Privacy Policy

At Gracie Balmain, we are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data in accordance with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

1. Information We Collect

When you interact with Gracie Balmain, we may collect the following personal information:

Contact Information:

  • Full name

  • Email address

  • Phone number

  • Mailing address (if applicable)

Training Information:

  • Previous martial arts or fitness experience

  • Training goals and preferences

  • Class attendance records

  • Progress and grading history

Payment Information:

  • Credit card or bank account details (processed securely through our payment provider)

  • Billing address

  • Membership type and payment history

Health and Safety Information:

  • Emergency contact details

  • Relevant medical conditions or injuries (to ensure safe training)

  • Signed liability waivers

Marketing and Communication Data:

  • Preferences for receiving updates, promotions, and newsletters

  • Responses to surveys or feedback requests

2. How We Collect Your Information

We collect personal information through:

  • Website forms on graciebalmain.com.au

  • Facebook and Instagram lead ads when you request information about our classes

  • Phone calls and in-person conversations when you inquire about membership

  • Membership registration forms when you join the gym

  • Email communications with our team

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

Trial and Membership Inquiries:

  • To contact you via phone, SMS, or email regarding your free trial request

  • To schedule your trial classes and answer questions

  • To process your membership application

Class and Training Management:

  • To manage class bookings and attendance

  • To track your progress and training milestones

  • To communicate class schedules, cancellations, or changes

Payment Processing:

  • To process membership fees and payments

  • To manage billing and invoicing

  • To handle refunds or payment disputes

Marketing and Communication:

  • To send promotional offers, gym updates, and newsletters via email and SMS

  • To inform you about new classes, events, or special programs

  • To request feedback and improve our services

Legal and Safety:

  • To maintain records for insurance and liability purposes

  • To comply with legal obligations

  • To ensure the safety and wellbeing of all members

4. Marketing Communications and Consent

By providing your contact information through our website, Facebook ads, or in-person, you consent to receiving communications from Gracie Balmain via:

  • Phone calls

  • SMS text messages

  • Email

You can opt out at any time:

  • Reply STOP to any SMS message to unsubscribe from text marketing

  • Click Unsubscribe at the bottom of any promotional email

  • Contact us at info@graciebalmain.com.au or (02) 4346 4778 to update your preferences

Even if you opt out of marketing communications, we may still send you important administrative messages regarding your membership, payments, or class schedules.

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your data with trusted service providers who help us operate our business:

Third-Party Services We Use:

  • Meta (Facebook/Instagram) – For advertising and lead generation

  • HighLevel CRM – For customer relationship management and automated communications

  • Stripe – For secure payment processing

  • Email and SMS platforms – For sending communications and updates

These service providers are contractually required to protect your information and may only use it to provide services to Gracie Balmain.

Legal Disclosures: We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government regulation, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of Gracie Balmain, our members, or others.

6. Data Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from:

  • Unauthorized access or disclosure

  • Misuse, loss, or modification

  • Theft or cyber threats

Security measures include:

  • Secure, password-protected systems for storing member data

  • Encrypted payment processing through Stripe

  • Regular backups and security updates

  • Restricted access to personal information (staff only access what's necessary for their role)

However, no system is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security of information transmitted online.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, or as required by law.

Retention periods:

  • Active members: Data retained for the duration of your membership plus 7 years (for tax and legal compliance)

  • Trial inquiries (non-members): Data retained for up to 2 years for marketing purposes, unless you request deletion sooner

  • Payment records: Retained for 7 years as required by Australian tax law

After these periods, your data will be securely deleted or anonymized.

8. Your Privacy Rights

Under the Australian Privacy Act 1988, you have the following rights:

Right to Access: You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.

Right to Correction: You can request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.

Right to Deletion: You can request that we delete your personal information, subject to legal or contractual obligations (e.g., tax records, active membership agreements).

Right to Withdraw Consent: You can opt out of marketing communications at any time.

Right to Complain: If you believe we have mishandled your personal information, you can lodge a complaint with us or with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au.

To exercise your rights, contact us at:

We will respond to your request within 30 days.

9. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website may use cookies and analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) to:

  • Understand how visitors use our site

  • Improve website performance and user experience

  • Track the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns

You can disable cookies through your browser settings, but this may affect your ability to use certain features of our website.

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, partner organizations). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

11. Children's Privacy

We welcome children and teenagers to train at Gracie Balmain. However, we require parental or guardian consent before collecting personal information from anyone under 18 years of age.

Parents or guardians are responsible for providing accurate information and managing communication preferences on behalf of minors.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Any updates will be posted on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our services after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us:

Gracie Balmain
Email: info@graciebalmain.com.au
Phone: (02) 4346 4778
Website: graciebalmain.com.au

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):
If you are not satisfied with our response to a privacy complaint, you may contact the OAIC:
Website: oaic.gov.au
Phone: 1300 363 992

By using our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.