Privacy Policy

Last updated: November 2026

In the Cove respects your privacy. This policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it and how to contact us about it.

This website is owned and operated by Consult & Comply Pty Ltd (ABN 84 090 011 733) trading as In the Cove. “We”, “us” and “our” means In the Cove and the staff, contractors, volunteers and service providers who help us run it.

We handle personal information in line with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

Journalism

This policy does not cover personal information we use in the course of our journalism. Under the Privacy Act, media organisations that publicly commit to privacy standards are exempt for journalism. As a member of the Australian Press Council we follow its Privacy Principles.

What we collect

Depending on how you deal with us, we may collect:

your name and contact details (email, phone, postal address)
account details such as your username and password
your newsletter and communication preferences
content you send us, such as news tips, photos, event listings, classifieds and comments
your social media name when you interact with our pages and groups
business details if you advertise or list in our directory
survey and poll responses
technical data such as your IP address, browser, device and how you use our site

We don’t store credit card details. Payments and donations are processed by third parties such as Press Patron, Buy Me a Coffee and our bank.

How we collect it

Mostly directly from you, when you:

subscribe to our newsletter or create an account
send us a tip, photo or story by email, WhatsApp, message or our forms
post an event, classified or directory listing
advertise with us or request a rate card
donate, buy a tea towel or enter a competition
join our community groups or attend our events
browse our website (through cookies and analytics)

How we use it

to send you the newsletter and updates you asked for
to respond to your enquiries, tips and requests
to publish listings and content you submit
to manage advertising and directory accounts and invoices
to process donations, orders and competition entries
to understand how readers use our site so we can improve it

We do not sell your personal information.

Photographs and submitted images

We receive photos by direct message, email, WhatsApp, SMS, social media and posts in our groups. When you send or share an image with In the Cove, you give us permission to publish it across our platforms, unless you tell us otherwise when you send it. We credit the source where we can. We take extra care with images of identifiable people, especially children, and may ask for further consent.

We may share personal information:

with service providers who help us run In the Cove, such as our newsletter platform, website host, payment processors and form tools
with police or emergency services to prevent or lessen a serious threat to someone’s life, health or safety
where required or authorised by law

Overseas storage

Our website is hosted in Australia. Some of our other service providers store or process data outside Australia. These include Mailchimp, Google (Analytics and Workspace), Meta (Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp), Jotform, Buy Me a Coffee and Anthropic (Claude) in the United States, and Press Patron in New Zealand. Our design and social scheduling tools, Canva and Later, may store data in Australia, North America and other countries. We take reasonable steps to choose providers that protect your information.

Cookies and analytics

Our website uses cookies, small files stored by your browser. They help the site work, remember your login and let us measure traffic through tools such as Google Analytics. Some cookies, combined with your IP address, can identify your device. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings, though some parts of the site may not work properly.

Sensitive information

If you give us sensitive information, such as health, religious or cultural details, we only use it for the reason you gave it to us, or as required by law.

Keeping it safe

We take reasonable steps to protect your information from misuse, loss and unauthorised access. When we no longer need it, we delete or de-identify it.

Access and correction

You can ask to see the personal information we hold about you and ask us to correct it. Contact our Privacy Officer using the details below. We may need to confirm your identity first.

Unsubscribing

Every newsletter has an unsubscribe link. You can also email us to be removed.

Questions and complaints

Contact our Privacy Officer with any privacy question or complaint, including a possible breach of the APPs. We’ll acknowledge it promptly and aim to respond within 30 days. If we take longer, or you’re not satisfied, you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at oaic.gov.au or on 1300 363 992.

Contact us

Privacy Officer, In the Cove
Email: [email protected]
Post: Shop 8, 79-83 Longueville Road, Lane Cove NSW 2066

We may update this policy from time to time. The current version is always on this page.

In the Cove