We are committed to offering a website that respects our visitors’ privacy. All personal information we collect is governed by the Privacy Act 1999 (Commonwealth).

What personal information do we collect?

Web servers automatically collect certain information about a visit to a website, including the visitor’s Internet Protocol (IP) address. IP addresses are unique numbers assigned by Internet Service Providers (ISP) to all devices used to access the Internet. Web servers automatically log the IP addresses of visitors to their sites. The IP address, on its own, may not identify an individual. However, in certain circumstances, it could be used to identify an individual using the site. For this reason, we consider the IP address to be personal information, particularly when combined with other data automatically collected when a visitor requests a web page. This information can include the name of the page you visited and the date and time of your visit.
Unless otherwise noted, we do not automatically gather any specific personal information from you. The only way we would get this information is if you give it to us, for example, via one of our online forms. We have forms on our site to help you interact with our office – for example, to send us an enquiry, to tell us about a privacy issue, or to make a formal complaint. We only ask for the information that we need to address your request. Our Online Complaint Form asks for more detailed personal information. As such, it has its own Online Complaint Form – Privacy Statement.

Why we collect your personal information?

In the course of providing online services to Australians through our website, we collect personal information for certain purposes. We use digital markers and web analytics to improve our site. We offer a number of online tools, such as forms for enquiries or complaints, to deliver our services. We also use certain software to ensure the security of our website. These uses are described in more detail in the sections below.
If you send us an email or complete an online form, we may use your personal information to respond to you. In most cases, we will delete any personal information that we did not ask for. For example, we will delete any personal information submitted via the “Was this page helpful?” feedback tool.
Personal information from emails or completed forms is collected according to the Privacy Act. Such information is used to provide our services to Australians and may also be used for statistical, evaluation and reporting purposes. We do not use personal information submitted via online forms to create individual profiles. Further, if we are conducting a criminal investigation into stalking and harassing behaviour by persons visiting this website, IP Australia’s may be periodically shared with state and federal enforcement and INTERPOL for evidence collection purposes. Please only visit www.melbournedetective.com.au for lawful purposes.
More information about what digital markers can do and how we use them:
Web analytics
Web analytics is the collection, analysis, measurement, and reporting of data about web traffic and visits. This data is used to improve our website and deliver on our public education mandate. It also helps us complete administrative tasks such as:
communications and information technology statistics,
audit and evaluation,
research,
planning and
reporting.
More information about how we use web analytics to improve our web site:
Protecting the security of our website
We use software programs to monitor network traffic and identify unauthorized attempts to change information, or damage our systems. This software receives and records the IP address of the computer that has contacted our website, the date and time of the visit and the pages visited.
In cases where services are provided by law enforcement, IP addresses may be recorded by their web servers.

How we protect your personal information
Emails and other electronic methods used to communicate with us are not secure unless it specifically says so. It is not recommended that you send sensitive personal information, such as your Social Insurance Number or your date of birth, through non-secure electronic means. For more information about how we protect your personal information and how you can access or correct it, please read our Privacy Policy. Ownership and usage of content provided on this site We put content on this website to inform Australians about the programs and services that we offer. You may use and reproduce the materials as follows: Non-commercial reproduction Unless otherwise specified, you may reproduce the materials in whole or in part and in any format for non-commercial purposes, without charge or further permission, provided you do the following: Ensure that your reproduction is a true and accurate reflection of our original material. Indicate both the complete title of the materials reproduced, as well as the author (where available); and Indicate that the reproduction is a copy of the version available on our website.

Commercial reproduction
Unless otherwise specified, you may not reproduce materials on this site, in whole or in part, for commercial redistribution without prior written permission from us.
Some of the content on this site may be subject to the copyright of another party. Where copyright is not held by Government of Australia, the materials are protected under the Copyright Act, and international agreements. Details about copyright ownership are indicated on the relevant page(s). To obtain additional information concerning copyright ownership and restrictions, please contact us.

Trademark notice
Official symbols of federal institutions, including the Arms of Canada may not be reproduced, whether for commercial or non-commercial purposes, without prior written authorization.

Who can I contact if I have any questions about this website?
Questions about our website may be directed to our webmaster. They will either answer your question or put you in touch with the correct staff member.

You can contact our webmaster at the email shown on our website.