Queensland Fire Department (QFD) is committed to protecting the personal information we collect, hold, use and disclose under the Information Privacy Act 2009 (IP Act). The IP Act protects all forms of personal information from being unfairly collected, lost, misused, or inappropriately modified or disclosed. It also provides individuals with access and amendment rights to their own personal information.

The IP Act contains 10 Queensland Privacy Principles (QPPs) which detail how we must collect, store, maintain, use and disclose personal information. It also contains rules about transferring personal information out of Australia and about contracted service providers.

In accordance with QPP 1, QFD is required to have a clearly expressed and up-to-date QPP privacy policy.  

• QFD Privacy Policy (PDF, 205 KB)

Personal information means information or an opinion about an identified individual or an individual who is reasonably identifiable from the information or opinion:

a) whether the information or opinion is true or not; and
b) whether the information or opinion is recorded in a material form or not.

Examples of personal information include a person’s name, address, phone number, date of birth, gender, physical characteristics including height, birthmarks and tattoos and even biometric information.  Personal information can be stored on a variety of media such as paper, electronic database, photographic and video image, audiotape, digital form, and may also extend to body samples and biometric data.

From 1 July 2025, a Mandatory Notification Data Breach (MNDB) Scheme will apply to Queensland public sector agencies that are subject to the IP Act. The MNDB scheme requires agencies to take prescribed actions where an agency knows or reasonably suspects that a data breach is an ‘Eligible Data Breach’. In accordance with the MNDB scheme, QFD must:

• immediately take all reasonable steps to contain and mitigate the data breach. If QFD does not know if the data breach is an ‘Eligible Data Breach’, it must assess, within 30 days, and
• notify other affected agencies, and, if QFD knows or assess the data breach as an ‘Eligible Data Breach’, notify the Office of the Information Commissioner and individuals whose personal information is the subject of the data breach, unless an exemption to notification applies.
   

If you believe we have handled your personal information in a way that is not consistent with the privacy principles, you can make a complaint. This will help us resolve your complaint and understand where we can improve our management of your personal information.

Please note your complaint may involve aspects of misconduct or breach of discipline. While we will look at privacy, we may also need to investigate these other aspects, which can result in disciplinary or criminal processes. We take your complaint seriously so please be patient with us while we investigate all aspects of it.

When making a privacy complaint, please include:

• details of the information that is the subject of the complaint
• why you feel it is a privacy breach, and
• which of the Queensland Privacy Principles you consider has been breached.

Please also provide any available supporting material to support the complaint to help in a timely review of your complaint.

Your complaint should be addressed to the ‘Privacy Officer’ and can be sent by post or email to:

Right to Information and Privacy Unit
Queensland Fire Department
GPO Box 1425
BRISBANE  QLD  4001

Email: QFD.rti@fire.qld.gov.au
 

The Office of the Information Commissioner Queensland (OIC) provides information and resources about your privacy rights and how Queensland Government agencies and ministers are required to handle your personal information.

Every year the OIC conducts Privacy Awareness Week to raise awareness and understanding of privacy responsibilities and rights with members of the community and public servants.

You can contact the privacy officer to discuss privacy matters by email QFD.rti@fire.qld.gov.au.