When we use the terms RAG entity, we, our, us; it means each member of the Rabobank Group based in Australia, being:
Each Rabobank Australia Group entity collects and processes the credit data it holds about you in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) ("Privacy Act") and the Australian Privacy Principles set out in that Act and the Privacy (Credit Reporting Code) Code.
Our management of your other personal data is set out in our Privacy Policy, available by visiting www.rabobank.com.au and selecting 'Privacy' at the bottom of the page.
We collect, handle, manage and use various types of credit data including:
Credit data is generally collected directly from the person concerned or from persons acting on their behalf, usually at the time of contact or when taking out a new product from us. The collection of most credit data will be made with your express consent which will usually be obtained at or around the time you take out a new product with us (i.e. when you sign an application for credit).
If your express consent is not provided, or you object to this processing then, we will not collect this data. However, this may mean that we will not be able to accept your application.
Sometimes credit data is also collected from a third party, for example a person's credit history from a CRB, such as Equifax or other credit providers such as other banks. At or before the time or, if that is not practicable, as soon as practicable after, where we collect credit data about an individual, we will take reasonable steps in the circumstances to let that individual know we have their credit data. The collection of credit data may also be collected where such data is in the public domain or is derived by us from your usage and (where applicable) repayment of any account held with us or other credit providers associated with us.
Your credit data can be accessed only by individuals who need to have access, owing to their position. All of these people are bound by a duty of confidentiality. We have practices and policies in place to provide a high level of security to protect credit data.
We take all reasonable precautions to protect your credit data by:
We may process your credit data on the following lawful grounds:
In addition to the above common lawful grounds, we may also process your credit data if we have a legitimate interest in doing so, and as long as the legitimate interest does not prejudice your right to privacy. We will only process your credit data on the ground of legitimate interest if the other lawful grounds do not apply. Our legitimate interests include:
We need to be in a good position to decide whether or not you are likely to repay your loan when you apply to us for credit.
We base our decision on your current financial position and on your credit history. This means that we will consider the data you give us in your application and may make enquiries with and obtain further data from a credit reporting body and other credit providers you have borrowed from previously.
We may collect, hold and disclose your credit data as reasonably necessary for our business purposes and as permitted by law such as:
Where the Privacy Act applies, we can only give your credit data to a credit reporting body if we have told you first that we will do so and we can only obtain data about you from a credit reporting body if we have your consent.
We may collect credit data about you from the following CRBs:
Equifax Australia
Telephone: 13 83 32
Mail: Equifax Australia Information Services and Solutions Pty Limited, PO Box 964, North Sydney, NSW 2059
Email: customerserviceAU@equifax.com
Website: mycreditfile.com.au
You may obtain a copy of Equifax’s policy about their management of credit reporting information by contacting them directly or visiting their website.
Experian
Telephone: 1300 784 134
Mail: Experian Australia Credit Services Pty Ltd, PO Box 1969, North Sydney NSW 2060
Email: creditreport@au.experian.com
Website: experian.com.au/credit-bureau
You may obtain a copy of Experian's policy about their management of credit reporting information by contacting them directly or visiting their website.
illion (formally known as Dun & Bradstreet)
Telephone: 1300 734 806
Mail: illion Australia Pty Ltd, PO Box 7405, St. Kilda Rd Melbourne VIC 3004
Email: pac.austral@illion.com.au
Website: checkyourcredit.com.au
You may obtain a copy of illion’s policy about their management of credit reporting information by contacting them directly or visiting their website.
The Privacy Act and Privacy (Credit Reporting) Code limit what we can do with the data we obtain from a CRB. Generally, it can only be used in relation to the credit products you hold through us.
We operate our banking activities globally and we will disclose your credit data to overseas recipients including other Rabobank Group entities and external service providers.
We may disclose your credit data outside Australia to:
Countries to which your credit data may be disclosed are The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Luxembourg, Singapore, Hong Kong, the United States, New Zealand, India and Canada.
Where we disclose credit data overseas we take reasonable steps to certify the recipient meets our privacy standards in protecting your credit data and complies with the Australian Privacy Act. We do so by entering into contracts with confidentiality arrangements in place and to confirm that they use or disclose personal data only for the specific service we ask them to perform or the product/service we ask them to provide.
To help us with the wide range of tasks associated with our business of the provision and management of credit, we may disclose your credit data to CRBs. Under the Privacy Act and Privacy (Credit Reporting) Code, CRBs are permitted to handle credit data. If you apply for any kind of credit or offer to act as guarantor, we may disclose your credit data to a CRB. We may process your credit data to evaluate your credit worthiness as a borrower or guarantor, for which we may disclose to a CRB. Other credit data which we may disclose to a CRB includes the conduct of your credit products with us. For example, if you fail to meet your payment obligations in relation to your credit products, or commit a serious credit infringement, we may be entitled to disclose this to a CRB. CRBs may include your credit data provided by us in reports provided to other credit providers to assist them to assess your credit worthiness (such as when you have applied for a loan from the provider). Each CRB has a policy for managing your credit data that you may access by contacting the CRBs using the details listed above.
In addition, CRBs offer a credit prescreening service to credit providers wishing to send direct marketing material about credit services to individuals. You may request that CRBs not use your data for this purpose. To opt out of credit pre-screening, contact the CRB, using the contact details on their websites noted above. You can also ask a CRB not to use or disclose your data for a period if you believe on reasonable grounds that you have been or are likely to be a victim of fraud.
Under the Australian Privacy Act, you have a right to request access to your credit data and to request its correction. Your rights to access your credit data are subject to some limitations. For example, we do not have to provide you with access to the extent it would be illegal to do so and we may need to give you access in a way that preserves the confidentiality of any methodology, data analysis methods, computer programs or other data used by us to derive relevant data.
If you request us to correct your credit data we hold, we will take such steps (if any) as are reasonable to confirm that, having regard to the purpose for which it is held, the information is accurate, up-to-date, complete, relevant and not misleading.
How do you make a request for Access or Correction of your credit data?
To make a rights request to your personal data please visit our Individual Rights Portal.
You may also contact us through the channels described in the section below.
If you make an access or correction request, we will answer this within one month after we have received the request.
If we refuse to provide you access or to correct the credit data as requested by you, we will give you a written notice that sets out:
If you have a concern or complaint about your credit data held by us, including a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act or the Privacy (Credit Reporting) Code, please contact us by using the details below:
When sending your message to us, please include your name, address and contact details, as well as your complaint and what action(s) you have taken (e.g. requested your card to be stopped with the Merchant). Also let us know what you would like to see as an outcome. For security reasons, please DO NOT provide any confidential or account specific information via email or post.
Our Client Services specialists will aim to promptly resolve your complaint and/or any issues identified. If more action is needed, they will escalate the matter to the appropriate person.
Should you require additional assistance to make your compliant, Rabobank has the following services available to you:
National Relay Service (NRS) A Government initiative that offers phone service for people who have speech and hearing impairments. It is available free of charge through the following channels by:
Phone
Voice Relay number: 1300 555 727
SMS Relay number: 0423 677 767
Talk to Text number: 133 677
Internet
National Relay Chat Call services:
https://nrschat.nrscall.gov.au/nrs/internetrelay
National Relay service:
https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/media-technology-communications/phone/services-people-with-disability/accesshub/national-relay-service
Free translation services are available to you, if you have limited English, where you can get the help of a translator or interpreter (telephonically or face to face) to help you lodge your complaint. Please contact us and we will make the necessary arrangements for a translator or interpreter through National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).
We will give you written acknowledgement of your complaint within 24 hours (one business day), of receipt of your complaint.
We will investigate and respond to your complaint within 30 calendar days.
If we are unable to resolve your complaint within 30 calendar days, we will tell you:
In limited circumstances, we may need more time to resolve your complaint. If that’s the case, we will inform you of the reasons for the delay, provide you with monthly updates and specify a date by which we will provide you with a resolution.
If you are not satisfied with the resolution offered or if your complaint is not resolved within 30 calendar days, you have the following options:
Access our external dispute resolution service, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).
Website: www.afca.org.au
Phone: 1800 931 678
Access the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
Email: enquiries@oaic.gov.au
Phone: 1300 363 992
If you’re overseas call: +61 2 9284 9749
Mail: GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001
AFCA provides a free and independent service to resolve complaints by consumers and small businesses about financial services firms where that complaint falls within AFCA’s terms of reference. Decisions made by AFCA are binding on us. However, time limits may apply to complaints to AFCA so you should act promptly or consult the AFCA website to find out if or when the time limit relevant to your circumstances expires. For more information, please refer to AFCA’s brochure ‘How to Resolve your Dispute’ from AFCA website or request a copy of this brochure from one of our staff members.
Yes, we review our Credit Reporting Policy on a regular basis and that means that it may change from time to time. This is possible if there are new data processes and these changes are important to you. We will of course keep you informed of material changes to this Policy. You can always find the most current version of our Credit Reporting Policy at www.rabobank.com.au.
Latest version: February 2023.
If you have any general feedback or queries regarding the way Rabobank handles your credit data, you may also contact the Privacy Officer: