The Youpla Support Program (Program) is administered by the NIAA with assistance from Services Australia.
What personal information is being collected and why?
Information from the Liquidator
The NIAA has collected personal information from the Liquidator about individuals who paid premiums for a Youpla Group fund that was active any time on or after 1 August 2015, individuals subject to an Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) determination, and associated individuals such as nominees and Beneficiaries.
The personal information collected by the NIAA includes name, address, date of birth, contact information and details about each individual's Youpla Group policy, such as the policy number, premiums paid, and benefit amount. It also includes information about whether the Youpla plan or policy was subject to an AFCA determination payment.
Information from the Treasury
The NIAA has collected personal information from the Treasury about individuals who have received a payment under the Youpla Group Funeral Benefits (YGFB) Program between September 2022 and 30 June 2024. This information includes the policy number and policy payout amount of payments made under the YGFB Program.
The information collected from the Liquidator and Treasury:
- was collected by the NIAA for the purpose of administering the Program, including to assess individuals' eligibility and entitlement amount under the Program; and
- will be provided by the NIAA to Services Australia for the purpose of administering the Program, including to enable Services Australia to make Resolution Payments under the Program.
The NIAA has also provided information to Services Australia about each individual's entitlement to a Resolution Payment.
Data matching
Services Australia will match information provided by the NIAA about individuals who paid for a Youpla policy that was active any time on or after 1 August 2015, individuals subject to an AFCA determination, and associated individuals such as authorised persons and Secondary Claimants. Services Australia will match this information with that individual’s Centrelink record, and use Centrelink record information to:
- identify eligible individuals who have an existing Centrelink customer record with Services Australia; and
- contact eligible individuals and invite them to make an application under the Program.
Services Australia will also use and disclose information drawn from an individual's Centrelink customer records to process their application for a resolution payment under the Program, including to:
- refer cases to the NIAA for further assessment;
- notify an individual of the outcome of their application; and
- refer an individual to a financial counsellor or funeral bond provider, where relevant.
If you do not wish for Services Australia or the NIAA to use and disclose information in your Centrelink customer record for these purposes, please contact Services Australia before 7 July 2024.
If you choose to opt out of the above processes, the NIAA and Services Australia will be unable to process your application for a Resolution Payment.
If you choose to opt out of the above processes, the NIAA and Services Australia will be unable to process your application for a Resolution Payment.
Applications for the Program
Applications for the Program are made through outbound calls by Services Australia to eligible individuals. Individuals may call Services Australia to inquire about eligibility.
Services Australia will collect the personal information of Applicants (Primary Claimants (Payer or Eligible AFCA Complainant), Secondary Claimants (Member or Beneficiary), authorised person or organisation) when they apply for a Resolution Payment.
The personal information that will be collected includes name, date of birth, contact information, Youpla Group policy details and identity verification information. This information is collected for the purpose of administering the Program, including to verify identity, assess individuals' eligibility and entitlement amount, and make Resolution Payments under the Program.
The NIAA may also collect personal information about Applicants from Services Australia where Services Australia is unable to contact the Applicant.
Review by the NIAA
Where an Applicant's eligibility or entitlement amount is unclear, Services Australia will refer the Applicant's case to the NIAA for review.
The NIAA may collect personal information about Applicants from the Liquidator, Treasury and third parties, as described below.
- The Liquidator – to verify information in an application or to obtain further information in relation to an incomplete application
- The Treasury – to seek information about whether the Applicant has made a claim under or already received a payment from Treasury under the YGFB Program
- Third parties – such as family members, Community Elders and communtiy healthcare providers, to seek or verify information in relation to an application
This information is collected by the NIAA for the purpose of assessing cases referred by Services Australia, including to assess individuals' eligibility and entitlement amount under the Program.
Financial Counselling
For Resolution Payments >$1000, Applicants will be offered the option of receiving Financial Counselling, to assist them to make a choice between a Funeral Bond or a Cash Payment under the Program.
Where an Applicant chooses to receive Financial Counselling, Services Australia will disclose personal information about the Applicant to the Financial Counselling Provider, with the Applicant's consent. This information will include the Applicant's name, date of birth, contact details and value of the individual's Resolution Payment.
Funeral Bonds
For Resolution Payments >$1000 where an Applicant chooses to receive a Funeral Bond, Services Australia will disclose personal information about the Applicant to the Funeral Bond Provider, with the Applicant's consent. This information will include the Applicant's name, contact details, and value of the individual's Resolution Payment.
Services Australia may also collect the Applicant’s name from the Funeral Bond Provider and a copy of the contract between the Applicant and the Funeral Bond Provider for the purpose of arranging the purchase of the Funeral Bond on behalf of the Applicant.
Reporting to NIAA
Once a Funeral Bond or Cash Payment has been arranged, Services Australia will provide information to the NIAA about whether and when a Funeral Bond or Cash Payment has been arranged for the Applicant, and whether the Applicant chose financial counselling.
Services Australia will also provide aggregated reports to the NIAA about the administration of the Program (which will not contain any personal information).
Who will we disclose your personal information to?
The NIAA and Services Australia may share personal information that each agency has collected with each other for the purposes of administering the Program, as described above.
The NIAA may also publish grant information (which will not include personal information) on GrantConnect for reporting purposes.
The NIAA may disclose the personal information of Applicants to contracted service providers (such as consultants engaged to evaluate the Youpla Support Program), the Liquidator, the Treasury and other third parties (such as family members, Community Elders and community healthcare providers), and other Commonwealth, state, territory or local government agencies.
Services Australia may disclose the personal information of Applicants to contracted service providers (such as language interpretation service providers, the Funeral Bond Provider andthe Financial Counselling Provider.
The NIAA and Services Australia will disclose personal information to the third parties mentioned above for the purpose of:
- administering the Program, including to assess eligibility and entitlement amount; and
- researching, assessing, monitoring and analysing the Program.
All personal information that is collected in the context of the Program will be processed and stored securely in Australia.
What will happen if we don’t collect your personal information?
If you do not provide your personal information, Services Australia and the NIAA will be unable to process your application for a Resolution Payment.
Our Privacy Policies
Services Australia’s Privacy Policy explains how Services Australia handles your personal information, how you can request access to or correct the personal information Services Australia holds about you, who to contact if you have a privacy complaint and how Services Australia handles such complaints.
To find out more about how we manage personal information you can contact Services Australia.
The NIAA’s Privacy Policy explains how the NIAA handles your personal information, how you can request access to or correct the personal information the NIAA holds about you, who to contact if you have a privacy complaint and how the NIAA handles such complaints. Please see the NIAA’s Youpla Support Program page for further privacy information.
To find out more about how we manage personal information you can contact:
Post: The Privacy Officer
National Indigenous Australians Agency
PO Box 2191
CANBERRA ACT 2600
Phone: 02 6152 3080
Email: privacy@niaa.gov.au
