TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Trainee – An individual who enrols into a course or event with W&M. The course or event can be accredited or non-accredited training. A trainee can also be referred to as a Student. The term Trainee does NOT infer the person studying is under any traineeship or apprenticeship arrangement.
Walker & Miller Training Courses – W&M offers the following delivery methods:
Courses are offered in partnership with the National Finance Institute (NFI), a Registered Training Organisation (RTO 31203)
Online
Distance Learning / Correspondence
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) or Credit Transfer
Face to face workshops for FNS40815 and FNS50315 qualifications (offered in NSW, VIC, WA, SA and QLD).
Enrolment date – this is the date that W&M receives an enrolment (online, soft or hardcopy enrolment.
Commencement date – this is the date that the trainee is sent login details, course material or attends face to face training (whichever event occurs first).
Completion date – the completion date is the date the trainee is scheduled to complete their studies based upon W&M standard completion period. The completion date is also amended if a trainee applies for and receives an extension.
Deadline date – the deadline date is the same as the completion date.
Certificate/Qualification – is the accredited document that is issued to the trainee upon successfully completing all of the requirements for the qualification. Qualifications are within 5 to 30 days of the trainee having their last assessment graded. Certificates/Qualifications cannot be issued without a trainee having a Unique Student Identifier (USI). Exemption to this is if the trainee is undertaking training out of Australia with an overseas address.
Statement of Attainment (SofA) – is the accredited document that is issued to a trainee that has partially completed the requirements of a qualification e.g. the trainee may have enrolled into a single unit of competence from a qualification. A SofA is issued within 30 days of the trainee having their last assessment grade or where NFI is notified that a trainee is no longer continuing with the remainder of their studies. SofAs cannot be issued without a trainee having a Unique Student Identifier (USI).
Cancelled trainee – a trainee may have their status changed to cancelled for a number of reasons such as failed payments, exceeded their enrolment status or being in breach of the Registered Training Organisation (RTO) policies and procedures.
Completed trainee – this term refers to when a trainee has completed the required studies that they have enrolled into (this may be a full qualification or a statement of attainment).
USI – the Unique Student Identifier (USI) is a government issued number given to each trainee undertaking accredited training. A USI is to be created or retrieved by the trainee through the government website www.usi.gov.au. Trainees with a non-Australian address, ie. studying in non-Australian locations, are not required to supply a USI.
Enrolment, Induction, Course Content and Requirements for Successful Completion – the completion of the enrolment form (online or hardcopy) is the main source of information for trainees records and should be completed accurately. Prior to enrolment or the commencement of training, W&M will provide information to the trainee about their chosen course. New trainees are also referred to the RTO’s Trainee Handbook for further information. In the unlikely event that the RTO cannot complete training for trainees currently enrolled, because of insolvency or administration, every attempt will be made to transfer all trainees to another training company offering the same or similar qualifications. All client records including enrolments and qualifications to date will be forwarded to ASQA (www.asqa.gov.au).
Qualification Duration – Studies can be completed at your own pace and before any enrolment duration provided by NFI:
Qualification: Duration / Completion Period:
FNS40815 Certificate IV in Finance and Mortgage Broking
· 6 months duration for the full qualification
· 3 day workshop, 9am-5pm – trainees have six months in which to return the assessment tasks
FNS50315 Diploma of Finance and Mortgage Broking Management
· 6 months duration for the full qualification
· 2 day workshop, 9am-5pm – trainees have six months in which to return the assessment tasks
Combined enrolment of FNS40815 and FNS50315 · When a trainee enrolls in both qualification at the same time, they are given the same commencement date for both classes. A 6 month completion date for the FNS40815 and 12 months for the FNS50315
Minimum Workshop Class Size – at their discretion, W&M require a minimum of 4 participants to run a workshop course. Should there be less than 4, an alternative course date will be offered to the participants enrolled or fees will be refunded or distance learning or online e-learning may be chosen.
Assessments – upon successful completion of your studies or at the end of your enrolment period, the following conditions apply:
If the assessment tasks have been completed for a full qualification and you have been deemed competent for each assessment, you will receive a certificate and academic transcript.
If the assessment tasks have been completed for one or more units of competence (and where the combination of these units of competences does not meet the full qualification requirements) you will receive a Statement of Attainment.
If you have completed assessment tasks and been assessed as ‘competency not yet achieved’ (CNA), then you will be able to resubmit/reattempt these tasks twice more ie. 3 attempts in total. Resubmissions must be within 21 days of advice of CNA.
If, within the enrolment period, you have not submitted any assessment tasks, nor applied for an extension, you will be withdrawn from your course and a result of No Result – Withdrawn will be recorded. You then have the option to re-enrol at a reduced cost.
If you have not submitted any assessment tasks, you will receive a reminder email prior to the course expiry date. This email will confirm the current status of your studies.
GST – courses of the nature offered by W&M as adult education entering the industry are GST-free. However, RPL, Extensions, Express Marking services or any additional material, products or services provided by NFI, are subject to GST at 10%. GST is inclusive in the advertised prices.
Fees – enrolment will only be considered complete and a person considered a trainee when a payment has been received by W&M. All fees are listed in Australian dollars. Accepted payment methods include all credit cards, cash, cheque, money order or direct deposit. Certificates will not be issued to a completed trainee until full payment has been made.
Payment Plans – W&M offers a payment plan option for trainee enrolling into training services. Payment plan payments can be spread over two, three or four months. There is a one-off administration fee of $40 charged to establish the payment plan but there are no interest charges added to the monthly payments. To work out the instalments add $40 to your course fee and divide the payment by the number of months required, to a maximum of four months. Under section 18(E)(1) of the Privacy Act 1988 W&M may give information about you to a credit reporting agency where W&M is a credit provider in the form of a Payment Plan or terms or instalment options and payment is overdue by more than 60 days or following notice given to show that your intention is not to comply with your credit obligations.
Course transfer – W&M understands that it may be appropriate for some trainees to pursue an alternative course after commencing their studies or to move the dates of their scheduled face to face studies. Trainees cannot transfer their enrolment in an W&M course to another person however, a trainee can request to transfer in the following circumstances provided the administration fee is paid (see fees):
• Certificate levels eg. transfer from Certificate IV to Diploma level
• Alternative stream eg. mortgage broking to leadership and management
• Delivery modes e.g. online to face-to-face workshop if available
• Workshop dates ie. face-to-face scheduled workshops:
o A request made to transfer to another scheduled workshop with 7 or more days’ notice of the commencement of the first scheduled day – no charge
o A request made to transfer to another scheduled workshop with 3 to 6 days’ notice of the commencement of the first scheduled day – $45 administration fee
o A request made to transfer to another scheduled workshop with less than 3 days’ notice of the commencement of the first scheduled day – $75 administration fee
o A “no show” trainee – a trainee that is scheduled to attend a face to face session and does not attend that session and with no notification of their absence – will be considered as withdrawn and there will be no refund of fees paid and will be required to re-enrol.
• Online / Distance / Correspondence transfers:
o If a trainee requests to transfer from a course offered online / distance /correspondence – this will incur a transfer admin fee of $40. This is in addition to any fee which may be payable for the print and supply of hard copies of units or manuals.
o For courses undertaken on a unit by unit basis – any request for transfers to a different course or unit must be received within 5 working days of the original login being issued or a transfer administration fee of $49 will apply.
To request a transfer a trainee must provide a credit card authorisation or phone payment to W&M by calling 1300 136 947. Things to consider prior to applying for course transfer
• A change of specialisation is considered a change of course (e.g. from Mortgage Broking to Leadership and Management)
• Trainees should be aware that transferring to another course may cause a change in their total tuition fees.
• Once a course transfer has been approved the trainee will be given a new course deadline.
• Trainees who wish to transfer to another W&M course must satisfy the entry requirements for the course for which they are applying as per the Trainees Selection, Fair Treatment and Equal Benefits and Opportunity Policy.
Course material relating to transfers – if a trainee requests to transfer from one course to another and course material has been dispatched to the trainee, the trainee is responsible for the purchase of course material for the course to which they transfer. Course material can be returned to W&M if the transfer has been approved but must be in the condition in which it was sent to the trainee (unmarked/contain no notations or bends). The cost of the postage for retuning course material in a “course transfer” arrangement is to be met by the trainee. If the request to transfer from one course to another occurs when the course content has been updated or if the qualification has been superseded, then the trainee must purchase new course material to meet requirements, where appropriate. Courses will be transitioned in accordance with the RTO’s Transition Policy.
Extensions – an extension is available to be purchased to supplement the time allowed to complete any course. When applying for an extension and the course deadline has already lapsed, the course extension timeframe is calculated from the original course deadline or last deadline given from the last extension and not from when the trainee applies for the extension. Trainees should either complete an Extension Request form or make payment through the RTO’s website at www.financeinstitute.com.au/extension.html. Once the extension has been approved and payment confirmed the trainee will receive a revised completion date and receipt via email. Extension options include:
• Single course or unit – 1 month additional time – $50
• Single course or unit – 3 months additional time – $99
• Single course or unit – 6 months additional time – $198
If the request for an extension occurs when there has been a significant update in course content or if the qualification has been superseded, the trainee can request new course material be mailed which would be in addition to the extension fee. Online eLearning trainees will have no course material fee.
Guarantee of Services – The RTO – The National Finance Institute (NFI) is committed to providing the required training and assessment services necessary for trainees to complete the requirements for the courses or services into which they enrol. Under the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTO) 2015, Standard 7.3 NFI will not collect fees in excess of $1500 prior to the trainee commencement date. Where the total course fee exceeds this amount the balance of payment will become payable on the commencement date.
Re-assessment fee – trainees are permitted a total of 3 attempts at each assessment task. In the event a trainee is deemed Competency Not Achieved (CAN) ie. fail on their 3rd attempt, the trainee will incur a $99 re assessment fee for a 4th assessment attempt, if requested by the trainee. Where there is an alternative assessment task available the trainee will be given this to complete. In the event that the trainee is deemed CNA on the 4th assessment attempt and the trainee still wishes to pursue the qualification, the trainee will be required to re-enrol.
Re-Enrolment – if a re-enrolment is requested by the student, a trainee will be given 6 months to complete their studies. Any assessment tasks that have been deemed competent in the original enrolment will be recognised and these assessment tasks will not have to be undertaken again. Re-enrolment fees applicable are:
• Workshop (if applicable) – $695
• Distance learning – $495 (updated material will be forwarded by mail if required)
• Online e-learning – $395 (login instructions will be forwarded by email)
Plagiarism and Cheating re-assessment fee – in the event that it is determined that cheating or plagiarism has occurred in an assessment submitted by trainee, the trainee will be required to pay a $99 re-assessment fee (for the assessment task in question). Where an alternative assessment task is in place this will be given to the trainee to complete. If it is determined that the re assessment task has been plagiarised or copied then the trainee would need to re-enrol.
Reprint of Qualification/Statement of Attainment – a hardcopy replacement copy of an issued Certificate or Transcript or Statement of Attainment has a fee of $49.95 (each).
Invoices and Receipts – tax invoices/receipts will be issued by email on payment of fees or subsequent to the final payment of any instalment arrangement. Eftpos facilities are available at the premises of the RTO. If payment terms are accepted from a business, terms are 30 days from date of invoice issuance. There are no additional surcharge fees payable for credit card transactions regardless of card type.
Changes to course fees and additional costs – in the unlikely event that fees and charges are amended any additional costs to training will not be passed on to existing trainees who have commenced training or to those who have just enrolled under the previous fee structure. Any changes to course or service fees will be amended on the NFI website, course brochures, fact sheets and trainee Handbook. New enrolments will have the latest fees information available and new fees will be payable once published.
Changes made to course timetables, staff and delivery sequence – W&M reserves the right to make changes where necessary to timetables, delivery sequence, training hours and other details beyond their control that may affect study schedules. Trainees will be advised of any proposed changes as soon as practicable through email.
Refund Policy – trainees who wish to cancel their enrolment will be eligible for a refund in the following circumstances:
• W&M withdraws or cancels the course and no suitable program can be offered within a month of the initial date;
• Terminal illness (or injury) to the trainee which makes it impossible for the trainee to complete the program. Such applications must be supported by appropriate medical documentation and certificates.
Circumstances in which a refund will not be granted:
• Change of mind;
• Change of employment or working hours;
• Domestic relocation;
• Financial hardship;
• Failed attempts at assessment;
• Retrenchment (a deferral may be granted);
• Where academic misconduct and plagiarism has been determined by W&M
• Where non-academic misconduct has been determined by W&M.
• No show for a workshop on the scheduled first day of the workshop
• Non approval of outcomes determined by Recognition of Prior Learning, where an application has been determined by an assessor
Any other reason a trainee submits as grounds for a refund will be assessed by W&M on a case by case basis. Trainees must send an email to enquiries@financeinstitute.com.au to request a refund. Supporting documentation must be provided to support the exceptional circumstances. The determination of refunds will be communicated to trainees via email within 5 working days of W&M receiving the refund request.
Payment of Refunds – trainees who have been granted a refund due to Exceptional Circumstances will receive a refund of the full purchase amount, less an administration processing fee of 10% of the enrolment fee that has been paid. Refund payments will be paid within 30 days of the refund being approved. Refunds agreed by W&M will only be paid to the person or body (on behalf of the trainee) from whom the original payment was received.
Debt Recovery – W&M will follow and utilise the process of debt recovery as outlined in its Debt Recovery policy. W&M has the right to list any un-recovered debts with a third party and this may affect a person’s credit rating.
Course Material – a course manual will be provided to workshop trainees on their first day of attendance at their face-to-face training workshop. If completing the course by distance learning, trainees will receive their course manual by mail within 2 weeks of enrolment via post. Online trainees have immediate access or within 48 hours to their training course following processing of payment and receipt of their login details. It is not permitted for material to be copied or used or for login details to be shared or used by any person other than the enrolled person.
Certificates – certification for accredited training programs offered by The National Finance Institute as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) are issued in accordance with the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTO) 2015. Upon successful completion of the course requirements trainees are entitled to a nationally recognised qualification.
Third Party Training – currently, Walker and Miller Training Services are under an arrangement with NFI to facilitate training services and use NFI training material. The material may be white labelled as Walker and Miller but NFI remains the RTO (Registered Training Organisation). Preparation of the material, marking of assessments and issue of certificates is completed by NFI. The Terms and Conditions of the course are as found on this website but may have additional terms and conditions issued by a third party organisation. NFI is responsible for the quality of training and assessment and the issuing of all qualifications and statements of attainment. Should any changes in the arrangements between a third party provider and NFI occur, NFI will communicate those changes to all trainees.
Accreditations – if applicable, accreditation with lenders is at the discretion of the individual institutions.
Recognition of Prior Learning – trainees may be eligible for recognition of prior learning (RPL). RPL gives you recognition for what you have already learned through previous studies, work or life’s experiences. You may receive credit for a part, or parts of a course. You will need to provide evidence to support your application. The fee for applying for Recognition of Prior Learning for the FNS40815 or FNS50315 is $595. You may email W&M at info@brokertraining.com.au and we will forward RPL information to you or a pdf file outlining the RPL procedure is available on the W&MI website. RPL fees can be credited towards course study if an applicant’s submission is not approved.
Credit Transfer – trainees may be eligible for Credit Transfer if prior study has been undertaken in a unit or units of study. Credit Transfer is available automatically to those who have documented evidence of achievement in the equivalent courses/units. Credit Transfer means the trainee may not need to undertake the same unit if that unit has been successfully completed previously.
Combining Credit Transfer (CT) with RPL and study – trainees who enrol in a course or multiple units utilising a mixture of Credit Transfer, RPL and study must determine which of these options relates to each unit at the time of enrolment. If a student commences to study any gap units having had their enrolment determined that gap study is required, then the student must remain with this study method of achieving this unit. Students cannot transfer from study to RPL unless this is the intention indicated upon first enrolment. If a student does wish to transfer from study to RPL then the normal RPL fee and application form will apply for this mode transfer.
Language, Literacy, Numeracy (LLN), Disability and Support – a trainee may be checked for having the appropriate minimum level of LLN to identify if any referral assistance is required. Assistance can be provided at other RTOs or other tutors who offer services at additional costs. Usually the facilitator can allocate someone to assist you based on your needs. The facilitator will notify if specific assistance is required. In the case of a trainee having a specific disability we would respectfully request that you advise NFI prior to commencement or workshop attendance so that it can be confirmed that the venue, materials, facility or amenity can cater to the specific needs. This advice can be given by a note on the enrolment form, telephone or email and confidentiality is ensured.
Unique Student Identifier (USI) – from 1 January 2015, the RTO may only issue a recognised qualification or statement of attainment to a trainee, after that trainee has provided NFI with a verified USI. A USI must be verified, prior to any qualification or statement of attainment being issued. To avoid delays in issuing certification documentation, trainees should ensure that they apply for and advise W&M of their USI at the time of enrolment. USIs can be created or retrieved at www.usi.gov.au.
Welfare and Guidance Services – as courses are commercial fee-for-service there are no discounts for health-care cards, pensions, etc. Some guidance on CV circulation to enhance job prospects can be provided on request. Employment service bureaus or Job Network Providers may also be approached by the trainee regarding the possibility of financial assistance.
Complaint/Appeal Procedure – W&M has a complaints, grievance and appeals procedure. Please contact administration on 1300 136 947 for further details or see Dispute Resolutions or the Academic Appeals process on the W&M web site.
Bullying, Harassment, Victimisation – legislation now prohibits the bullying, harassment or victimisation of fellow students, teachers, assessors and other staff. W&M must provide a learning and assessment environment which is free from this unacceptable activity. If a person conducts such activity disciplinary procedures will be taken.
Disciplinary Procedure – W&M expects the behaviour and demeanour of workshop trainees to be of a professional standard and any disruptive behaviour (that inhibits or disrupts the learning process for other trainees) and that is deemed unsuitable may result in exclusion from the workshop. No refunds will be given for exclusion for disruptive behaviour.
Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism – academic misconduct or plagiarism occurs when someone else’s words, ideas, or findings are reproduced and presented as a trainee’s own, without proper acknowledgment. It includes attempts by trainee to cheat or act dishonestly in an examination, test, assignment, essay, or any other assessment task. Trainees who are found cheating or guilty of plagiarism in any form of assessment will be deemed CNA -Competency Not Achieved/ failed for the relevant Unit of Competency or full assessment task, as applicable. All cases of cheating or plagiarism are recorded on the student database system and remain permanently on the trainee’s file. Trainees will need to re-sit an exam or redo in full any assessment where plagiarism has been identified. Trainees found cheating a second time will receive a formal written warning from the CEO and will have a final attempt to re-submit assessment tasks as their own work. Continued academic misconduct or involvement in plagiarism will result in expulsion and refunds will not be considered. NFI reserves the right in Academic misconduct and plagiarism cases to notify the National Training Authorities and relevant professional bodies of these circumstances. In the event that it is determined that cheating or plagiarism has occurred in an assessment submitted by trainee, the trainee will be required to pay a $99 re-assessment fee (for the assessment task in question). Where an alternative assessment task is in place this will be given to the trainee to complete. If it is determined that the re assessment task has been plagiarised or copied then the trainee would need to re-enrol.
Staff Responsibility for Access and Equity – the principles of social justice will guide all aspects of the course delivery and assessment. This includes but is not limited to using resources and methods that are inclusive; providing equitable access to facilities and resources; using language that is appropriate to the context.
Marketing – W&M will market its products with integrity and will not intentionally mislead prospective participants.
Access to Information – individual trainees will have access to view or be provided with a copy of any assessment records upon request. Trainees’ information is protected in secure storage facilities. The RTO;s record management systems record progressive assessment results and provide suitable feedback to the trainees. Since the introduction of the mandatory USI on 1/1/2015 any trainee completing a qualification after this date will be able to obtain a copy of their completed qualification units from ASQA (www.asqa.gov.au). Any qualification details issued prior to that date is retained by the RTO and a copy may be requested from the RTO by way of an email or phone request. The RTO may require some form of identification to confirm the identity and address of the enquiring trainee. Any re-issue of a replacement copy of any qualification or transcript incurs a fee of $29.95 each. If a scanned copy is held on file there is no fee.
Centrelink Approved Programs – The RTO’s courses have been approved by Centrelink (the Department of Human Services) so that eligible individuals can seek financial assistance whilst studying full time. Study can be undertaken at any time eg. nights and weekends allowing individuals to study when they want and to complete studies in a flexible environment. Individuals are responsible for notifying Centrelink upon completion of their studies. The RTO is bound by Centrelink requirements to advise Centrelink of student progress as requested by Centrelink.
Certificate Issuance Policy – The RTO will only issue a Certificate or Statement of Attainment contained on its scope of registration to persons that have completed all assessment requirements for the qualification or unit/s of competency. The RTO’s scope of registration is maintained on www.training.gov.au. The RTO will issue Certificates or Statement of Attainments no later than 30 days after the trainee has been assessed as having successfully completed all assessment requirements. W&M utlises the trainee’s enrolment form and the unit chooser form, to establish the trainee’s enrolment intent.
Training Package Transition – The RTO will manage the transition of superseded training package qualifications on its scope of registration within 12 months of being released on the training .gov.au website.
Teach out Process – The RTO will not accept new enrolments after the specified transition date listed in the Training Package. The RTO will provide advice to trainees regarding the nature of the changes to the unit(s) and qualification and the timetable for these changes to be implemented. Trainees that have not completed superseded units/qualification by the required transition date will be transferred to the replacement unit/s. The RTO will not issue Statement of Attainments or Qualifications after the transition date of the new Training Package.
Privacy Policy – The RTO’s Privacy Policy ensures a trainee’s right to privacy as it is recognised that any personal information collected about trainees will only be used for the purposes indicated in its policy. It is important that trainees are confident that any personal information collected or received by W&M and the RTO will be treated with appropriate respect ensuring protection of personal information. W&M and the RTO are bound by and committed to supporting the Australian Privacy Principles (APP). The primary purpose in collecting information is to fulfil commitments to trainees and the Department of Education, Training & Employment and ASQA.
Acceptance of Terms and Conditions
All enrolments are subject to these Terms and Conditions and by commencing this course, the trainee is accepting these Terms and Conditions and information outlined in the Trainee Handbook. The trainee further agrees that any issues which require an independent decision to be made by W&M will be brought to the attention of an W&M representative as soon as it becomes known to the trainee.
Walker and Miller FS- PRIVACY POLICY
Walker and Miller FS would like to provide the best possible service to our members and clients by making the most efficient use of your personal information. It is of utmost importance to us that you are confident that any personal information provided to us is treated with an appropriate degree of privacy.
Definitions:
Personal Information:
Personal Information is information or an opinion (including information or an opinion forming part of a database) whether true or not, and whether recorded in a material form or not about an individual whose identity is apparent, or can reasonably be ascertained, from the information or opinion.
Sensitive Information:
Sensitive information is a subset of personal information. It means information or opinion about an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of political association, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs, membership of a professional or trade association, membership of a trade union, sexual preferences, criminal record or health information about an individual.
Collection of Personal Information
It is essential for Walker and Miller FS to collect personal information to complete its standard business activities of providing education and training services to our members and clients.
When collecting information we:
Establish and maintain a database to ensure prompt and efficient service from us
Establish and maintain a database for tracking education and training stages to ensure prompt and efficient service from our contractors
Establish and maintain a database for follow-up and notification of any potential event or training that may be of interest to you and your staff.
Collection and usage of personal information is essential for us to complete our business with clients. Where reasonable and practicable, Walker and Miller FS will collect personal information directly from clients. This may occur for example when completing an application form for a product or request a product or service over the telephone or Internet.
Where not reasonable or practicable to collect personal information directly, Walker and Miller FS relies on third parties. Below are examples of situations where we may receive personal information from another source, and why this would happen.
Application for a service through a Walker and Miller FS business alliance
Processing of online enquiries for service provision
Another business or entity who provides Walker and Miller FS the information to meet legislative requirements
Consent
In the majority of circumstances Walker and Miller FS will require your specific consent before we collect, use or disclose personal information. Consent will be obtained in writing; however, there may be some situations where your verbal consent is accepted.
Disclosure
Walker and Miller FS does not generally disclose personal information to any other party, unless required or authorised by law, consent is given, or is required to complete a business transaction.
There are times when Walker and Miller FS is required or authorised by law to disclose personal information. Personal information may be required in accordance with taxation law to be provided to the taxation office, or under subpoena to a Court of Law.
Personal information may also be disclosed where consent has been obtained. Consent may be received directly from a client, as set out above, or may be implied from a client’s conduct.
Personal information is only disclosed to parties outside Walker and Miller FS where it is required to complete business activities. Some examples where this may occur are: –
Contractors for the provision of sub-contracted services
Accuracy
It is essential to Walker and Miller FS that personal information is complete and up-to-date at all times to effectively conduct standard business activities.
When using personal information we will contact a client to determine if any personal details have changed. Walker and Miller FS can also contacted at any time to update personal information, or to advise that information held is inaccurate or incomplete.
Access
Individuals can request access to their personal information by contacting Walker and Miller FS. A summary of personal information (E.g. name, address, phone number) is freely accessible.
In some situations, where the information requested goes beyond a basic summary, a fee may be charged for access. This fee is used to cover the cost to Walker and Miller FS for retrieving and supplying the information.
Walker and Miller FS will endeavour to handle all requests for personal information within 30 days of having received the request. Some requests may take longer than 30 days, depending on the information sought, in which case the individual will be notified of the expected time frame as soon as is practicable.
There are some circumstances where requests for access to information may be denied by Walker and Miller FS , such as where the information may relate to existing or anticipated legal proceedings, where denying access is required or authorised by law, or where the request for access is regarded as frivolous and vexatious.
If a request to access or change personal information is denied, we will offer a formal explanation for our actions.
Security
It is of utmost importance to Walker and Miller FS that personal information is protected from unauthorised access, loss, modification, misuse or disclosure.
When information is no longer required we ensure that it is deleted from our systems, destroyed in a secure manner, or permanently de-identified.
In common with other service providers we use agents and other third parties to provide some services to Walker and Miller FS and for this purpose we sometimes need to provide them with relevant parts of the information which we have obtained from clients under their contracts. These third parties are required to keep your information confidential and use it only for the purposes for which we are permitted.
We may offer through our website products or services that are supplied by or through other organisations. If a client enquires about the service we will need to pass to them relevant details about the client and their enquiry, to complete the transaction.
Information Security
Walker and Miller FS takes all reasonable steps to protect clients’ security when using our web site but they you should be aware that no transmission of information to and from web sites is ever totally secure.
Identifiers
In some circumstances certain Commonwealth identifies (e.g. Tax File Numbers) may be collected as proof of identity when carrying out standard business activities. These identifiers are securely destroyed, and are not used by Walker and Miller FS in any way to identify an individual.
Wherever it is lawful and practicable to do so Walker and Miller FS will endeavour to deal with clients anonymously. For example, when a client requests information regarding the services offered by Walker and Miller FS.
Sensitive Information
Sensitive information (as defined above) is only collected by Walker and Miller FS where consent has been obtained, it is allowed by law, or the collection is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of a legal claim.
Trans Border Data Flows
Walker and Miller FS does not send any personal information outside of Australia unless we are authorised to, or required to by law.
Complaints
Any complaints with regard to the handling of your personal information in breach of this Privacy Policy can be directed to:
Privacy Officer
Walker and Miller Financial Services
PO Box 6478
North Sydney NSW 2060
Tel: 1300 136 947
Any complaints that have not been handled satisfactorily by Walker and Miller FS can be referred to the Federal Privacy Commissioner:
Telephone: 1300 363 992, or
Address: Director of Complaints
Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner
GPO Box 5218
Sydney NSW 1042
