What you must say to candidates before collecting notes
No notification, no valid collection. APP 5 is the rule.
Australian Privacy Principle 5 requires Agencies to notify individuals, at or before the time of collection, about what personal information is being collected, why, who it may be disclosed to, and how they can access it.
For recruitment, this means candidates must be told, before the interview starts, that notes will be taken, assessments recorded, and records retained. The notification should cover the purpose, the retention period, the candidate’s access rights, and how to make a complaint.
The notification is not buried in fine print. It must be accessible, clear, and provided at the right time. Agencies that rely on a privacy statement nobody reads are at risk if a candidate later disputes the handling of their information.