Great Ocean Advisory & Tax and Great Ocean Business Solutions ("we", "us", "our") respect your privacy and are committed to handling your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles.

1. Information we collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect: your name, contact details (phone, email, address), information provided through our online booking system, proof-of-identity documents (such as a driver licence or passport) collected to meet our client verification obligations as a registered tax practitioner, and — where relevant to preparing a tax return or BAS — financial information including your Tax File Number (TFN), income details, and records you provide for that purpose.

2. How we collect it

Directly from you — through our booking form, contact enquiries, email, phone, or in-person consultations. We do not collect personal information about you from third parties without your knowledge, except where necessary to prepare your return or lodgement (for example, verifying details with the ATO on your behalf, with your authorisation).

3. Why we collect it

We use your information to provide tax agent and BAS agent services, prepare and lodge returns and statements on your behalf, verify your identity as required of a registered tax practitioner, respond to enquiries, manage bookings, and meet our own legal and professional obligations (including retention requirements under tax law).

4. Tax File Numbers

Your TFN is collected only where necessary to prepare and lodge your return, and is handled in line with the ATO's requirements for registered tax and BAS agents. It is not used for any purpose beyond your tax affairs and is not disclosed except as required or authorised by law.

5. Disclosure to third parties

We may share your information with: the Australian Taxation Office, as required to lodge returns and statements on your behalf; The Accounting Academy Services Pty Ltd, under whose supervision tax services are provided; and service providers that support our operations, such as Xero, Google Workspace (email and calendar booking), and other cloud accounting/bookkeeping software. We do not sell your information, and we don't share it for marketing purposes.

6. Storage and security

Your information is stored securely, using industry-standard practices to protect against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse. Some of the cloud-based platforms we use (including Xero and Google Workspace) may store data on servers located outside Australia; where that occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure your information continues to be handled in line with the Australian Privacy Principles. Physical and electronic records are retained for a minimum of five years in line with our professional obligations as a registered tax practitioner, or longer where required by law, and disposed of securely afterward.

7. Access and correction

You can ask to access or correct the personal information we hold about you at any time — contact us using the details below.

8. Complaints

If you have a concern about how your personal information has been handled, contact us first so we can try to resolve it directly. If you're not satisfied with our response, you can lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au. If your concern relates specifically to the conduct of a registered tax or BAS agent, you can also lodge a complaint with the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) at tpb.gov.au/complaints.

9. Contact us

Great Ocean Advisory & Tax Phone: 0447 206 779 Email: steve@greatoceanadvisoryandtax.com