Privacy Policy.

Stirling Investigations (trading as LG Stirling Pty Limited, ABN 86 607 686 975) provides licensed private investigation services across New South Wales. This Privacy Policy applies to all personal information we collect through our website, our service engagements, and our day-to-day operations. Please read it carefully.

Who we are

In this policy, Stirling Investigations, we, us and our refer to LG Stirling Pty Limited (ABN 86 607 686 975), a licensed private investigation firm based in Sydney, New South Wales. We are bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles set out in that Act.

Information we collect

Personal information you provide

When you engage us, enquire about our services, fill out a form on our website, or correspond with us by phone, email or text message, we may collect:

• Your full name and any aliases or former names you provide
• Contact details (phone numbers, email address, residential or postal address)
• Identification details where required to verify you (for example, your relationship to the subject of an investigation)
• Payment details (handled by third-party gateways, see Section 7)
• The nature of the investigation, the subject's details, and any background relevant to the matter

Sensitive information

Some of our work involves sensitive information as defined under the Privacy Act, for example information relating to a person's relationships, health, criminal history, or family law matters. We handle sensitive information with additional care: it is only collected with your consent, only used for the purpose you provided it, and only retained for as long as we are required to keep it.

Information collected through our website

When you visit our website, our servers automatically record certain technical information in standard web server logs. This typically includes:

• Your IP address and the name of your internet service provider
• The city, state and country you are connecting from
• The browser and device you are using
• The date and time of your visit, the pages you viewed, and the links you clicked
• Search queries you ran on our site
• The page that referred you to us

This information helps us administer the site, understand how visitors use it, protect it from misuse, and improve user experience. It is not used to personally identify you.

How we use your information

We use personal information only for the purpose for which it was collected, or for a directly related secondary purpose you would reasonably expect. Typical uses include:

• Conducting the investigation you have engaged us for
• Communicating with you about your matter and providing updates
• Issuing invoices and processing payments
• Meeting our legal and regulatory obligations (licensing, court orders, evidence handling)
• Improving our services and the operation of our website

We do not use personal information for marketing without your specific consent.

How we contact you (SMS, email and phone)

When you enquire through our website, download our free investigation guide, complete a contact form, book a service, or engage us for an investigation, you are providing us with your contact details for the purpose of two-way communication about your enquiry or matter.

What communications we send

We use phone calls, SMS, and email for the following operational purposes:

• Acknowledging your enquiry and sending requested resources (for example, the Stirling Investigations ebook)
• Quoting, scheduling and confirming bookings
• Appointment reminders before a scheduled engagement
• Missed-call notifications when we have attempted to reach you and could not
• Follow-ups on bookings or quotes that you have started but not completed
• Updates and reports relating to an active investigation
• Invoices, payment confirmations, and payment reminders
• Responses to questions or feedback you send us

SMS messaging and A2P compliance

Stirling Investigations sends SMS messages through registered business sender identification approved under the Australian Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging framework administered by Australian mobile carriers. Every SMS we send:

• Clearly identifies Stirling Investigations as the sender
• Is sent only for the operational purposes listed above, not for unsolicited marketing
• Includes a clear opt-out instruction in any non-transactional message (reply STOP to unsubscribe)
• Complies with the Spam Act 2003 (Cth), the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) requirements for commercial electronic messages

By providing your mobile number through any Stirling Investigations channel (website form, ebook download, phone enquiry, or signed engagement), you consent to receive transactional and operational SMS from us relevant to that enquiry or engagement. You can withdraw consent for non-essential SMS at any time by replying STOP to any message, or by emailing info@stirlinginvestigations.com.au.

Email communications

Operational and transactional emails (enquiry acknowledgements, ebook delivery, case updates, invoices, reminders) are sent on the basis of your inferred consent from initiating contact with us. Marketing emails (newsletters, tips, service announcements) are sent only to people who have separately opted in to receive them, and every marketing email contains a one-click unsubscribe link as required by the Spam Act 2003 (Cth).

Phone calls

We call clients in connection with active engagements and to follow up on enquiries you have started with us. We do not engage in unsolicited cold-calling.

Opting out

You can opt out of any non-essential communications at any time:

• SMS: reply STOP to any message
• Email: click the unsubscribe link, or contact us in writing
• Phone: tell us during any call, or contact us in writing

Some communications are essential to the service you have engaged us for (for example, case updates while an investigation is active, or statutory notices). These cannot be opted out of while the engagement is in progress.

How we store and protect your information

Personal information is stored securely on systems protected by access controls, encryption where appropriate, and physical security at our offices. Investigation files, footage, reports and notes are treated as highly confidential and access is restricted to the investigator handling your matter and authorised personnel only.

All Stirling investigators and staff are bound by confidentiality obligations and by the legal duties that apply to licensed investigators under state legislation.

Credit card and payment information

We do not retain customer credit card information on our own systems. Payments are processed through third-party payment gateways (such as PayPal, Stripe, or our bank's direct-debit facility) which encrypt card details in transit and comply with industry security standards including PCI DSS.

On occasion, with your authorisation, we may retain card details temporarily to process the engagement. These details are securely destroyed on completion of the work.

Disclosure to third parties

We do not sell, trade or rent personal information to anyone. We will only disclose your information in the following limited circumstances:

• With your consent (for example, providing a report to a solicitor you have named)
• To service providers who help us run the business (IT, payment processing, secure storage), under confidentiality obligations
• Where required by law, including in response to a subpoena, court order, or lawful regulator request
• To licensing authorities in connection with our state licences, where required

Retention and deletion

We are legally required to retain certain client records, including your name, contact details and basic case information, for a minimum period set by state licensing legislation. We may also retain investigation files for as long as required to respond to a complaint, regulatory enquiry, or court process.

Beyond what we are legally required to keep, you can request that we delete other information we hold about you. We will action reasonable deletion requests in writing.

Cookies and analytics

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies. We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors find and use our site so we can improve it. The data Google Analytics collects does not personally identify you. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on.

You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but some parts of our site may not function correctly without them.

Cross-border data

Our service providers (including Google Analytics) may store data on servers located outside Australia. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure that the overseas recipient handles the information in a way that is consistent with the Australian Privacy Principles.

Access, correction, and complaints

You have the right to ask us what personal information we hold about you, to request a copy, and to ask us to correct anything that is inaccurate. Requests can be made in writing using the contact details below. We will respond within 30 days of receiving your request.

If you believe we have mishandled your personal information, please contact us first so we can attempt to resolve the matter directly. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au or by phone on 1300 363 992.

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or in the law. The current version, and the date it was last updated, will always be available at this URL.