This Privacy Policy applies to all services provided by North Coast Internet and governs how we collect, use, disclose, and manage your personal information. It is prepared in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). Any dispute that may arise between you and North Coast Internet in relation to this policy will be governed by the law of New South Wales. You agree to submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of its courts.
About North Coast Internet
North Coast Internet is a sole-trader business managed by Glen Schaefer, providing professional web design, web hosting, domain registration, email hosting, SSL certificates, mobile and web application development, and IT consultancy services. We have been servicing clients on the NSW Mid North Coast and across Australia since 2011.
ABN: 51 552 983 215
What personal information we collect
We may collect and hold the following types of personal information:
Information you provide to us directly:
- Name, business name, and contact details (phone number, email address, postal address)
- Project requirements, briefs, and specifications for web design or development work
- Login credentials for third-party platforms you authorise us to manage on your behalf (e.g. cPanel, WordPress, domain registrars, Google accounts)
- Payment and billing information processed through third-party invoice providers
- Correspondence, feedback, and communications with us
Information collected automatically:
- IP address and browser or device information when you visit our website
- Website usage data collected via Google Analytics
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see the Cookies section below)
Information collected through hosted services:
When we host websites and email accounts on behalf of clients, personal information about your own customers or users may be stored on our hosting infrastructure. In this capacity we act as a data processor on behalf of our clients, who remain responsible for ensuring their own use of hosted services complies with applicable privacy laws.
How we collect personal information
We collect personal information in a number of ways, including:
- Directly from you when you contact us via our website, phone, or email
- When you complete and submit our website contact or enquiry form
- During the provision of web design, hosting, or consultancy services
- From publicly available sources (e.g. your existing website or business directories) for the purpose of providing services to you
- Through automated technologies when you use our website, such as cookies and Google Analytics
- From third-party platforms where you have authorised us access to manage services on your behalf
Where it is reasonable and practical to do so, we will collect personal information directly from you rather than from third parties.
Why we collect and use personal information
We collect and use personal information for the following primary purposes:
- To respond to enquiries and provide quotes for services
- To deliver web design, web hosting, domain registration, email hosting, SSL certificate, and IT consultancy services
- To manage and maintain client websites, email systems, and hosting environments
- To communicate with you about your project, account, or services
- To process invoices and manage billing
- To provide technical support and troubleshoot issues
- To manage security, spam filtering, and firewall services on hosted platforms
- To conduct Google Analytics monitoring and reporting on websites we manage
- To comply with our legal obligations
- To improve our own website and services
If we need to use your personal information for a purpose not listed above, we will seek your consent unless a permitted general situation or other exception under the Privacy Act applies.
Disclosure of personal information
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may disclose your personal information to third parties only in the following circumstances.
Service providers:
We work with a small number of trusted third-party providers to deliver our services. These may include web hosting infrastructure providers using cPanel-based Linux environments, domain name registrars, SSL certificate authorities, Microsoft Office 365, WordPress and Elementor, Google services including Analytics and Search Console, and accounting or invoicing software. These providers are only given access to the information they need for their specific purpose and we take reasonable steps to ensure they handle your information appropriately.
At your direction:
We may disclose information to third parties at your request or with your consent, for example when transferring a domain or website to a new provider.
Legal requirements:
We may disclose personal information if required to do so by law, a court order, or government authority, or where we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of North Coast Internet, our clients, or the public.
Overseas disclosure:
Some third-party platforms we use, including Google services and WordPress infrastructure, may store or process data outside Australia, including in the United States and other countries. We take reasonable steps to ensure these providers maintain appropriate privacy protections. By engaging our services you consent to this possibility.
Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics to monitor and report on website performance for websites we manage, including our own. Google Analytics collects anonymised data about website visitors including pages viewed, time on site, geographic location, device type, and referral source. This data is used to improve website performance and user experience.
Google Analytics uses cookies and similar technologies to collect this data. The information generated is transmitted to and stored by Google on servers that may be located overseas. Google’s use of this data is governed by the Google Privacy Policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy.
You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
Cookies and tracking technologies
Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to enhance your experience and collect usage information. Cookies may be used to remember your preferences and settings, understand how you navigate and use our website, improve website functionality and performance, and support Google Analytics tracking as described above.
Most web browsers are set to accept cookies by default. You can adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies or alert you when cookies are being sent. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our website. We do not use cookies for the purpose of targeted advertising.
Security of personal information
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information we hold from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. Our security measures include SSL-secured website and communications infrastructure, daily backups of hosted websites and data, managed security, spam filtering and firewall services on hosted platforms, 24/7 site monitoring for Premium hosting clients, secure access controls for hosting environments, and use of reputable industry-standard platforms and infrastructure.
While we take these precautions, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of personal information. If you suspect a security breach has occurred, please contact us immediately at info@northcoastinternet.com.au.
Notifiable data breaches
We are subject to the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme under Part IIIC of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in serious harm to any affected individuals, we will take immediate steps to contain the breach and assess its likely impact, notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) as soon as practicable, and notify affected individuals where required under the NDB scheme.
Retention and destruction of personal information
We retain personal information for as long as it is needed to provide our services, comply with legal obligations, and resolve disputes. Client contact and project records are retained for a minimum of 7 years after the end of the business relationship, consistent with general business record-keeping obligations. Correspondence and support records are retained for the duration of the service relationship and for a reasonable period thereafter. Website and server logs may be retained for up to 12 months. Google Analytics data is subject to Google’s own retention policies.
When personal information is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to destroy it securely or de-identify it.
Accessing and correcting your personal information
Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to request access to personal information we hold about you, and to ask us to correct it if it is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, or misleading.
To make such a request, please contact us in writing using the details below. We will respond to your request within 30 days. In some circumstances we may decline to provide access or correct information where an exception under the Privacy Act applies, and we will explain the reason for any such refusal. We do not charge a fee for making an access or correction request, although a reasonable fee may apply in some circumstances to cover the cost of providing access.
Privacy complaints
If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles or otherwise mishandled your personal information, you are welcome to contact us directly in the first instance so we can attempt to resolve your concern. We will investigate your complaint and respond within 30 days.
If you are not satisfied with our response, or if you would prefer to lodge a complaint directly with the regulator, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au or by telephone on 1300 363 992.
Third-party websites and platforms
Our website contains links to external websites and social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external websites you visit. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites.
Children’s privacy
Our services are directed at businesses and adult individuals. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 18. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information without parental consent, please contact us and we will take steps to remove that information.
Changes to this privacy policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. The current version will always be published on our website at https://northcoastinternet.com.au. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Material changes will be communicated to existing clients by email where reasonably practicable.
You agree that you will be deemed to have notice of any change to this Privacy Policy immediately when it is adopted by North Coast Internet and posted on our website.
Contact us
For all privacy-related enquiries, access or correction requests, or complaints, please contact:
Glen Schaefer – North Coast Internet
- Mobile: 0481 758 809
- Email: info@northcoastinternet.com.au
- Web: https://northcoastinternet.com.au
Effective Date: 27-05-2026 Version: 1.2