privacy policy
If you have any questions or you have any concerns about our privacy policy, please contact our privacy officer at:
Privacy Officer
Astute Business Pty Ltd
P O Box 262
Chirnside Park Vic 3116
Email: privacy@astutebusiness.com.au
Disclaimer
This website and the articles on our website are not a substitute for independent professional advice. We do not warrant the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information or material on this website. All information is subject to change without notice. We and each party providing material displayed on this website disclaim liability to all persons or organisations in relation to any action(s) taken on the basis of currency or accuracy of the information or material, or any loss or damage suffered in connection with that information or material. You should make your own enquiries before entering into any transaction on the basis of the information or material on this website. Please ensure you contact us to discuss your particular circumstances and how the information provided applies to your situation.
Quality of information - always check the information
Before relying on the information on this website, users should carefully evaluate its accuracy, currency, completeness and relevance for their purposes, and should obtain professional advice relevant to their particular circumstances. We and associated parties can not guarantee nor assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, currency or completeness of the information or material.
Linkage to external websites should not be taken to be an endorsement or a recommendation of any third party products or services offered by virtue of any information, material or content linked from or to this website. Users of links provided by this website are responsible for being aware of which organisation is represented or providing the information or material on the website they visit.
Views or recommendations provided in linked websites do not necessarily reflect our views or recommendations, nor the views or recommendations of associated parties.
Security of Our Website
Users of our website should be aware that the World Wide Web is an insecure public network that gives rise to a potential risk that a user's transactions are being viewed, intercepted or modified by third parties or that files which the user downloads may contain computer viruses or other defects.
We and associated parties accept no liability for any interference with or damage to a user's computer system, software or data occurring in connection with this website. Users are encouraged to take appropriate and adequate precautions to ensure that whatever is selected from this website is free of viruses or other contamination that may interfere with or damage the user's computer system, software or data.
Professional Standards Council Disclosure
"Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation."