This Privacy Policy outlines how Hamilton Star collects, uses, discloses, and protects your personal information. It applies to all interactions you have with our digital publication, including visits to hamstar.co.nz, newsletter subscriptions, and communications with our editorial team.
Hamilton Star is owned and operated by APG, an independent digital media company.
This policy was last updated in March 2026.
Hamilton Star is an independent news publication serving the Hamilton region in New Zealand. Our editorial team comprises professional journalists and reporters.
We deliver objective news coverage and insightful analysis regarding local events, issues, and developments within Hamilton and the surrounding Waikato area.
Our operations are based in Hamilton, New Zealand. APG is headquartered in New Zealand.
We collect various types of information depending on your interaction with Hamilton Star. This data helps us provide our services and understand audience engagement.
When you visit hamstar.co.nz, we automatically collect certain non-personal information. This typically includes your IP address, browser type, operating system, and the pages you access.
We also record the time and date of your visit and referring website addresses. This data is aggregated and used for analytical purposes to improve our website's functionality and content.
If you subscribe to our digital content or services, we collect personal information you provide. This includes your name, email address, and any payment details necessary for processing your subscription.
Financial information is handled by secure third-party payment processors. We do not directly store your full credit card details on our servers.
When you sign up for our email newsletter, we collect your email address. This is used solely for sending you periodic updates, news summaries, and information from Hamilton Star.
You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time by following the instructions provided in each email. Your email address will then be removed from our mailing list.
If you contact us via email, physical mail, or through any provided forms to give feedback or offer news tips, we collect the information you provide. This may include your name, email address, phone number, and the content of your message.
This information is used to respond to your inquiry and for internal editorial purposes. Our journalists may use tips to inform their reporting, maintaining the anonymity of sources where requested and appropriate.
We display advertisements on our website. Our advertising partners may collect information, such as your IP address and browsing behavior, through cookies and similar technologies.
This data is used to deliver relevant advertisements and measure ad effectiveness. Hamilton Star does not share your personally identifiable information directly with advertisers without your explicit consent.
We use the information collected for specific, legitimate purposes related to our journalistic and operational functions.
We use data to publish news, manage subscriptions, deliver newsletters, respond to inquiries, and maintain the security of our website. Analysis of website traffic helps us understand our readership preferences.
Information may also be used to detect and prevent fraudulent activity or other illegal actions. We process data strictly in accordance with New Zealand privacy laws.
Hamilton Star does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties.
We may share your information with trusted service providers who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or serving our readers. These third parties are contractually obligated to keep your information confidential and use it only for the purposes for which we disclose it to them.
This includes payment processors for subscriptions, email service providers for newsletters, and analytical service providers for website traffic analysis. We may also disclose information if required by law, such as in response to a court order or subpoena.
Hamilton Star uses "cookies" on its website. A cookie is a small piece of data stored on your hard drive to help us improve your access to our site and identify repeat visitors.
Cookies allow us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the experience on our site. They can also assist in displaying relevant advertisements.
Most web browsers are set to accept cookies by default. You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, some features of our website may not function correctly without cookies.
We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including for legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.
The specific retention period depends on the type of information and its purpose. For example, subscription data is retained for the duration of the subscription and a reasonable period thereafter for administrative records.
Non-personal analytical data may be retained for longer periods to observe long-term trends and inform ongoing website improvements.
Under the Privacy Act 2020 (New Zealand), you have several rights regarding your personal information.
You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you. You can also request corrections to any inaccurate information.
In certain circumstances, you may request the deletion of your personal data. You also have rights related to data portability and objecting to certain types of processing.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@hamstar.co.nz. We will respond to your request within the timeframes mandated by New Zealand law.
This Privacy Policy is governed by and construed in accordance with New Zealand law, specifically the Privacy Act 2020.
Hamilton Star adheres to the Information Privacy Principles (IPPs) outlined in the Privacy Act 2020. These principles regulate how agencies collect, hold, use, and disclose personal information.
If you have concerns about our privacy practices, you have the right to make a complaint to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. Their website is privacy.org.nz, and they can be contacted by phone at 0800 803 909.
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. Any revisions will be effective immediately upon posting the updated policy on our website.
We encourage you to review this policy whenever you access hamstar.co.nz to stay informed about how we protect your information. The "Last updated" date at the beginning of this policy will indicate when it was most recently revised.
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data handling practices, please contact us.
Email: privacy@hamstar.co.nz
For general editorial inquiries or news tips, please contact editor@hamstar.co.nz.