Terms &Conditions

By accessing, using or otherwise using the www.hcf.com.au website (“Site”), you agree to accept and comply with these terms of use. The Hospitals Contribution Fund of Australia Ltd (“HCF” or “we”) reserves the right, at HCF's sole discretion, to amend these terms and conditions (“Terms of Use”) and this Site at any time without notice. Any subsequent access to, or use by you of, this Site will constitute an acceptance of these modifications.

This Site is operated by HCF and other companies in the HCF Group each an “HCF Group Company”. All information contained on this Site is owned or licensed by HCF.

The HCF Privacy Policy, which describes how we handle your personal information, forms part of these Terms of Use.

1. Use of this Site 

Personal use only 

Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, reporting news, parody or satire as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), you may only use the information on this Site for your own personal reference and reproduce such information for your personal use.

Software 

If you download any software from the Site, the software (including any files and/or images incorporated in or generated by the software) and data accompanying the software (collectively, the "Software"), HCF grants a licence to you to use the Software. You must not sell, distribute, decompile, reverse engineer or otherwise deal with the Software in a like manner.

Prohibited use

Other than as set out above and unless we provide our prior written consent, you must not distribute or transmit information on this Site to any other person or incorporate such information, in any way, into another document or other material.

2. Communication facilities, including social media channels 

This section 3 governs your use and access to:

  • bulletin boards, chat rooms, forums, hubs, blogs and other communication facilities available on or through the Site;
  • our social media channels and platforms (including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter) and any other platforms or channels that HCF may from time to time elect to maintain a presence on or engage with);
  • the HCF app and related portals; and
  • chatbots, cognitive agents, and other AI-based digital assistants,

(together, the “Communication Facilities”).

What we expect from you when using the Communication Facilities

When accessing and using the Communication Facilities, you must not:

  • post, communicate or transmit any unlawful, criminal threatening, abusive, defamatory, libellous, contemptuous, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or inappropriate material including any material that would materially and adversely affect the reputation of HCF. HCF may decide at its sole discretion whether any material is "inappropriate";
  • post, communicate or transmit material which violates or infringes the rights of any other person or party or infringes any law; interfere with the computer systems which support the Communication Facilities, overload a service, engage in a denial-of-service attack, attempt to disable a host or inhibit or restrict any other user from using the Communication Facilities;
  • post, communicate or transmit any file which contains viruses, worms, “trojan horses” or any other harmful, contaminating or destructive features;
  • access or attempt to access information resources you are not authorised to use;
  • impersonate or falsely represent your association with any person or organisation or otherwise provide false or misleading information;
  • attempt to modify, adapt, translate, sell, reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble any portion of the Site, including the use of automated tools;
  • post, communicate or transmit or use any material of any kind for commercial purposes, or which contains any promotional material or advertising;
  • delete, circumvent or alter any author attribution, legal notices, rights management information or technological protection measures; or
  • post, download, communicate or transmit any file or material posted by another user if you know, or reasonably ought to know, that the file or material cannot legally be downloaded or communicated in that manner.

Our right to moderate the Communication Facilities

We welcome all your views, both positive and negative, but it will sometimes be necessary to moderate (review, approve or remove) content without your prior agreement on HCF's Communication Facilities. The decision to moderate content will be at HCF's absolute discretion but may be based on the factors including, but not limited to acting contrary to “What we expect from you when using the Communication Facilities” (set out above).

We may also block users from the Communication Facilities at our sole discretion, unless we are not otherwise allowed to (for example, if a social media channel does not allow us to do so).

3. Links 

One of the services that the Site provides is access to other sites on the internet via hyperlinks located on the Site ("Linked Sites"). While HCF has used reasonable endeavours to review the Linked Sites, HCF is not responsible for the accuracy, legality, and decency of material or copyright compliance of Linked Sites.

Links to the Linked Sites are provided for convenience only and do not represent any endorsement by HCF or any HCF Group Company of the products of services offered by the website owner.

4. Disclaimer

Nothing contained in this disclaimer excludes, restricts or modifies the application of any provision, the exercise of any right or remedy, or the imposition of any liability under the Australian Consumer Law, the exclusion of which would contravene that law or cause any term of this agreement to be void (Non-excludable Obligations).

All information contained on this Site is given in good faith and has been derived from sources believed to be accurate and reliable at the time it was sourced. HCF will use reasonable efforts to update the Site regularly. Subject to the Non-excludable Obligations, HCF makes no representation as to the accuracy, currency or completeness of any third party information on this Site (including information incorporated by reference to or from another source). The information contained on this Site is general information only and is not a substitute for the advice of your personal physician or other qualified health care professional. You should not take any decision or action on the sole basis of the information contained in this Site. For specific advice relating to your individual circumstances, please consult HCF at one of our branches or call us on 13 13 34.

Subject to the Non-excludable Obligations neither HCF nor any HCF Group Company, nor any of their directors, employees and associates makes any guarantees or warranties, whether express or implied, to the extent that such a guarantee or warranty includes:

  • any warranty of reliability or accuracy in respect of third party information contained on this Site;
  • accepting any responsibility arising in any other way (including by reason of negligence for, errors in, or omissions from), in respect of the third party information contained on this Site; or
  • accepting any liability for any loss or damage, however caused, as a result of any person relying on any third party information contained on this Site or being unable to access this Site (or any part of it).

5. Governing law and jurisdiction

These Terms of Use are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia. The parties submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of New South Wales, Australia.