Privacy Policy

This privacy policy explains how Victoria Crime News collects, uses and protects personal information. We comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles.

Who we are

Victoria Crime News (VCN) is the entity referred to in this policy as “we”, “us” or “our”. We can be contacted via our contact page or by writing to [email protected].

What we collect

• Information you give us when you submit a tip, contact us, comment on an article or sign up to receive updates. This may include your name, email address, postcode, and any information you choose to include in your message.
• Server logs, which are written automatically when you visit the site. These include your IP address, browser type, operating system, the page you requested, and the time of the request. Logs are retained for a maximum of 30 days for security and abuse prevention.
• Cookies and analytics, including a small set of first-party cookies that the WordPress and LiteSpeed cache plugins use to remember session state, plus aggregate analytics so we can see what is being read.

What we do with it

• To respond to your message and follow up on news tips.
• To run the website — including security, abuse prevention and performance.
• To understand which articles are read and what topics readers are interested in, in aggregate.
• Where you have asked us to, to send you updates by email.

We do not sell or rent personal information. We do not share it with Victoria Police or any other government agency unless we are required to do so by law (for example, by a lawful summons or subpoena).

Confidential sources

If you contact us as a confidential source, we will treat your identity in accordance with the MEAA Code of Ethics and will protect it to the maximum extent permitted by Australian law. If you are concerned about leaving a digital trail, please consider sending us tips by post (address available on request) rather than by email.

Cookies

We use cookies for the following purposes:

• Strictly necessary — for site security and to remember if you are logged in.
• Caching — to keep the site fast.
• Analytics — to understand readership in aggregate. You can opt out of analytics by using your browser’s “Do Not Track” setting or by blocking cookies.

Advertising

We may serve display advertising. Where we use programmatic ad networks, those networks may set cookies that they control. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies. You can find general information about controlling ad cookies at youronlinechoices.com.au.

Email lists

If you sign up for our updates, we use the email address only to send you the updates you have asked for. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in the footer of any email. We will retain your address until you unsubscribe.

Comments

If you leave a comment on an article, your name and any URL you provide are visible publicly with the comment. Your IP address is retained for moderation and abuse prevention. Comments may be moderated, edited for length and clarity, or removed if they are unlawful, defamatory, or breach our community standards.

Data security

We hold all personal information on systems that are protected by industry-standard technical and organisational measures. Access to personal information is restricted to people who need it to do their jobs. We use TLS for everything served over the web. No system is perfectly secure, however, and you provide information to us at your own risk.

Data retention

We retain personal information for only as long as we need it for the purposes set out above, or for as long as we are required to retain it under Australian law.

Your rights

You can ask us for a copy of the personal information we hold about you, ask us to correct it if it is wrong, or ask us to delete it. Email [email protected] with your request. We will respond within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the bottom of the page reflects the most recent change.

Last updated: May 2026.