Privacy Policy

Last updated: 11 September 2026

Voice for Choice respects your privacy and is committed to handling personal and sensitive information responsibly.

This Privacy Policy explains how Voice for Choice and Renée Menzies (“we”, “us” or “our”) collect, use, store and disclose personal information, including information collected through our website at voiceforchoice.com.au.

Depending on the information we collect and the services we provide, relevant privacy obligations may include the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and its Health Privacy Principles.

We aim to handle all personal and health information with care, whether or not a particular privacy law applies in every circumstance.

1. What personal information we may collect

Voice for Choice is an APP entity because we handle health information in the course of providing services. We aim to handle all personal and health information with care, whether or not a particular privacy law applies in every circumstance.

The information we collect depends on how you interact with Voice for Choice and the services you are seeking.

It may include:

  • your name

  • phone number

  • email address

  • address or general location

  • date of birth, where relevant

  • your preferred method of communication

  • information about an enquiry, project or service

  • correspondence between you and Voice for Choice

  • information provided through our website forms

  • information you provide when contacting us by phone, email, video call, social media or in person

  • information relating to appointments, consulting engagements, workshops, mentoring or other services

  • billing, invoicing and payment information

  • information provided by another person with your authority or where otherwise permitted by law.

Because of the nature of our work, you may also choose to provide sensitive or health information.

This may include information about:

  • disability

  • neurodiversity

  • physical or mental health

  • mental wellbeing

  • medical or health services

  • communication or accessibility requirements

  • education or school engagement

  • family or caring arrangements

  • employment or workplace circumstances

  • relationships with health, education, community or other services

  • experiences relevant to advocacy or self-advocacy

  • other personal circumstances relevant to the support or consulting you are seeking.

We only seek to collect sensitive or health information where it is reasonably necessary for our work, you have consented to its collection, or collection is otherwise permitted or required by law.

You can browse our website without directly providing your name or contact details. Some technical information may still be collected automatically when you use the website.

2. How we collect personal information

We generally collect personal information directly from you when you:

  • contact us by phone or email

  • submit an enquiry through our website

  • book or enquire about a service

  • participate in coaching, mentoring, consulting or training

  • communicate with us about an existing engagement

  • attend a meeting, workshop or consultation

  • interact with us through social media

  • provide information to us in person.

Where appropriate, and with relevant authority or consent, we may also receive information from another person or organisation.

This might include a:

  • family member or supporter

  • school or education professional

  • health professional

  • community organisation

  • employer

  • government agency

  • professional adviser

  • other person involved in the situation we are assisting with.

Where reasonable and practicable, we will collect personal and sensitive information directly from the person it relates to.

3. Why we collect and use personal information

We may use personal information to:

  • respond to enquiries

  • understand your circumstances and what you are seeking help with

  • determine whether Voice for Choice is an appropriate service for you

  • provide advocacy coaching, mentoring, consulting, education or training

  • support communication and decision-making

  • prepare for meetings or other agreed activities

  • communicate with you and, where authorised, other relevant people

  • manage bookings and appointments

  • develop proposals or scopes of work

  • provide community consultation and project services

  • prepare documents or resources connected with an agreed service

  • manage accounts, invoices and payments

  • maintain appropriate business records

  • improve our services and client experience

  • operate, maintain and improve our website

  • understand how people find and use our website

  • comply with legal, insurance, taxation and regulatory requirements

  • protect the safety and rights of the people we work with

  • protect our business and technology from fraud, misuse or security threats.

We generally use personal information for the purpose for which it was collected, or for a related purpose you would reasonably expect, unless another use is permitted or required by law.

4. Sensitive and health information

Because Voice for Choice works across advocacy, disability, neurodiversity, mental wellbeing, education, health and community systems, some information shared with us may be considered sensitive or health information under Australian or Victorian law.

We recognise that this information requires a higher level of care.

We will only collect health or sensitive information where it is reasonably necessary for the service being provided and where:

  • you have consented to the collection

  • it is reasonably necessary to provide the service you have requested

  • collection is authorised or required by law

  • another permitted exception applies.

We do not require you to provide more health or personal information than is reasonably necessary for us to understand and carry out the agreed work.

Where possible, we encourage people not to provide detailed medical records, identity documents or other highly sensitive information through general website enquiry forms.

If sensitive documentation is required, we may arrange a more appropriate way for it to be provided.

5. Our website and Squarespace

Our website is hosted by Squarespace. Squarespace may collect and process information about visitors to our website in order to provide website hosting, security, performance and analytics services.

This may include information such as:

  • your browser, network and device

  • your IP address

  • the website or page you visited before arriving at our website

  • pages you visit on our website

  • links or buttons you click

  • searches performed on the website

  • scrolling and other interactions

  • the date and time of your visit.

This information helps Squarespace operate the website and helps us understand website traffic and how visitors use the site.

When you submit information using a form on our website, the information contained in that form may be processed by Squarespace so that it can provide the website and form functionality to us.

Form submissions may also be sent to or stored in our nominated email account or another service connected to Squarespace.

For more information about how Squarespace handles information, you can review the Squarespace Privacy Policy on the Squarespace website.

6. Cookies and website analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies. Cookies are small files stored on your computer or device that help websites function correctly, remember preferences and understand how visitors use a website. 

Squarespace may use cookies that are necessary for the operation and security of our website.

Depending on the settings and features enabled on our website, cookies may also be used for website analytics and other non-essential functions.

Website analytics may provide us with aggregated information about matters such as:

  • the number of people visiting the website

  • which pages are visited

  • how visitors move through the website

  • general traffic sources

  • devices and browsers being used.

This information helps us understand how the website is performing and how its accessibility, content and usefulness can be improved.

Where a cookie consent banner or preference tool is provided, you can use it to manage applicable non-essential cookies.

You can also control or delete cookies through your browser settings, although disabling some cookies may affect how the website functions.

7. Third-party services

We may use third-party service providers to help operate Voice for Choice and provide our services.

These may include:

  • Squarespace for website hosting, forms and analytics

  • email providers

  • cloud storage providers

  • video conferencing platforms

  • accounting and bookkeeping software

  • appointment or scheduling systems

  • website analytics providers

  • social media platforms

  • IT and technology providers

  • contractors and professional advisers.

We only provide personal information to third parties where reasonably necessary for them to provide services to us, where you have authorised the disclosure, or where disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.

Where health or sensitive information is involved, we consider the nature of the information and whether the proposed service is appropriate for storing or processing it.

Our website may also contain links or embedded services provided by third parties. Those providers may collect information when you interact with their services and their own privacy policies will apply.

8. Sharing information with other people and organisations

Where our work involves other professionals, organisations or supporters, we may need to communicate with them.

Depending on the circumstances, this may include:

  • family members or nominated supporters

  • schools or education professionals

  • health practitioners

  • community organisations

  • employers

  • government bodies

  • professional advisers

  • other people involved in an agreed process.

We will generally seek your consent before sharing personal or sensitive information with another person unless disclosure is permitted or required by law.

Where another person is involved in supporting you, we do not automatically assume they are entitled to receive all information about you.

We may clarify what information you have authorised us to share and with whom.

9. When information may be disclosed without consent

In limited circumstances, information may be disclosed without consent where this is permitted or required by law.

This may include circumstances where disclosure is reasonably necessary to:

  • prevent or lessen a serious threat to someone’s life, health or safety

  • respond to suspected abuse, neglect, violence or exploitation

  • comply with a court order, subpoena or other legal requirement

  • meet a mandatory reporting or safeguarding obligation

  • respond to unlawful activity or serious misconduct

  • establish, exercise or defend a legal claim.

Where appropriate, lawful and safe to do so, we will seek to discuss the situation with the person concerned.

10. Overseas processing and storage

Some of the technology providers we use may process or store information outside Australia.

Squarespace operates internationally and information processed through its services may be transferred to or processed in other countries, including the United States.

Other technology providers used by Voice for Choice may also process or store information overseas.

Where applicable Australian privacy laws require us to take particular steps in relation to overseas disclosure, we will take reasonable steps to meet those obligations.

Because some website and cloud technology may involve overseas processing, we recommend that highly sensitive health records, identity documents, legal records or similar documents are not submitted through the general website enquiry form.

11. Marketing communications

We will not add you to an electronic marketing list simply because you have submitted a general website enquiry.

If you choose to subscribe to updates, newsletters or other communications, we may use your contact details for that purpose.

You can unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe option provided in the communication or by contacting Voice for Choice directly.

We will comply with applicable requirements of the Spam Act 2003 (Cth).

We will not use health or sensitive information for marketing purposes without appropriate consent.

12. Storage and security

We take reasonable steps to protect personal, sensitive and health information from:

  • misuse

  • interference

  • loss

  • unauthorised access

  • modification

  • disclosure.

Information may be stored electronically through systems operated by Voice for Choice or service providers acting on our behalf.

Security measures may include:

  • password-protected accounts and devices

  • multi-factor authentication where available

  • secure cloud storage

  • restricting access to information to people who need it for legitimate purposes

  • software and security updates

  • appropriate backup processes

  • secure disposal or deletion of information

  • confidentiality requirements for contractors and professional advisers.

No website, electronic transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. We nevertheless take reasonable measures appropriate to the sensitivity of the information we hold and the nature of our work.

13. How long we keep information

We retain personal information only for as long as it is reasonably required for:

  • the service or project for which it was collected

  • reasonable follow-up

  • maintaining appropriate client and business records

  • responding to complaints or disputes

  • insurance and risk-management purposes

  • accounting and taxation obligations

  • other legal or regulatory requirements.

Health information may also be subject to specific retention requirements under Victorian law.

Where the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) applies, records will be retained for at least the minimum period required by that legislation.

When information is no longer reasonably required and we are not required to retain it by law, we will take reasonable steps to securely destroy or de-identify it.

Some information may remain temporarily in secure electronic backups until those backups are routinely overwritten or deleted.

14. Accessing your personal or health information

You may contact us if you would like to:

  • request access to personal information we hold about you

  • request access to health information we hold about you

  • ask how your information has been used or disclosed

  • request a copy of relevant records.

We may ask you to verify your identity before providing access.

Where another person makes an access request on your behalf, we may ask for evidence that they are authorised to do so.

Access may be provided in an appropriate form, which may include a copy of records or another reasonable method of access.

Australian or Victorian privacy law may allow us to refuse or limit access in certain circumstances. If that occurs, we will explain our decision where required by law and provide information about any available complaint process.

15. Correcting your information

You may ask us to correct personal or health information you believe is:

  • inaccurate

  • out of date

  • incomplete

  • irrelevant

  • misleading.


We will take reasonable steps to correct information where appropriate.

If we do not agree that a record should be changed, you may be entitled to ask us to attach a statement recording your view to the relevant information.

16. Working with children, young people and people who use decision-making support

Voice for Choice may work with children, young people or adults who use support to communicate or make decisions.

In these circumstances, we seek to respect:

  • the person’s right to participate in decisions affecting them

  • their communication preferences

  • their age and ability to understand the relevant issue

  • any legally appointed representative

  • the role of parents, carers or supporters

  • supported decision-making principles

  • the person’s privacy, dignity and safety.

We do not automatically assume that a parent, family member, carer or support person has unrestricted authority to access information about another person.

The appropriate approach will depend on the person, their circumstances and any applicable legal arrangements.

17. Artificial intelligence and digital tools

Voice for Choice may use digital or artificial intelligence tools for general administrative, research or drafting purposes.

Voice for Choice does not use personal information to make automated decisions that could significantly affect individuals. All decisions about services, support and communication are made by people, not automated systems

We do not knowingly enter identifiable client health information, sensitive case information or confidential client documents into publicly available generative artificial intelligence tools unless there is an appropriate reason to do so and suitable privacy safeguards are in place.

Where possible, information used with such tools will be de-identified so that it does not identify an individual.

18. Privacy complaints

If you have a concern or complaint about how Voice for Choice has handled your personal or health information, please contact us.

Please provide enough information for us to understand and investigate the concern.

We will aim to:

  • acknowledge your complaint

  • treat it respectfully and confidentially

  • investigate it fairly

  • respond within a reasonable period.

Making a privacy complaint will not affect your ability to enquire about or receive services from Voice for Choice.

If you are not satisfied with our response, depending on the nature of the complaint you may be able to contact:

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) oaic.gov.au

or

Health Complaints Commissioner Victoria hcc.vic.gov.au

These bodies have different jurisdictions, so the appropriate body will depend on the information and circumstances involved.

19. Data breaches

We take reasonable steps to protect the personal and sensitive information we hold.

If a suspected data breach occurs, we will investigate the incident and take appropriate steps to contain and manage it.

This may include:

  • identifying what information was affected

  • taking steps to prevent further access or disclosure

  • assessing the possible impact on affected people

  • taking remedial action

  • notifying affected people where appropriate or required

  • notifying a privacy regulator where required by law.

Where the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme under the Privacy Act applies and an eligible data breach is likely to result in serious harm, we will comply with applicable notification requirements.

20. Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to websites operated by third parties.

Voice for Choice is not responsible for the privacy practices, security or content of those websites.

We recommend reviewing the privacy policy of any external service or website before providing personal information.

21. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to:

  • our services

  • website

  • technology

  • third-party providers

  • privacy practices

  • legal obligations.

The current version will be published on this website and the date at the top of the policy will show when it was last updated.

22. Contact Voice for Choice

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, would like to access or correct information we hold about you, or wish to make a privacy complaint, please contact:

Voice for Choice
Renée Menzies
Website: voiceforchoice.com.au
Email: voiceforchoice22@gmail.com
Phone: 0493 181 686
ABN: 26 141 628 544

Please avoid including detailed medical information, identity documents or other highly sensitive material in your initial email or website enquiry. We can discuss an appropriate way to provide additional information if it is required.