Policies

Customer Complaints and Grievances Policy

Macquarie Publishing is committed to handling customer grievances and complaints fairly, efficiently and effectively.

We are passionate about providing our customers with service excellence for every interaction. We demonstrate this by:

• Treating our customers with respect, courtesy and providing a professional level of service;
• Listening and asking questions so that we understand your needs and expectations;
• Being accountable for the actions we agree upon to resolve your complaint with us.

Editorial complaints

Macquarie Publishing’s staff writers have tertiary qualifications and abide by the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance’s code of ethics.

If you believe editorial standards have been breached or you have an editorial complaint, please contact Macquarie Publishing directly on 02 6189 0777 or email editor@citynews.com.au

The Editor and Board will apply the following criteria in determining proportionate complaint handling:

•        seriousness of the matter;
•        likelihood of harm;
•        potential to mislead;
•        scale of audience response; and
•        degree of risk of damage to public trust and confidence in Macquarie Publishing.

Where practicable and warranted, Macquarie Publishing will endeavour to resolve complaints.

For proven errors or inaccuracies that are printed in the CityNews magazine, we will publish a retraction / correction as soon as practically possible. For proven errors or inaccuracies in citynews.com.au, we will amend the website as soon as practically possible.

As a news organisation that principally reflects the social history of Canberra, we publish online and in our printed magazine images and stories about the people of Canberra. The integrity of our materials are inviolable and Macquarie Publishing has copyright arrangements regarding all material in our magazine and online.

Requests to remove material from citynews.com.au will be considered if it can be demonstrated that the complainant’s life or personal security is imperilled.

We will seek to deal with complaints as quickly as possible and aim to respond within 15 days of receipt.

In cases where a complainant repeatedly submits complaints which are frivolous, vexatious or not made in good faith, it may be appropriate to consider terminating all correspondence. Macquarie Publishing will also consider terminating correspondence with a complainant on a particular issue in cases where the Macquarie Publishing has clearly been unable to satisfy a complainant, despite reasonable efforts having been made.

Privacy Policy

This website is owned and managed by Macquarie Publishing Pty Ltd ABN: 23 116 889 813.

Macquarie Publishing is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) in the Privacy Act as well as other applicable legislation. The term ‘personal information’ has the meaning given to it in the Act.

This policy does not address issues associated with personal information and its use and collection in the course of journalism. Macquarie Publishing relies on the media exemption under the Privacy Act. For details regarding Australian Press Council Privacy Standards, please refer to www.presscouncil.org.au/privacy-principles

What information we collect and how we collect it

Personal information is any information that can be used to personally identify you. The personal information we collect depends upon the reason we are dealing with each other.

When you transact with us, we will collect your personal information which may include your phone number, name, address, credit card details, identity and transaction details for the following reasons, including but not limited to:

• Subscribing to our services;
• Placing an advertisement with us over the phone or in person;
• Entering a competition;
• Ordering a photograph;
• Completing a survey;
• Contributing a letter to the editor;
• Attendance at a Macquarie Publishing function;
• Applying for a job at Macquarie Publishing;
• When you access services via coupons published in our magazine or on our website.

By using any of the above services, you agree to the terms and conditions of this Policy.

Why do we collect personal information?

We collect your personal information so that we can process your transaction with us, to complete an administrative function, to provide you with the required products and services, for customer relationship purposes, to promote our services to you, to assist us to develop new products, services, customer offers, and to respond to queries and complaints.

When you provide the above information to Macquarie Publishing, you are consenting to Macquarie Publishing contacting you for the purposes outlined above. You can opt out of being contacted by Macquarie Publishing by contacting our office on 02 6189 0777 or contact@citynews.com.au or writing to our Managing Director at 9b /189 Flemington Road, Mitchell, ACT 2911 to advise us that you no longer wish to receive this contact. For online communications, you may use the unsubscribe preference.

Disclosure of Personal Information

We may disclose your personal information to:

• Our employees, related corporate entities, contractors or external service providers for the operation of our business, fulfilling requests by you, and otherwise provide products and services to you, including: web hosting providers, IT systems administrators, mail houses, payment processors, data entry service providers, electronic network administrators, debt collectors, and professional advisers such as accountants, solicitors, business advisors and consultants;
• Our existing or potential agents, business partners or joint venture entities or partners;
• Our sponsors, or promoters of any competition that we conduct or promote via our services;
• Specific third parties authorised by you to receive information held by us;
• Regulatory or government bodies in order to comply with laws and regulations;
• Referees whose details have been provided by prospective applicants.
• Parties as required or permitted by any law (including the Privacy Act).

Prior to disclosing any of your personal information to another person or organisation, we will take all reasonable steps to satisfy ourselves that:

• The person or organisation has a commitment to protecting your personal information at least equal to our commitment, or
• You have consented to us making that disclosure.

How we protect personal information:

Macquarie Publishing will take all reasonable administrative and technical steps to ensure that personal information required to be held is stored or archived securely to prevent loss, theft or unauthorised use or disclosure.

We will retain your information for a time period sufficient to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, unless a longer period of retention is required or allowed for by law.

We will securely destroy or de-identify any information that is no longer required.

We request that you do not supply us with any sensitive personal information (for example, ethnic origin, religion or other beliefs, health, criminal background etc.). If you do so, you consent to us collecting and handling that information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Cookies

We may collect your personal information through the use of cookies. A ‘cookie’ is a small file of letters and numbers downloaded onto your computer when you access a website.

This enables us to recognise your computer when you log in and greet you each time you visit any of our websites and you may not need to log-in or register once again. We also use cookies to keep track of products or services you view, so that we can inform you of news about these. Cookies also assist Macquarie Publishing to measure traffic patterns so that we can improve our online services to you.

If you do not wish to receive cookies, you can alter your browser settings so that your computer will not accept them.

We may also log your IP address to analyse trends, traffic and gather demographic information.

We may also collect information which is not considered personal information relating to your activity on our websites or we may collect anonymous information from you in response to surveys. This information assists us to report statistics, administer our services, diagnose concerns and problems and improve our service to you. This information will not identify you or anyone else in any way.

Links

Our website may contain links to other websites which are operated by third parties. These third party websites are responsible for their own content and for informing you about their privacy policies.

Marketing Information

We may send you marketing communications and other information regarding services or products that we believe you may be interested in. We will use your preferred method of communication if you have selected one, or this information may be delivered using email, mail or SMS.

You may opt-out of receiving these communications at any time, using opt -out methods such as “unsubscribe” links or by contacting us as set out below. If you opt -out, we will ensure that your name is removed from our mailing list. We will not provide your personal information to any other organisation for this purpose unless we have your express permission.

Changes to our Privacy Policy

We may change this privacy policy from time to time. Any updated versions of this privacy policy will be posted on our website. This privacy policy was last updated in June 2019.

Access to Your Information, Complaints and Queries

If you wish to access, review or have questions or would like to make a complaint, contact us:

Email: contact@citynews.com.au

Mail: Managing Director, Macquarie Publishing, 9b /189 Flemington Road, Mitchell, ACT 2911.

Phone: 02 6189 0777

All complaints will be dealt with fairly and in a timely manner and a response will be provided within 30 days of receipt of such complaint or request. If you are dissatisfied with our response to a complaint, you may refer your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner