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Privacy Policy

Kaupapahere Tūmataiti

We value your privacy and take every step to ensure that your information remains confidential.

This Privacy Policy governs our collection, storage, use and disclosure of your personal information (as defined in the Privacy Act 2020 (Act)). We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes to this policy will take effect immediately once published on this website.

This Privacy Policy is subject to, and must be read in conjunction with, our Site Policy.

We link to websites owned and operated by other businesses. We do not have access to private and personal information gathered by those websites. We are not responsible for the content of or processing of private or personal information on other websites. For more information, please see each website’s privacy and security policy statement.

Overall, you can be assured that we deal with your personal information in accordance with the Act.

Collecting your personal information

What we collect

When we talk about “personal information” we mean any identifiable information about you. This can include, for example, information about your identity (name, date of birth and gender); contact details (address, email address, telephone numbers); usage information (including information about how you use our website), profile information (including requests made by you, your feedback and survey responses), technical data  (including internet protocol (IP) address, login data, browser type and version, browser plug-in types and versions, operating systems and platforms and other technology on the devices you use to access this website); and any other relevant information that is provided by you, while you’re communicating with us or using our services.

When we collect your information

We may collect your personal information directly from you or if a person acting on your behalf provides information to us directly.

For example when you:

  • speak with us in person, over the phone, email, text or engage with us via social media;
  • submit an online form;
  • use any of our services or facilities;
  • subscribe to any newsletter or update services;
  • attend our events/facilities.

We may also:

  • keep a record of any information you receive from us. 
  • collect personal information about you from other organisations, entities or people (such as our related organisations including Horowhenua District Council and its CCOs).

Why we collect your information

We only collect your personal information when it is necessary for a specific purpose connected with the services we provide, or when you provide information to us directly. The purpose for collecting and using your information varies according to the services you are using. In general, we collect your personal information fairly with your consent, for example in the performance of a contract with you, or to comply with laws and regulations.

Where We Collect Information

Online forms

Personal information (including contact details) will be used for administrative purposes and to send you service and marketing communications from time to time, if you have opted in to receive these.  

Website cookies, analytics and advertising

Our communications team may collect information about your visit to help us improve our websites, including horowhenuanz.co.nz, horowhenua.govt.nz and subsidiary sites.  This information is grouped with other similar information and doesn’t identify you personally.  It includes:

  • your IP address
  • search terms used
  • pages visited and links you clicked on
  • the date and time you visited the website
  • which site you may have come from
  • your operating system and type of browser you use
  • information about your age, gender and interests.

Our communications team and digital marketing partners use technologies like cookies, google tag manager and google analytics to analyse traffic to our site and customise content and advertising. 

Facebook Ads conversion tracking is an analytics service provided by Facebook and connects data from the Facebook advertising network with actions performed on our website.  The Facebook pixel tracks conversions that can be attributed to ads on Facebook, Instagram and Audience Network.

You can control what Facebook collects on Facebook’s data policy and privacy page.

We will not disclose any of your personally identifiable information except when we have your permission.  Horowhenuanz will not sell your personal information to any third party at any stage. 

Using your personal information

How we use your information

We may use your personal information to:

  • Provide you with information about our (or Horowhenua District Council or Council Controlled Organisations’) events, activities, news, services, or facilities we consider may be of interest to you.
  • Run competitions, undertake post-event surveys; collect marketing data
  • Confirm your identity for information security purposes.
  • Respond to enquiries or provide you with information you’ve requested.
  • Manage our relationship with you (including communication about relevant news in the region)
  • Administer and protect our business and this website including troubleshooting, data analysis, testing, system maintenance, support, reporting and hosting of data
  • Comply with relevant laws and regulations.
  • Undertake activities connected with the running of our business, such as general administrative purposes, training or testing and maintenance of our computer systems.
  • Process any applications or payments made to us
  • Assist us in analysing, and further developing and improving our products and services.

And for any specific purpose that we notify you of at the time your personal information is collected, or for any other purpose that you authorise.

Sharing your information

We may share your personal information to:

  • Any person engaged by us to provide products or services to you on our behalf, where your personal information is necessary for the provision of those products or services.
  • Any person engaged by Horowhenua District Council, or a Council Controlled Organisation, to provide products or services to you on our behalf, where your personal information is necessary for the provision of those products or services.
  • A third party in the course of legal proceedings or other investigations.
  • Any person you authorise us to disclose your personal information to.
  • Any person, if the personal information is publicly available.

In some instances, your personal information may be transferred and held by IT service providers in New Zealand and overseas (for example, where it is stored using a cloud-based service).

How long we hold personal information

We may retain personal information we collect (on both our active systems and our archives) for as long as administratively necessary or required by law. The length of time we keep your personal information depends on what it is and whether we have an ongoing need to retain it.

The Public Records Act 2005 requires us to retain “protected records” indefinitely. In some circumstances, your personal information may be included within a protected record.

Protecting your personal information

We are committed to ensuring that your information is protected, and we take reasonable steps to protect your personal information against loss, damage, misuse and unauthorised access.  Only individuals who need personal information to help us perform our duties and obligations will be given restricted access.

We will take reasonable steps to ensure your personal information is accurate, up to date, complete, relevant and not misleading.

Accessing and correcting your personal information

You may request confirmation of whether or not we hold any personal information about you and you may request access to your personal information that we hold by emailing us at [email protected].

If you request to access your personal information we will take steps to verify your identity. Once we have verified your identity, we will provide you with such confirmation and access unless we believe we can withhold the information under the Act.

If you think the personal information we hold about you is incorrect, you can ask us to change it. If we agree, it will be corrected, and we’ll provide you with an updated record, if requested. If we don’t agree that the information needs to be corrected, we'll make note of your request on the disputed information as a "statement of correction".

Your right to access and correct any personal information we hold is subject to the Act.

Questions or Complaints

You can contact us any time to ask about our privacy practices, to let us know that you're concerned about anything, or make a complaint about the way we've handled your personal information, via:

  • Email: Horowhenua District Council Privacy Officer at [email protected]
  • By Post: Horowhenua District Council, Private Bag 4002, Levin.

For more detailed information about the Privacy Act you can refer to:

If you believe there is a privacy dispute we cannot resolve, you can make a complaint to the Privacy Commissioner by:

  • Phone: 0800 803 909 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm)
  • Email: [email protected]
  • By Post: Office of the Privacy Commissioner, PO Box 10094, Wellington 6143.