Appendix

NESA’s management of personal and police information 

This Appendix outlines how personal and police information is collected, stored, managed and disposed of by NESA for the purposes of conducting suitability to teach assessments for applicants for accreditation and accredited teachers.

This Appendix should be read in conjunction with:  

• Education Standards Authority Act 2013 (NSW)
• Teacher Accreditation Act 2004 (NSW)
• Australian Crime Commission Act 2002 (Cth) (ACC Act)
• Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW) (PPIP Act)
• Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act).

When assessing suitability to teach, NESA may check an applicant’s/teacher’s criminal history. To conduct a nationally coordinated criminal history check (NCCHC) via the National Police Checking Service (NPCS), NESA must be accredited by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC). NESA must comply with ACIC privacy and security requirements when handling personal and sensitive information as well as adhering to NESA’s existing ICT security policies and Privacy Management Plan. 

Information sharing between NESA and ACIC is governed by an Agreement for controlled access by duly Accredited Bodies to nationally coordinated criminal history checks under the Privacy Act, 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Crime Commission Act, 2002 (Cth).

Types of information collected

Demographic data 

NESA collects personal information about applicants for teacher accreditation, such as an applicant’s name, address, gender, date of birth, place of birth, residential history and relevant identification documents.

Informed consent

NESA collects Informed Consent from applicants for the purpose of conducting a nationally coordinated criminal history check during the initial accreditation or re-accreditation application process or as required, in line with Section 13.2 of the TA Manual.

Information gathered for the purposes of this service

Information that relates to an applicant’s current or previous application for an NCCHC may be gathered for the purposes of the NPCS. NESA stores this information according to ACIC’s retention and disposal of personal and police information requirements.

Sensitive information may be gathered for the purposes of the NPCS (as defined by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner) if there is a request from a police agency for further information.