Last updated 14 October 2026
Mettle Accountants is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is handled in a safe and responsible manner. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and disclose your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
1. Information We Collect
We may collect the following types of personal information:
- Identification Information: Name, contact details (email, phone number, address), and other identifiers.
- Financial Information: Bank account details, transaction history, tax file numbers (if applicable).
- Technical Information: IP address, browser type, device information, and browsing behavior on our website.
- Other Information: Any information you provide to us directly through forms or communications.
2. How We Collect Information
We collect personal information through various methods, including:
- Direct interactions with you via forms, inquiries, or communication (email, phone, etc.).
- Automated collection through cookies and tracking technologies when you use our website.
3. How We Use Your Information
We may use your personal information for the following purposes:
- To provide services, including accounting, tax, and financial advisory services.
- To communicate with you, respond to your inquiries, and send important updates.
- To improve our website, services, and user experience.
- To comply with legal obligations, including tax reporting, financial regulations, and audit requirements.
4. Disclosure of Your Information
We may disclose your personal information to:
- Third-party service providers who assist us in delivering our services (e.g., IT support, payment processors, etc.).
- Government authorities, as required by law (e.g., Australian Taxation Office, regulatory bodies).
- Legal representatives, in the case of legal disputes or compliance matters.
5. Security of Your Information
We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorized access, and disclosure. These measures include secure servers, encryption, and restricted access to sensitive data.
6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our website sets no cookies of its own and runs no traffic analytics. Some pages load services from other companies, and those can set their own cookies. See section 13. Cookies are small data files stored on your device. You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings.
7. Your Rights Regarding Personal Information
Under the Privacy Act 1988, you have the following rights:
- Access: You can request access to the personal information we hold about you.
- Correction: You can request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
- Deletion: You can request the deletion of your personal information, subject to legal and contractual requirements.
- Opt-out: You can opt-out of direct marketing communications at any time.
8. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites before providing personal information.
9. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page, and the updated policy will take effect immediately upon posting.
10. Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us at:
Mettle Accountants
Email: accounts@mettleaccountants.com.au
Phone: 1800 METTLE
11. Who we are
This website and practice are operated by Wattoo Investments Pty Ltd (ACN 660 860 391), trading as Mettle Accountants, ABN 52 660 860 391. We are a registered tax agent, number 26196308.
Because we act as a tax agent and, for some services, as a reporting entity under the anti-money-laundering rules, we handle your information under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles. We also handle tax file numbers under the Privacy (Tax File Number) Rule.
12. Verifying your identity
Before we act for you we must confirm who you are. Tax agent rules require this for every client. The anti-money-laundering rules (the AML/CTF Act) also apply to some of our services, such as setting up a company, a trust or a self-managed super fund.
To do this we collect identity documents, such as a driver licence or passport, and details of the people who own or control a company or trust. Where we use an electronic check, this may include a photograph of your face, which is sensitive information. We ask for your consent before that check, and you can ask us to verify you another way.
We may check your documents against the Australian Government Document Verification Service, and check names against sanctions lists and lists of people in senior public roles. We keep identity and transaction records for seven years, as the law requires. Where the law requires it, we report to AUSTRAC, and we may not be permitted to tell you when we do.
13. Services we use
We use other companies to run parts of this website and our practice. Some of them store information outside Australia, mainly in the United States. By using these parts of the site you agree to that transfer.
- Google Fonts, used to display type on this site. Your internet address is sent to Google.
- Mailchimp, which sends our tax-time reminder emails. You can unsubscribe from any of them.
- Annature, which collects and checks your identity documents on our behalf. It stores your information in Australia and is ISO 27001 accredited. The checks themselves are run by global verification partners, so some of your information may be processed overseas.
- WhatsApp, if you choose to message us there. Please do not send identity documents or your tax file number by WhatsApp or ordinary email.
- Xero, which we use for accounting and practice records.
- Anthropic, which makes Claude, an AI assistant our staff use to look up and update client, job and invoice records in Xero Practice Manager. When staff use it, the records involved are sent to Anthropic and may be processed in the United States. Anthropic does not train its models on our data. Only our staff have access, and we log each use.
- Hostinger, which hosts this website.
14. Complaints and data breaches
If you think we have mishandled your information, tell us at accounts@mettleaccountants.com.au or call 1800 METTLE. We aim to reply within five business days and to resolve the matter within thirty days.
If you are not satisfied, you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at oaic.gov.au or on 1300 363 992.
If a data breach happens that is likely to cause you serious harm, we will tell you and the Commissioner, as the notifiable data breaches scheme requires.