Members collection notice

 

This privacy collection notice should be read in conjunction with the CPA Australia Privacy Policy (Privacy Policy). This collection notice applies to all CPA Australia members, including anyone who applies to become a member of CPA Australia.

Types of personal information We collect and handle

We will collect and retain the information and supporting documentation you provide Us in your application for membership. If your application is successful, this information will become part of your membership record which will include any other information collected throughout your membership. This may include your:

• membership status, financial standing and communication preferences
• professional and educational credentials including your participation and progress in Our educational, training & event offerings, including the Foundation and CPA Programs, Continual Professional Development details & accreditations
• information provided as part of your migration assessment, where applicable
• participation with Divisional Council, advisory committees, discussion groups, member engagement platforms and other CPA Australia related activities & opportunities
• information relating to details of any complaint, disciplinary or professional misconduct proceedings to which you are a party, and
• any licences and registrations you hold.

If your application is successful, We will provide you with a unique membership identity number.

It is mandatory for you to provide personal information requested in the application form except for sensitive information. If you do not provide that information, your membership application may be rejected.

Sensitive or special category data

We will only collect this type of information with your consent and when necessary for the provision of services. Examples may include medical information in the course of assessing applications for reasonable adjustments or special consideration relating to exams or as part of professional misconduct proceedings to which you are a party or when you register to attend Our events.

What We do with your personal information

In addition to the purposes outlined in our Privacy Policy your personal information may also be collected, used or disclosed for the following purposes:

• to assess your application for membership and, if successful, to support and administer your membership, provide associated services and benefits and the tailoring of member content
• to provide and administer educational offerings including Foundation and CPA Programs, professional development and continuing practice development (CPD) program
• to manage professional conduct matters, including to ensure members comply with CPA Australia Constitution, By-Laws, Code of Professional Conduct and Applicable regulations
• to inform you and, where applicable, to enable you to participate in professional member advisory groups, Divisional Council, advisory committees, member discussion groups, networking & educational opportunities, scholarships, mentoring programs, seminars and conferences, the Annual General Meeting, Congress and opportunities for member to member engagement
• to provide you with technical support and advocacy
• to manage the “find a CPA’” online referral service
• to manage auditor regulation certification programs and country specific registrations, where applicable
• to assess the skills of international accounting professionals, to determine whether they are eligible to migrate to Australia for study, work settlement and advising on migration outcomes, where applicable
• for a secondary purpose for which you would reasonably expect Us to use or disclose your personal information, and
• for purposes to which you consent or as otherwise permitted by law.

We may provide your contact details to service providers we engage for use in direct marketing but We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

If you are involved in complaint, disciplinary or professional misconduct proceedings, your information may be used and disclosed to professional bodies of which you are also a member, the complainant, persons involved in dispute resolution processes involving Us or Our members, members of disciplinary panel/s appointed by the Board and transcript recording service providers.

Public Practitioner information may also be collected, used or disclosed:

• to assess public practice certificate applications
• to issue and administer Public Practitioner licences
• to allow accredited CPA Australia quality reviewers to perform quality reviews in relation to holders of public practice certificates in accordance with the requirements of Our by-laws, and
• for the purpose of risk assessment activities and to assist in continuous improvement of your practice and professional standards, including through tailored information and support.

Complaint information involving Public Practitioners may be used by Us if the Public Practitioner has, or is the subject of any of the following:

1. a determination of the Disciplinary Tribunal as provided for under By-Law 5.3e
2. a remediation outcome as provided for under By-Law 5.3g, or
3. two (2) or more complaints in a 24-month period which have been closed following assessment, as provided for under By-Law 5.3c.

The complaint information used will be limited to:

1. member name, CPA Australia ID and business name
2. complaint source – i.e. where complaint originated
3. complaint type as defined in the CPA Australia Constitution and By-Laws, and
4. complaint outcome as defined in the CPA Australia Constitution and By-Laws.

Complaint information relating to an adverse finding by the Disciplinary Tribunal, will not be published until such time as the appeal period has elapsed (20 working days following decision) or, if an appeal has been lodged, such time as the Appeal process has concluded. Only adverse findings of Disciplinary Tribunal and One Person Tribunal determinations are published.

This use of Public Practitioner complaint information will commence on 1 January 2021. Information relating to complaints concluded prior to this date will not be used for the purposes described above.

We will obtain your consent for any specific use of your personal information not covered by this collection notice or Our Privacy Policy.

With whom do We share your personal information

We may disclose your personal information to third parties including the following:

• international accounting and professional bodies with which We have partnerships, mutual recognition and/or pathway arrangements or Memorandum of Understanding
• committee members such as Divisional Councils, advisory committees, member discussion groups
• your migration agent (if applicable) as part of the General Skills Migration assessment
• university and other educational providers involved with or engaged by Us in relation to the Foundation and CPA Programs or other professional development programs including exam providers, and
• accredited CPA Australia quality reviewers when you are involved in quality review proceedings.

Other disclosures of your personal information may occur in the following circumstances:

• when you participate in the Malaysian Uni-Qualified Fund, Yayasan Peneraju and Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) – MARA, Universiti Abdul Razak (UniRazak), Noesis or Sunway TES in accordance with the requirements of that fund
• when you participate in the Singapore Taxation Workshop to the Tax Academy of Singapore for exam administration and management purposes
• to the New Zealand Financial Markets Authority and the Registrar of Companies in accordance with CPA Australia’s accreditation under the Auditor Regulations Act 2011 (New Zealand).

The CPA Australia Constitution (article 10c) provides for CPA Australia to disclose the fact of your membership, allocated membership status and current employer to any other person, such as potential employer, recruitment agency, member of the public or any other person/s wanting to confirm you as a member of CPA Australia (whether upon request or by publication).

The above may involve the transfer of your personal information outside of Australia or the country in which you reside as outlined in Our Privacy Policy.

Contact Us

Please contact us if you have questions relating to this collection notice by:

• email: [email protected]
• telephone: 1300 73 73 73 (within Australia), +61 3 9606 9677 (outside of Australia)
• mail: CPA Australia, Level 20, 28 Freshwater Place, Southbank, Victoria 3006, Australia.

You have the right to request access to and correction of the personal information we hold about you. Please see Our Privacy Policy for more information.

 

Updated August 2024.