The National Relay Service is committed to protecting the privacy of the content of all calls and the identity of callers.
No records will be kept of the content of any conversation that has been relayed through the National Relay Service, except as required by law - for example we are required to keep a record of calls through the 106 Text Emergency Call Service.
We will protect the privacy of your personal information. With your assistance we will keep the personal information we store about you accurate and up to date. We will only seek personal information from you to facilitate and improve the service that we deliver to you. The personal information that you give to us will not be supplied to any other organisation without your consent, unless:
- we are required or authorised to do so by law or under an Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF) Code or our contract with the Australian Government or
- the information is provided to another organisation to allow us to effectively operate the National Relay Service, for example to create and distribute NRS billing accounts. In this situation we will ensure that these organisations are bound by confidentiality agreements before passing on any information.
What laws protect me as the caller?
In relation to confidentiality and privacy matters, we must comply with:
- the Privacy Act 1988;
- Part 13 of the Telecommunications Act 1997 (in relation to emergency calls); and
- the National Relay Service contract with the Australian Government.
We have put policies and procedures into place to ensure the protection of your personal information.
Relay officers and other National Relay Service staff receive extensive and practical training regarding their legal and ethical responsibilities. All relay officers and other NRS staff are required to sign a "Confidentiality Agreement" when they start work. Relay officers, in relaying the course of conversations or messages, do not discuss the actual contents of particular conversations or messages of relay users in any way except when:
- disclosing information to supervisors for the purposes of training and improving customer service
- the information relates to a complaint against the relay officer or the National Relay Service or
- unless required by law.
If you are concerned about the behaviour of a relay officer with your personal details, please contact us.
Can other people gain information about my calls?
No. The National Relay Service operates from a well-secured relay call centre. When a call via the relay service is completed, the computer screen is cleared, erasing all records of the conversation. The only information kept by the NRS is as follows:
- Calls to the 106 Text Emergency Service - a full record of the conversation, and
- All other calls to the National Relay Service - dates, times, telephone numbers, the length of the call, NRS registration number and PIN (if applicable).
What about other organisations' privacy requirements?
Many organisations, government agencies (eg the Australian Taxation Office) and financial institutions allow their staff to use the National Relay Service to conduct private and confidential transactions with their clients or customers. This is important for you and also for their staff who may also be deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment as they are able to use the relay service to make telephone calls on a confidential basis.
If any organisation ever refuses to accept your call through the relay service, contact us and we will follow it through.
See also privacy in relation to your use of this website
