Terms and Conditions
Information on this page
- Scope
- Member Rights and Responsibilities
- Member Warranties to EPA Victoria
- Forum Rules
- Disclaimers
- Privacy
1. Scope
These are the terms and conditions that the Victorian Environment Protection Authority (“EPA Victoria”, “we” or “us”) permits visitors, users and members to access, use and contribute to the Carbon Innovators Network website at the domain name www.carboninnovators.net.au (“Website”). By using the Website, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions. The terms and conditions may change from time to time and any subsequent access to, or use of the Website will constitute acceptance of those modifications
2. Member Rights and Responsibilities
2.1. Member use
The Website is a service provided by EPA Victoria to enable members of the Carbon Innovators Network to contribute and share information, their views and opinions about climate change and carbon management. Members may contribute comments or engage in discussion about climate change and carbon management in accordance with these terms and conditions.
2.2. Membership registration to be accurate
To contribute to the Website you must be a member with a registered user name and password. You must provide EPA Victoria with your real name and a valid email address. You must not use the Website to impersonate any person or otherwise be misleading as to the origin of your contributions. EPA Victoria may publish your name under any contributions you make on the Website.
2.3. No multiple user names
Only one user name must be created per member.
2.4. User names and passwords
Members are responsible for ensuring that their user name and password is only known to them and is not shared with anyone else. You can change and reset your user name and password. Please let us know if you need help doing this.
2.5. No spam or email harvesting
We will not tolerate any members who in any way try to, or help others to, harvest EPA Victoria’s Carbon Innovators Network members’ email addresses for any purpose whatsoever. The members’email addresses are for legitimate contact only for the purposes of contributing and sharing information, views and opinions about climate change and carbon management. Members’ email addresses are not to be used for commercial advertising or promotion. If you try to spam, we will be able to find out who you are and we will notify the appropriate authorities.
2.6. No reproduction of written text
Except where necessary for viewing the material on the Website on your browser, no written text or material on the Website is to be reproduced, adapted, uploaded, linked to, framed, performed in public, distributed or transmitted to any third party in any form, or by any process, without our express written agreement. If you want to reproduce it, contact us first and we can talk about it.
2.7. Termination
If you no longer want to be a member of EPA Victoria’s Carbon Innovators Network website you can delete your account by following this process: My account → edit → delete → confirm.
3. Member Warranties to EPA Victoria
3.1. Intellectual property
Material which infringes on another person’s copyright must not be put on the Website. It is in the interest of all members to keep the Website infringement free. Upon contributing text to the Website, you warrant to EPA Victoria that the text and contributions:
a. are your own original work or that you have a licence from the author or copyright owner of the work;
b. are not defamatory; and
c. do not infringe on any law in the State of Victoria, Australia.
3.2. No illegal access
Upon registration, you warrant to EPA Victoria that you will not attempt to gain illegal access to any part of the Website. This includes member information and email addresses.
3.3. Member licence to EPA Victoria
By contributing text to the Website, you grant EPA Victoria a non-exclusive licence to use, reproduce, modify, adapt and publish any of your contribution on the Website or other publications, be they online or in print. If you do not want your contribution to be used in this way, you should not make contributions to the Website.
3.4. Members accountable for contributions
EPA Victoria is not responsible for any actions, claims, proceedings, demands, losses, damages, costs penalties or liabilities arising from your failure to adhere to these terms and conditions. You are responsible for all statements made by you, and for acts that occur through the use of your user name and password. By using the Website you agree to indemnify us, our employees and agents, against all actions, claims, proceedings, demands, losses, damages, costs (including legal costs on a full indemnity basis), penalties and liabilities caused by your breach of these terms and conditions or your use of the Website.
4. Forum Rules
4.1. Contributions
Contributions published on the Website should be factual, descriptive and must relate to climate change and carbon management.
Your ideas, questions, complaints and compliments about the Website are welcome. You are encouraged to join the open conversation and debate among your fellow Carbon Innovators Network members. All we ask is that you participate in a lawful manner and that you ensure that all contributions you post (in the absolute opinion of EPA Victoria) do not contain:
a. material which is offensive, derogatory, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy or infringing any intellectual property rights;
b. material which is racist, sexist, homophobic, sexually explicit, abusive or contains swear words;
c. descriptions or encouragement of activities which are illegal or could endanger the safety or well-being of others;
d. content, viruses or programs that are harmful or could cause damage to a computer, software program, network or server;
e. personal information about yourself or another member or person;
f. spam, copies of existing contributions, political campaigning material, commercial advertising or promotions;
g. links to other websites which do not contribute or are no relevance to climate change and carbon management; and
h. false or misleading information about individuals, companies or the government.
4.2. Contributions to declare associations and affiliations
In the interests of fairness, EPA Victoria requires you to be open and honest about your associations or affiliations when making contributions. Where appropriate, you must include these in your member details.
4.3. Contributions must be in English
So that EPA Victoria can monitor the website, all contributions must be submitted in English.
4.4. Contributions to the forum may be altered
EPA Victoria has the right, but not the obligation, to edit, alter or remove your contributions if you violate these terms and conditions.
4.5. Censorship
EPA Victoria will moderate the contents of the Website. You can notify EPA Victoria of any content that you consider offensive or a breach of these terms and conditions.
4.6. Disciplinary action
If you don’t follow the rules, EPA Victoria may at any time (and without prior notice) delete any contributions or terminate your membership. Members may be suspended for a period of time at any time and at our discretion.
5. Disclaimers
5.1. No warranty
EPA Victoria does not warrant the completeness or accuracy of any of the content on the Website, or its usefulness for any particular purpose. Nor do we represent or warrant that the content on the Website complies with the laws of any country. If you access the Website from outside Australia, you do so at your own risk. While we try to keep the Website open and functioning day and night, we can't promise that the Website will be delivered to you uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free.
EPA Victoria does not endorse or promote any opinion or representation published on the Website. EPA Victoria will not accept any responsibility arising from any reliance placed by a person or entity on any comment or information published on the Website.
5.2. Retractions
EPA Victoria will post retractions and apologies at its discretion. If there is something that offends you, please contact us.
5.3. Retention of data
EPA Victoria will endeavour to hold, retain and protect data submitted on the Carbon Innovators Network forum however members should keep of a copy of their own contributions.
5.4. Governing laws
The Website is subject to the laws and regulations in the State of Victoria, Australia. In the event of inconsistency, those laws will prevail over the operation of these terms and conditions.
5.5. Public organisation
Members should be aware that EPA Victoria is a public organisation and as such is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act), Information Privacy Act 2000 (Privacy Act) and Public Records Act 1973 (Public Records Act). Member contributions to EPA Victoria’s Carbon Innovators Network forum may be subject to the provisions of these Acts. For example, once published contributions may be deemed public records or in the event of an application, may be required to be disclosed under the FOI Act. If you do not want your contributions to be subject to these Acts, you should not make contributions to the Website.
6. Privacy
6.1. Collection of personal information
6.1.1. Personal information only used for purpose of collection
The Website does not collect or use personal information except information which you have provided to us freely upon registration, through online forms or surveys or as part of a service request. Personal information will only be used for the purpose for which you have provided the information and to the types of third parties which we identify to you.
6.1.2. Collection and disclosure of IP addresses
Please note that all members who use the Website will automatically have their IP addresses logged. We will not disclose your IP address except in the case of a breach of these terms and conditions, unlawful activity, or where we are compelled to do so by law, in which case, your IP address may be disclosed without notice being given to you.
6.1.3. Contributions
Your contributions will automatically be published and your user name and/or real name and organisation may be associated with your contribution. If you register as a member, you may contact other members of the Carbon Innovators Network, via private messaging. Your email address will only be disclosed with your prior approval.
6.2. Disclosure
Personal information you have provided to us will not be disclosed to third parties, except where we are authorised, or required, by law to do so.
6.3. Protection of personal information
Once personal information comes into our possession, we will take reasonable steps to protect that information from misuse, loss, authorised access, modification and disclosure. Please note that under the Public Records Act, we may be required to archive your personal information.
EPA Victoria has implemented technology and security policies and any personal information you provide to us will be stored in a database on Media Insight’s server. This database is accessible to anyone who can access the server through the web (though passwords will be encrypted, and e-mail addresses will be obfuscated to help prevent spamming). Your country, or the country where the server is hosted, may have Data Protection laws governing the maintenance of such databases. If you are concerned, you should contact us for details of the Data Protection Policy of this server before registering.
6.4. No warranty
There are risks associated with transmitting information over the internet. While we strive to protect the information provided to us over the internet, we cannot warrant the security of any information transmitted to us online. If you’re not comfortable with this, you should not become a member. You expressly agree that your use of the Website is at your sole risk.
Page last updated: 17 Sep 2009
