1. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that websites place on your device (computer, phone, tablet) when you visit them. They help websites remember information about your visit, making your next visit easier and more useful.
Key Points:
- Cookies don't contain personal information like your name or address
- They can't access other files on your device
- You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings
- We use minimal cookies and respect your privacy
2. Cookies We Use
2.1 Essential Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function properly and cannot be disabled.
| Cookie Name |
Purpose |
Duration |
Type |
| PHPSESSID |
Maintains your session while browsing |
Session (deleted when browser closes) |
Essential |
| csrf_token |
Security protection for forms |
Session |
Essential |
| cookie_consent |
Remembers your cookie preferences |
1 year |
Essential |
2.2 Functional Cookies
These cookies enhance your experience but are not essential. You can opt out of these.
| Cookie Name |
Purpose |
Duration |
Type |
| theme_preference |
Remembers your theme choice (if implemented) |
1 year |
Functional |
| form_data |
Saves form progress to prevent data loss |
1 day |
Functional |
2.3 Analytics Cookies (Optional)
We may use privacy-focused analytics to understand how visitors use our site. These are optional and anonymized.
| Service |
Purpose |
Duration |
Privacy Policy |
| Simple Analytics |
Privacy-focused website analytics |
No cookies used |
View Policy |
3. Cookies We Don't Use
To protect your privacy, we explicitly do not use:
- Advertising Cookies: No tracking for ads or marketing
- Social Media Cookies: No Facebook, Google, or other social tracking
- Cross-Site Tracking: We don't track you across other websites
- Behavioral Profiling: No building profiles of your interests
- Third-Party Marketing: No sharing data with advertisers
4. Managing Your Cookie Preferences
4.1 Cookie Consent Banner
When you first visit our site, you'll see a cookie consent banner with options to:
- Accept All: Allow all cookies for the best experience
- Essential Only: Only use cookies necessary for the site to work
- Cookie Settings: Choose which types of cookies to allow
4.2 Browser Settings
You can also manage cookies through your browser settings:
Chrome
- Click the three dots menu → Settings
- Go to Privacy and Security → Cookies and other site data
- Choose your preferred cookie settings
Firefox
- Click the menu button → Settings
- Go to Privacy & Security
- Under Cookies and Site Data, click "Manage Data"
Safari
- Go to Safari → Preferences
- Click the Privacy tab
- Choose your cookie preferences
Edge
- Click the three dots menu → Settings
- Go to Cookies and site permissions
- Click "Cookies and site data"
4.3 Mobile Browsers
On mobile devices, cookie settings are usually found in the browser's Privacy or Security settings. The exact location varies by browser and operating system.
5. Impact of Disabling Cookies
5.1 Essential Cookies Disabled
If you disable essential cookies, some features may not work properly:
- Contact forms may not submit correctly
- Security features may be compromised
- Your session may not be maintained between pages
5.2 Functional Cookies Disabled
Disabling functional cookies will:
- Reset your preferences on each visit
- Not save form progress
- Provide a less personalized experience
5.3 Analytics Cookies Disabled
Disabling analytics cookies:
- Won't affect your browsing experience
- Means we can't improve the site based on usage data
- Is completely your choice and we respect it
6. Other Technologies
6.1 Local Storage
We may use browser local storage to:
- Save form data temporarily (to prevent loss)
- Store user preferences
- Cache resources for faster loading
Local storage can be cleared through your browser's developer tools or privacy settings.
6.2 Session Storage
Session storage is used for temporary data that's deleted when you close your browser tab. This helps with:
- Maintaining state during your visit
- Improving performance
- Providing a smooth user experience
6.3 Server Logs
Our web server automatically logs basic information for security and performance:
- IP addresses (anonymized after 30 days)
- Browser type and version
- Pages visited and time spent
- Referral sources
This data is not linked to personal information and is used only for technical purposes.
7. Third-Party Services
7.1 Current Third-Party Services
- Google Fonts: For typography (no tracking cookies)
- Hosting Provider: For website hosting (server logs only)
7.2 Potential Future Services
If we add third-party services in the future, we will:
- Update this policy to reflect any changes
- Choose privacy-focused alternatives where possible
- Provide opt-out options for non-essential services
- Notify you of significant changes
7.3 External Links
Our website may link to external sites that have their own cookie policies. We're not responsible for the privacy practices of other websites.
8. Updates to This Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy to reflect:
- Changes in how we use cookies
- New legal requirements
- Improvements to our website
- User feedback and requests
When we make changes:
- We'll update the "Last Updated" date at the top
- Significant changes will be highlighted on the website
- You may be asked to review your cookie preferences
9. Your Rights and Choices
Under New Zealand privacy law, you have the right to:
- Know: What cookies we use and why
- Choose: Which cookies to accept or reject
- Access: Information about cookies we've set
- Delete: Cookies from your device at any time
- Object: To non-essential cookies
We respect these rights and make it easy to exercise them through our cookie consent system and this policy.