Introduction and purpose of this Policy
Willis Partners is a CA practice and provides services in accounting is committed in providing you with the highest quality professional service which includes protecting your privacy.
We are committed to protecting your privacy and are bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), Code of Professional Conduct in the Tax Agent Services Act 2009 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and disclose your personal and sensitive information.
In this policy ‘we’ or ‘us’ means Willis Partners Pty Ltd ABN 11 130 754 880.
Scope
This Privacy Policy governs all personal information collected by and provided to us and must be adhered to by all persons who access, use, process, control or otherwise deal with personal information. This policy applies to suppliers as well as individuals who provide us with personal information.
Why do we collect personal information?
We collect personal information to allow us to lawfully carry out and provide you with accounting, taxation, bookkeeping and advisory services that you requested. To personalise and customise your experiences with us and to help us review, manage and enhance our services. To communicate with you more effectively and offer services that we believe may be of interest to you and for administration purposes, including charging, billing and collecting debts. In some circumstances, the collection of personal information is required or authorised by law, including under taxation, corporations, anti-money laundering, or other applicable legislation.
If you do not provide the personal information we request, we may be unable to provide our services to you or may be limited in the services we can provide.
Information we collect
If you are client, we may collect the following types of personal information from our clients and other individuals:
- Personal Identification Information: Name, address, phone number, email address, photo identification and other contact details.
- Financial Information: Bank account details, payment information, income, assets, liabilities, tax file numbers (TFN), and other financial data.
- Sensitive Information: Tax records, and other information we need to provide specific services such as tax advice. We only collect sensitive information with your consent or where authorised or required by law.
- Client and Service Interaction Information: Details about your interactions with our firm, including records of meetings, phone calls, emails, and other communication.
If you are a supplier of the firm, we may collect and hold information including your name, address, email address, contact information, business records, billing information about the goods and services supplied.
Proof of Identity and Client Information
In accordance with our obligations under the Tax Agent Services Act 2009 (TASA) and the requirements of the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB), we are required to take appropriate steps to verify the identity of our clients. This may include sighting proof of identity documents such as a driver’s licence, passport, or other government-issued identification. If we collect your proof of identity electronically, it is done through a secure portal using encrypted magic links and multi-factor authentication. This information is collected solely to comply with our legal and professional obligations.
All proof of identity information is securely disposed of once it is no longer required. Electronic records are permanently deleted from our secure portal.
Proof of identity documents and related personal information will not be used for any other purpose or disclosed to third parties except where required or authorised by law.
How We Collect Your Information
We collect personal information directly from you, through forms you complete, via a client portal, email, phone, and face-to-face consultations. In some instances, we may also collect information from third parties (e.g., government agencies, financial institutions, or other professional advisors), but only with your consent.
When you provide us with someone else’s personal information you should only do so with their authority or consent or if you are required or authorised by law. You should also refer them to this privacy policy and any separate privacy notices we provide you.
How We Use Your Information
We use your personal and sensitive information for the following purposes:
- To Provide Services: To deliver the accounting, tax, audit, bookkeeping, or advisory services that you have requested, including financial statements, tax returns, superannuation, or business advice.
- Compliance with Legal Obligations: To meet regulatory requirements, including the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC), and other relevant bodies.
- Client Communications: To contact you regarding your accounts, services, updates, or changes in legislation that may affect your business or personal financial situation.
- Marketing: To inform you about new services or promotions, but only if you have consented to receive marketing communications. You can opt-out at any time.
Disclosure of Information
We may disclose your personal information to the following parties:
- Third-party Service Providers: Our trusted service providers (e.g., IT service providers, cloud storage providers, legal or financial experts) who assist in delivering our services.
- Regulatory Authorities: To the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), ASIC, and other regulatory bodies as required by law.
- Professional Advisors: To external professionals such as auditors, solicitors, or financial planners if you have engaged them for specific services and with your consent.
- Legal or Security Requirements: If required by law, regulation, or legal process (e.g., a subpoena, court order, or government request).
We will never sell your personal information to any third parties for marketing purposes without your consent.
Data Security
We are committed to protecting your personal information and take appropriate measures to safeguard it against misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. Our approach to data security includes physical, electronic, and administrative safeguards designed to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the information we collect.
Security measures we implement include:
- Use of secure data storage solutions, including encrypted servers and cloud platforms
- Regular updates and patching of our IT systems and software to address vulnerabilities
- Role-based access controls to ensure that only authorised personnel can access personal information
- Ongoing staff training on data protection and privacy obligations
We comply with the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). In the event of an eligible data breach being likely to result in serious harm, we will act promptly to contain the breach, assess its impact, and notify affected individuals and relevant authorities in accordance with applicable laws.
Access and Correction of Personal Information
We take reasonable steps to make sure that your personal information is accurate, complete and up to date. You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you. If you believe that the information we hold is incorrect, incomplete, or out-of-date, you have the right to request that we correct it. We will need to verify your identity to deal with your request.
To access or update your information, please contact us on the details provided below. We will respond to your request within a reasonable time frame (usually within 30 days).
Data Retention
We will only retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected or as required by law.
Once your information is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to securely destroy your data.
Overseas Transfers
In some cases, your personal information may be stored or processed by service providers in the United States, India or countries outside of Australia where our cloud, hosting or analytics providers operate. We take reasonable steps to ensure that these overseas recipients maintain the same high standards of protection of your personal information that we do, and that they comply with the requirements of the Australian Privacy Principles.
Disclosure Required by Law
We may be required to disclose your personal information by law e.g. under Court Orders or Statutory Notices, or under laws relating to sanctions, anti-money laundering or counter terrorism financing, corporations law, taxation and employment or where we are appointed to administer companies under the Corporations Act.
How we store your personal information
We manage personal information in both electronic and hard copy formats and apply strict measures to safeguard it. Our approach includes:
- Physical security – swipe card access to premises and locked filing units.
- Electronic security – firewalls, password protection, virus scanning, and data encryption.
- Policies and processes – comprehensive document management and retention frameworks to ensure information is stored and disposed of appropriately.
These measures reflect our commitment to taking all reasonable steps, including both technical and organisational measures to protect the security and confidentiality of personal information.
Automated decision-making
We may use automated processes and technology tools, including accounting software, artificial intelligence systems, data analytics tools and cloud-based platforms, to assist in delivering our services and managing our operations.
These systems may analyse personal information to identify patterns, verify information, assess risk, detect anomalies, or improve service efficiency.
We do not make decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects solely by automated means without appropriate human oversight. Where automated tools are used to support decision-making, our personnel review and assess relevant outputs before any material decisions are finalised.
If you have any questions about how we use automated systems in relation to your personal information, you may contact us using the details below.
Children’s Privacy
We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under the age of 18 without appropriate consent. Where we collect personal information relating to a child, we do so only where it is reasonably necessary for the provision of our services and with the consent of a parent or legal guardian, or as otherwise authorised or required by law.
We take reasonable steps to ensure that personal information relating to children is handled with appropriate care and in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
Privacy on Our Website
If you visit our website, we may collect personal information via cookies or other tracking technologies for the purpose of improving user experience or tracking website analytics. You can control the use of cookies through your browser settings.
Our website may also contain links to external sites, and we are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, or regulatory requirements. Any changes will be posted on our website, and where appropriate, we will notify you directly.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, or if you wish to exercise your rights regarding your personal information, please contact us by:
Phone: Contact Willis Partners on (03) 9079 0500 and request to speak with the Practice Manager
Email: [email protected]
Mail: Practice Manager at Level 17, 459 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
If you wish to make a complaint about how we have handled your personal information, you may contact us in writing on the details above. We will acknowledge your complaint and aim to investigate and respond within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may ask for further information or lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):
Website: https://www.oaic.gov.au
Phone: 1300 363 992
Updates to this Policy
We will update this policy as required to reflect changes to our privacy practices.
This policy was updated March 2026.