The Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 regulates the way private sector organisations can collect, retain, use, and transfer personal information.

MCR collects information only for research purposes. This means that we use it to investigate the behaviour, needs, attitudes, opinions, motivations or other characteristics of a whole population or particular part of a population. We do this in order to provide accurate and timely information to government, commercial and not for profit organisations about issues relevant to their activities or to support their decision making process. Your input into these decisions is important and the more people that participate, the more the results we obtain truly reflect the spectrum of Australian society.

The following information is provided to help you to understand your rights when participating in market research. MCR is a member of the Market Research Society of Australia, the following information has been provided by the Society.

Question: What, if any, information is sensitive information under the Privacy Act?

Some of the information MCR collects is sensitive information, as defined by the

Privacy Act. This might include information such as identified information about an identified participant's racial or ethnic origin, political opinion, membership of a political association or religious beliefs, affiliations or philosophical beliefs, membership of a professional or trade association, membership of a trade union, sexual preferences or practices, criminal record or health information.

Because researchers are not generally concerned with the identity of the person who provided their data, identifying details are removed as soon as they are no longer needed. So we are unlikely to store sensitive information along with any identifying or contact details of the person to whom the sensitive information applies for very long.

Question: What principles does MCR comply with in the way we protect individuals' privacy?

MCR is bound by the National Privacy Principles (or Market and Social Research Privacy Principles, once they are approved by the Federal Privacy Commissioner. These principles govern the handling of information about the participants of research, and are administered by the Association of Market Research Organisations). We also abide by the principles of the Market Research Society of Australia's Code of Professional Behaviour.

Question: How does MCR generally collect information?

The information we hold is generally collected from individuals in the course of a research exercise such as a telephone survey, questionnaire, discussion group or interview. Sometimes, our clients want us to conduct research with their customers. In these cases, they might give us a list of their customers so that we can contact them to invite them to participate in the research.

Question: What kind of information does MCR collect and retain?

MCR holds information such as contact details (e.g. names, phone numbers and addresses), basic demographics (e.g. age, gender, occupation, education) and other information relating to individuals' behaviour, needs, attitudes, opinions and motivations.

Most of the information we retain is not connected with details that identify whom the information is about. This is because researchers are not generally concerned with the identity of the person who provided their data. Researchers generally remove identifying details as soon as they are no longer needed. The information of any given individual is combined with the information collected from a number of other participants in a particular research project. However, while your information remains identifiable, you have the right either to request access to, or deletion of, any information about you held by MCR.

Question: To whom do we pass identified information and why?

Sometimes, we pass the information we collect to other research organisations. These research organisations might carry out research activities essential to the research process for our company. These activities might include quality control activities, data processing and contacting people to ask them to participate in research exercises.

Apart from this, information containing details that identify the person the information is about is not passed on or presented to any other party without his or her permission. Nor is it published in a form that would enable the person to be identified without the person's permission.

Sometimes, the client organisation that commissioned the research may wish to see or obtain copies of some of the information we collect for their project.

However, we only pass on information in a form that identifies who the information is about once if we have the person's permission to do so. Generally, we do not transfer any information that identifies the individual to whom it relates.

Question: How does MCR store and secure information?

Typically, all information collected by MCR is stored on computer in a de-identified form. This means that any information that might be used to identify a particular research participant is not recorded, and answers are only recorded in an aggregated fashion.

Where video and audio recordings are made, these are stored at MCR for a period of six months, after which time they are recorded over. During the six months for which these recording are stored, they are only made accessible to MCR staff, and are only accessible for the purposes of the research for which the recording was originally made.

Question: What are your rights in relation to the information we hold about you?

If we did collect identifying details, while your information remains identifiable, you have the right to request access to, or deletion of, any information about you held by our company. During this time you can also contact us to let us know if any of the information you provided needs correction.

If you have any queries, you can call the Market Research Society's free Survey Line on 1300 364 830 any time, seven days a week. If you call this number you can check whether a company is recognised by the Market Research Society of Australia. Information about Market Research companies, as well as information on the Market and Social Research Privacy Principles and the Code of Professional Behaviour, can be viewed on the Market Research Society of Australia's website www.mrsa.com.au.