Privacy collection notice - recruitment

In this privacy collection notice, a reference to a parliamentary department or the parliamentary departments means, depending on the context, each of or all the administrative departments of the Parliament of Victoria, being the Department of the Legislative Council, the Department of the Legislative Assembly, and the Department of Parliamentary Services. Together, the parliamentary departments provide support, infrastructure and professional services to enable the work of the Parliament of Victoria.

This privacy collection notice applies to the parliamentary departments’ recruitment activities. It explains what information is collected when applications for employment with a parliamentary department are made. It may be updated from time to time.

This privacy collection notice should be read in conjunction with the Privacy Policy which contains information about the parliamentary departments’ broader privacy practices and how personal information is handled generally.

Definitions

The terms personal information, sensitive information and health information have the same meanings as in the Privacy Policy. In this collection notice, any reference to personal information is also a reference to health information and sensitive information unless otherwise stated.

What is collected

The parliamentary departments collect personal information from individuals who apply for employment with a parliamentary department, including electorate officers nominated for employment by a Member of Parliament pursuant to section 30(1) of the Parliamentary Administration Act 2005 (Vic) (PAA 2005) who are employed by the Secretary, Department of Parliamentary Services pursuant to a delegation from the Presiding Officers under section 32(3) of the PAA 2005.

The parliamentary departments collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for the administration and evaluation of applications for employment. This may include:

information in resumes or applications including: names, addresses, contact details such as phone numbers and email addresses, and employment history;
academic transcripts or qualifications;
referee details as provided;
identity documents such as drivers’ licence or passport;
documents relating to the applicant’s ability to perform work in Australia;
other miscellaneous information disclosed by an applicant; and
information collected during the interview process.

For certain positions, applicants may be asked to complete background and probity checks (such as a police check and a Working with Children Check), pre-employment health check, pre-employment conflict of interest, other employment and misconduct declarations and other candidate assessments such as psychometric or technical testing.

The parliamentary departments do not collect sensitive or health information without an applicant’s consent.

Methods of collection

The parliamentary departments collect applicants’ personal information at different stages during the application process, e.g. from the initial application, at interview, undertaking assessments and when checking references.

In most cases, the parliamentary departments collect personal information directly from applicants, including any sensitive information applicants choose to provide to the parliamentary departments, such as information about an applicant’s health relating to pre-existing conditions, injuries, or illnesses.

However, the Careers.Vic website is also used to collect and store applications for positions with the parliamentary departments. This means that once Careers.Vic have collected personal information, it passes the information onto the parliamentary departments, and then the parliamentary departments consider an applicant’s suitability as a candidate. Information collected by the Careers.Vic website is governed by Careers.Vic’s Privacy Collection Notice.

The parliamentary departments may also receive an applicant’s personal information indirectly, such as from a member of Parliament who has provided a nomination for the employment of an electorate officer.

The parliamentary departments may also collect personal information from third parties, such as nominated referees or the organisations they represent, and background, referee, and probity check providers. A referee may provide personal information about an applicant on a confidential basis. If a referee does so, the applicant is not ordinarily entitled to access this information, and the parliamentary departments will not share it with the applicant without the referee’s consent.

Who personal information is disclosed to

The parliamentary departments share personal information with parliamentary department employees relevant to the recruitment process and decision-making. The parliamentary departments will only disclose personal information to third parties where an applicant has been informed and has agreed to the disclosure.

The parliamentary departments may disclose applicants’ personal information to third parties including:

referees (or the organisations they represent) to verify employment, skills, talent and experience;
previous employers, registration bodies, professional associations or education institutions to verify employment, registrations, qualifications and experience;
online video interview platform providers;
referee check providers;
background check providers;
organisations that conduct psychometric, competency or pre-employment medicals on behalf of the parliamentary departments; and
recruitment agencies or other third parties assisting the parliamentary departments with recruitment for the position.

These third parties may separately seek an applicant’s consent to conduct some of these checks. Whilst providing the requested information and consents are voluntary, if an applicant does not provide consent or all or part of the information required, it may affect the parliamentary departments’ ability to properly assess or consider the application.

The parliamentary departments may disclose an applicant’s personal information overseas if that applicant requests the parliamentary departments contact an overseas referee, or if an international criminal history check is required.

The parliamentary departments may also disclose applicants’ personal information:

to service providers (such as IT and analytics service providers);
where applicants have consented to the disclosure;
where disclosure is necessary to prevent injury to life or health; or
if required or authorised by or under an Australian law or a court or tribunal order.

Information collected by third party service providers will be managed in accordance with the providers’ own privacy policies. Please refer to the relevant third party privacy policy for further information.

Data quality, access and correction

The parliamentary departments take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information they hold is accurate, complete and up to date in accordance with relevant legal obligations, including under privacy legislation. This includes updating and maintaining personal information when individuals advise that their information is incorrect or has changed.

Individuals may request access to, or correction of, documents that contain their personal information which are in the possession of a parliamentary department. Individuals have a right to have their information corrected if their:

personal information is not accurate, complete or up to date, or
health information is not accurate, complete or up to date or if it is misleading.

To access or correct personal information, please contact the Privacy Officer at PrivacyOfficer@parliament.vic.gov.au.

Data security

The parliamentary departments hold personal information physically or in electronic databases and information systems. The parliamentary departments take steps to protect information from interference or unauthorised access or disclosure. Ordinarily, personal information received in the recruitment process would be contained in an electronic employee file or a recruitment file, accessible by the People & Capability team, the Hiring Manager, and the Selection Panel.

If an application is successful, the parliamentary departments will keep the successful applicant’s information as part of an employment record.

If the application is unsuccessful, the parliamentary departments may keep the information for at least six months to comply with record-keeping obligations. The parliamentary departments may keep personal information beyond this time for other legitimate purposes, such as to consider suitability for other roles.

If a role arises that may be of interest to a previously unsuccessful applicant, the parliamentary departments will contact the applicant by email or telephone and ask if the applicant consents to being considered further. The applicant may then be forwarded information about that position or advised how to locate it.

If an applicant does not want their information retained in order to be considered for future roles, the applicant may email the Privacy Officer at PrivacyOfficer@parliament.vic.gov.au and the application will be removed from the recruitment database.

Complaints

Individuals wishing to raise a concern or complaint about how their personal information has been handled can contact the Privacy Officer at PrivacyOfficer@parliament.vic.gov.au.

Anonymity

Whilst applicants may interact with the parliamentary departments anonymously where it is lawful and practicable to do so, if an applicant does not provide all the information requested during the recruitment process, the parliamentary departments may not be able to properly consider the application.

If an applicant has any concerns about the information requested during the recruitment process, the applicant may contact the Privacy Officer at PrivacyOfficer@parliament.vic.gov.au.

Further information

Contact: PrivacyOfficer@parliament.vic.gov.au

This privacy collection notice was last updated on 1 July 2025.

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