Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Effective date: 1 January, 2025

Caloundra Chronicle (“we”, “our”, “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information in an open and transparent way. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

By using our website, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

1. Who We Are

Caloundra Chronicle is a community news and lifestyle publication based in Queensland, Australia.

Contact details:
Caloundra Chronicle
PO Box 986, Caloundra QLD 4551
Phone: 0411 115 141
Email: operations@caloundrachronicle.com

2. What Personal Information We Collect

We may collect personal information that you provide directly to us, including:

  • Your name
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • Postal address
  • Business details (for advertisers or partners)
  • Content you submit (such as stories, event listings, comments, or feedback)

We may also collect information automatically when you use our website, including:

  • IP address
  • Browser type and device information
  • Pages visited and time spent on our site
  • Referral sources and usage data through analytics tools

3. How We Collect Your Information

We collect personal information when you:

  • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • Submit a story, event, or community listing
  • Leave a comment on an article
  • Contact us via forms, email, or phone
  • Advertise or enquire about partnerships
  • Interact with our website through cookies and tracking technologies

We may also receive personal information from third parties where it is lawful and reasonable to do so.

4. Why We Collect Your Information

We collect and use your personal information to:

  • Publish community stories, events, and news
  • Respond to enquiries and feedback
  • Send newsletters and updates (if you opt in)
  • Manage advertising and business partnerships
  • Improve our website, content, and user experience
  • Comply with legal and regulatory obligations

We will only use your personal information for purposes that are related to the reason it was collected or where you have given consent.

5. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to:

  • Understand how visitors use our site
  • Improve performance and user experience
  • Remember user preferences
  • Support security and fraud prevention

We may use third-party services such as Google Analytics to help analyse website traffic. These services may collect information about your use of our site and may store data on servers outside Australia.

You can adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies; however, this may affect how our website functions.

6. Comments and User Content

When you leave a comment on our site, we collect the information shown in the comment form, as well as your IP address and browser details to help detect spam.

Comments may be checked through automated spam detection services. Once approved, your comment and any associated name may be publicly visible.

7. Embedded Content from Other Websites

Articles on our website may include embedded content (such as videos, images, or social media posts). Embedded content from other websites behaves as if you have visited those websites directly.

These third-party websites may collect data about you, use cookies, and monitor your interaction with their content. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites.

8. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information.

We may share your information with:

  • Service providers who help us operate our website (such as hosting providers, email platforms, and analytics services)
  • Professional advisers (such as legal or accounting services)
  • Authorities or regulators where required by law

Some service providers may store data overseas. We take reasonable steps to ensure that any overseas recipients handle personal information in accordance with Australian privacy laws.

9. Data Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. These measures include secure hosting environments, access controls, and trusted service providers.

However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain personal information only for as long as it is necessary for the purpose it was collected, or as required by law.

For example:

  • Comments and published submissions may be retained indefinitely as part of our public archive
  • Subscriber information is retained while you remain subscribed

11. Your Rights and Choices

You have the right to:

  • Request access to the personal information we hold about you
  • Request correction of inaccurate or outdated information
  • Unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time
  • Request that we delete your personal information (subject to legal obligations)

To make a request, please contact us using the details below.

12. Making a Privacy Complaint

If you believe we have breached your privacy rights, please contact us in writing with full details of your complaint.

We will investigate and respond within a reasonable timeframe. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) via www.oaic.gov.au.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The latest version will always be available on our website with the updated effective date.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact:

Caloundra Chronicle
PO Box 986, Caloundra QLD 4551
Phone: 0411 115 141
Email: operations@caloundrachronicle.com