Find out about our privacy notice for Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM).

Last updated February 2023

On this page

• About RAM and this privacy notice
• Collection of personal information
• Use and disclosure of personal information
• How we hold personal information
• Further information

About RAM and this privacy notice

RAM is a digital service administered by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) as part of the Australian Government's Digital Identity System. It gives Australian citizens and residents a single and secure way to access online government services.

RAM can be used to:

• link your business to a single digital identity
• manage your business authorisations in one place
• grant others authority to act on behalf of your business when interacting with government online services.

By using RAM, you agree that we may collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information, as set out in this privacy notice. Separate privacy notices apply to other government departments or agencies participating in the digital identity program.

The ATO is subject to the Privacy Act 1988, incorporating the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), the Australian Government Agencies Privacy Code 2017, (registered under the Privacy Act 1988), and the Trusted Digital Identity Framework in respect of personal information it collects and holds about you when you use the RAM service.

Collection of personal information

We collect personal information about you for the purpose of operating the RAM service. The types of personal information collected by RAM include your:

• first and last name
• email address
• date of birth
• address
• digital identity details.

This personal information must be collected before you can use RAM to link your digital identity to your business. Your business must have an active Australian Business Number (ABN) on the Australia Business Register (ABR) to successfully complete a link in RAM.

RAM will create and store a record of the business, or businesses, that are successfully linked to your digital identity.

Use and disclosure of personal information

Personal information held in RAM will be used by the ATO and disclosed to other state and Australian Government entities participating in the Australian Government’s Digital Identity System. This is for the purpose of verifying, creating and maintaining the relationship between your digital identity and business, as well as the authorisations for it.

Your personal information may be used to compile statistics and reports to enhance the RAM system and services. Assist to identify and respond to issues that indicate authentication integrity risks; and to analyse, detect, manage and investigate fraudulent activity and suspected system misuse of RAM, which may lead to criminal prosecution.

We will not use or disclose your personal information for any other purpose unless you have consented or we are required or authorised to do so under an Australian law or a court/tribunal order.

We will not  disclose personal information collected through RAM to overseas recipients. Your personal information will be stored securely in Australia.

We will not use or disclose personal information for the purpose of direct marketing.

How we hold personal information

We protect your personal information against:

• loss
• unauthorised access use
• modification
• disclosure
• other misuse.

We use a range of physical and technological controls to ensure only staff needing access to your personal information can access it.

To protect the personal information we hold, we apply industry-best security methods, including:

• information technology and physical security audits
• penetration testing and industry best practice risk management
• system security technologies.

Personal information used to create, verify and manage your relationships and authorisations in RAM is stored separately from other records the ATO holds to protect the confidentiality of your personal information.

Further information

The RAM privacy policy contains further information about how we handle your personal information, including information about:

• how you can access and seek correction of your personal information held by us
• how to make a complaint if you think we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles
• how we will deal with complaints.

For more information about privacy, or if you believe your privacy has been breached, you can:

• phone 1300 661 542 and ask for the Privacy Hotline
• phone the ATO Complaints and Feedback Line on 1800 199 010
• write to
  Australian Taxation Office
  GPO Box 9990
  [insert the name and postcode of your capital city]

For example:

Australian Taxation Office
GPO Box 9990
SYDNEY  NSW  2001