Unit 11 of 12

Holding onto information

Don't keep personal information for longer than you need it for the purpose it was collected.

11IPP 9 — Retention

Meet the events coordinator

Under the Privacy Act, the school must not keep personal information for longer than it is needed for the purpose it was collected.

The events coordinator runs one-off functions — the gala, parent information evenings, the careers expo. For a ticketed alumnae dinner, guests pre-pay and email their name, then collect their place at the door by giving that name.

Knowledge check

The coordinator has a list of names of people who pre-paid for the dinner.

When should the coordinator dispose of the guest list?

"No longer needed" can be a long time

Retention isn't about deleting everything quickly — it's about deleting once the purpose is genuinely spent. For some records that point comes fast; for others it can be many years away.

Knowledge check

Which scenario justifies keeping the information for longer?

Select the one that permits longer retention.

Knowledge check

Which scenario justifies keeping the information for longer?

Select the one that permits longer retention.