# Australia and New Zealand privacy law for salons

Source: https://help.pet-connect.co/privacy-policy/australia-and-new-zealand-privacy-law-for-salons

Australian salons are governed by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) when annual turnover exceeds $3 million or when handling health-related information in certain contexts. New Zealand businesses follow the Privacy Act 2020 and its Information Privacy Principles (IPPs).

## Laws and frameworks covered

Privacy Act 1988 (Australia) · Privacy Act 2020 (New Zealand) · Notifiable Data Breaches scheme (Australia)

> Disclaimer: This Help Center article is general information only—not legal advice. Consult a qualified privacy lawyer in your jurisdiction for compliance specific to your business.

## Australian Privacy Act and APPs

The APPs cover collection, use, disclosure, quality, security, access, and correction of personal information.

Open and transparent management: have a privacy policy clients can read before booking.

Only collect information reasonably necessary for grooming, retail, and communications.

## Notifiable Data Breaches (Australia)

If eligible, you must assess suspected breaches and notify the OAIC and affected individuals when unauthorised access or disclosure is likely to cause serious harm.

Keep an incident response plan: contain, assess, notify, and review. Contact PetConnect support if a platform issue may have exposed client data.

## New Zealand Privacy Act 2020

IPP rules are similar in spirit: purpose limitation, security, access, and correction.

New Zealand mandates breach notification to the Privacy Commissioner and affected people when harm is likely.

Cross-Tasman operators should align policies for both countries if they share one PetConnect brand across AU and NZ stores.

## Using PetConnect responsibly

Store vet and medical notes only when needed for safe grooming. Restrict visibility via staff roles.

Honour client requests to access or update their profile. Export records where appropriate.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does PetConnect comply with these laws for me?

PetConnect provides tools and contractual processor terms, but you remain responsible for how you collect, use, and disclose client data in your salon.

### Which article should I read if I have stores in multiple countries?

Read the guide for each country where you have a store, plus the privacy overview and retention/export article. Align brand policies to the strictest requirement.

### Can PetConnect help with a client access request?

Use in-app export and profile editing. For platform-level questions, email support@pet-connect.co.

### Do I need a Data Protection Officer?

Depends on law and scale—GDPR, LGPD, and Quebec Law 25 may require one in some cases. Ask your legal adviser.

### Where is data stored?

Confirm current hosting and sub-processor locations with PetConnect support for transfer and disclosure documentation.

## Summary

AU/NZ salons should comply with APPs or IPPs, maintain breach procedures, and limit client data collection to what the business needs.