Privacy Policy

Watson Erskine & Co Pty Limited and Watson Erskine Pty Ltd respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines the general information handling practices you can expect from Watson Erskine. If you require any further information concerning privacy and the ways in which we handle your personal information, please contact us via the contact details set out below.

Collection of Personal Information

Watson Erskine only collects personal information that is necessary for one or more of our functions or activities. The types of personal information we collect and the purposes for collection will depend upon the particular circumstances. If you are a client of the Firm, we will obviously require details such as your name, contact details and such other personal information to enable us to conduct your matter in a professional manner. We may also collect personal information about you during the conduct of your matter from telephone calls, faxes, emails, letters and by other means. If you are a visitor to our website, we will generally not collect personal information about you (for further information on our Internet Privacy practices, please see below).

Use and Disclosure of Personal Information

• Watson Erskine’s policy is only to use your personal information for the business purposes for which it was collected. Watson Erskine does not rent, sell or trade your personal information to or with any third party without your consent.
  
  Watson Erskine may disclose personal information outside of Watson Erskine in the following circumstances:
  
  disclosures to external service providers who help us operate our business. Where relevant or if required, Watson Erskine will take all reasonable steps to require those service providers to comply with the Privacy Act and only use personal information for prescribed purposes;
• if you have consented to the disclosure; and
• disclosures we are required or authorised to make by law or permitted to make under the Privacy Act.

In general, the types of organisations to which we would usually disclose personal information include the Australian Tax Office, financiers, other accountants and auditors, legal advisers and other professionals. Where appropriate, Watson Erskine will seek your consent before complying with any third party requests for personal information.

Security of Information

Watson Erskine takes reasonable steps to protect the personal information we hold about you from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

If we hold personal information about you and that information is no longer needed by us, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify the relevant information.

Specifically our security measures include:

• Firewalls to prevent hacking of our databases
• Clauses in employee agreements requiring confidentiality
• Appropriate security access to our office premises
• The use of passwords to access database information
• Document shredders for the disposal of written information

Access and Correction

Upon request, you may be provided with access to the personal information Watson Erskine holds about you. We reserve the right to charge any reasonable costs incurred by us in providing access in certain circumstances. If you would like to make a request for access, please set out your request in writing and send it to our Privacy Compliance Officer at the contact details set out below.

If you feel that any personal information Watson Erskine holds about you is not accurate, complete and up-to-date, please contact our Privacy Compliance Officer at the contact details set out below. We will then take reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information is corrected.


If you wish to express any concerns, or to make a formal complaint, about how we are handling personal information, these should also be submitted to our Privacy Compliance Officer at the contact details set out below.

Internet Privacy

In general, you can visit our website without revealing personal information about yourself. When you visit our website, our internet service provider and website managers may make a record of your visit, logging information such as your email address and/or IP address (if applicable), the date and time of your visit, the pages accessed, the domain where you clicked through from, and the type of browser you have used. This information is collected for trend and statistical purposes, and so that Watson Erskine can analyse and enhance its website's functions and capabilities.

Our website may make use of cookie technology, to provide you with better and more efficient service next time you visit our website. Cookies are unique identifiers which are sent from our website to your computer or system (PC), tracking the web pages you have visited. Cookies enable us to relate your use of the website to information that you have specifically provided to us (such as a member password for any service we may provide via the website) and allow your web browser to track searches you have performed on our website. Cookies are stored on your PC, not on our servers. You can elect to disable Cookies through your browser setting options.

General Obligations of Confidentiality

If you are a client of Watson Erskine, we are also under a general duty of confidentiality to you which we continue to respect and maintain.

Watson Erskine & Co Pty Ltd Contact Details

For further information please contact our Privacy Compliance Officer by using the contact details below:
Attention: Privacy Compliance Officer
Email: mail@watsonerskine.com.au
Phone: +61 2 9248 9600 
Fax:     +61 2 9248 9666

Disclaimer

Watson Erskine is entitled to amend or modify the Privacy Policy at any time. Although we intend to observe this policy at all times, nothing contained in this Privacy Policy is intended to create contractual rights or obligations. From time to time we may regard it as necessary or desirable to act outside the policy. Watson Erskine may do so, subject only to any legal obligations we have to you or under any law, including the Privacy Act.