Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 2026

Bushletter ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share your personal information when you use our website and services.

1. Information We Collect

Information you provide directly:

Email address when you subscribe to our newsletter or create a member account
Name, if you choose to provide it during registration
Comments you post on articles
Any information you include in emails or enquiries sent to us

Information collected automatically:

IP address and approximate location (country/city level)
Browser type, device type, and operating system
Pages viewed, time spent on pages, and navigation patterns
Referring website or source
Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 5)

Information from third parties:

Analytics data from services such as Google Analytics
Advertising performance data from ad networks

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

Delivering our services: Sending newsletters, managing your member account, enabling comments
Improving our journalism: Understanding what content our readers find valuable, identifying coverage gaps, and making editorial decisions based on aggregate readership data
Advertising: Serving relevant advertising on our Site and measuring ad performance. We may share anonymised, aggregated audience data (e.g. "60% of our readers are in Australia") with advertisers. We do not sell your individual email address or personal data to advertisers.
Analytics and research: Analysing readership patterns, traffic sources, and audience demographics to improve the Site and inform commercial decisions
Communications: Sending editorial newsletters, account-related emails, and occasional promotional communications about Bushletter products or services
Legal compliance: Meeting legal obligations, responding to lawful requests from authorities, and protecting our rights

3. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your data on the following bases:

Consent: When you subscribe to our newsletter or create an account
Legitimate interests: Analytics, advertising, editorial improvement, and fraud prevention
Legal obligation: Where required by law

We may share your information with:

Service providers: Email delivery services (e.g. Mailgun), hosting providers (Ghost), analytics services (e.g. Google Analytics), and advertising partners who help us operate the Site
Advertising partners: Anonymised, aggregated audience data for ad targeting and measurement. We do not share your email address or individually identifiable data with advertisers without your explicit consent.
Legal authorities: When required by law, court order, or to protect our legal rights
Business transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your data may be transferred to the acquiring entity

We do not sell your personal information to data brokers or marketing companies.

5. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies for:

Essential cookies: Site functionality, remembering your login status, and security
Analytics cookies: Understanding how readers use the Site (e.g. Google Analytics)
Advertising cookies: Serving and measuring advertising performance

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect site functionality.

6. Data Retention

Member accounts: We retain your data for as long as your account is active. You can request deletion at any time.
Newsletter subscribers: We retain your email address until you unsubscribe.
Analytics data: Aggregated analytics data is retained indefinitely. Individual-level analytics data is retained for up to 26 months.
Comments: Comments are retained indefinitely unless you request removal.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:

Access the personal data we hold about you
Correct inaccurate personal data
Delete your personal data
Object to or restrict certain processing
Data portability — receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
Withdraw consent at any time (this does not affect the lawfulness of prior processing)

To exercise any of these rights, email [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), secure hosting infrastructure, and access controls. However, no system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. International Transfers

Your data may be processed in countries outside your jurisdiction, including Australia and the United States (where our service providers operate). We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international transfers.

10. Children

Our Site is not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected data from a child, please contact us immediately.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We will notify subscribers of material changes via email. The "last updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision.

12. Contact

For privacy enquiries, data requests, or complaints: [email protected]

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au.