Privacy Policy
Introduction
This Privacy Policy outlines how the Climate Indices for Pacific Sectoral Applications Portal ('the Portal') collects, uses, and protects your information. We are committed to protecting the privacy of our users in accordance with Australian privacy principles.
Information We Collect
To provide and improve our services, we collect information from both anonymous visitors and registered users.
For All Visitors:
When you visit the Portal, we collect information to understand how our service is used and to maintain security. This includes:
- Usage Analytics: We record general usage information, such as your country and region, the website that referred you, and your browser type. This helps us analyse usage patterns and improve the Portal. This data is not linked to your personal identity.
- Session Information: We use a temporary, anonymous identifier to track your visit for analytical and security purposes.
- Security Monitoring: To protect the Portal from unauthorised access and suspicious activity, we may collect and store your IP address in security logs. These logs are retained for 90 days and are used solely for security monitoring and incident response.
For Registered Users:
When you create an account, we collect personal information necessary for us to provide you with secure access to the Portal's features. This includes:
- Account Details: Your name, email address, country, and your role within the portal. Your password is also stored securely using hashing and is never visible to us.
- Security Information: To protect your account and the Portal, we log security-related events such as logging in or out. These logs are used to monitor for suspicious activity and are retained for 90 days.
How We Use Your Information
We will only use the information you have provided lawfully. Under no circumstances will any of your personal information be passed on or sold to any third party, at any time. All information collected is kept securely on our servers and backups to protect against loss, misuse or alteration of information that we have collected from you at this website. Personal information is stored and transferred on servers located in Australia.
The information we collect is used for the following purposes:
- To provide, maintain, and improve the Portal's services.
- To create and manage your user account and verify your identity.
- To monitor the security of the Portal and protect against unauthorised access.
- To communicate with you about your account or important updates.
- To comply with our legal obligations under Australian law.
Who Sees Your Information
Access to collected information is strictly limited to authorised administrators only. These administrators require access to maintain the Portal's functionality, ensure security, and provide user support when requested.
Cookie Usage
Cookies are small text files that are transferred to your hard drive or the internal memory of your device. Websites use cookies to make the browsing experience more efficient, and to help you use websites to their full potential.
Our cookies serve several important functions:
- Authentication: Our cookies enable you to stay signed in while you browse the site.
- Security: We use cookies as a way to authenticate you securely as a registered user and protect against unauthorised access through CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) protection.
- Session Management: They maintain your session state and preferences while you navigate through different parts of the Portal and on your next visit.
The cookies we use are essential for the Portal's functionality and security. Without these cookies, you would not be able to log in or access personalised features of the Portal.
User Data Access and Control
Users can view personal information about their account by logging into the Portal and navigating to User Details. Users can change their personal details such as their username or email by request via pacificlimateservices@bom.gov.au.
Upon request, we can provide a database dump of all of your personal details. Please note that this process can take up to 30 days. A user may request this by contacting us directly.
How to Remove Your Data
If you wish to have your account and associated data completely removed from our system, please contact us directly to request account deletion. We will process your request and permanently remove your personal information from our databases.
Data Security
We implement robust technical and organisational measures to protect your data from unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encryption, access controls, and security audits.
Your Rights
As a logged-in user, you have rights regarding your personal data under Australian law, including the right to access or correct your information. For more information, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). To exercise your rights with us, please use the contact details below.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the new policy on this page.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at: pacificlimateservices@bom.gov.au
Last Updated: August 29, 2025