FOI 071/17/18 STATEMENT OF REASONS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF 
INFORMATION ACT 
1. 
I refer to the application by Mr Jackson Gothe-Snape under the Freedom of Information 
Act 1982 (FOI Act), for access to: 
The budgets, menus, expenses, invoices, receipts, credit card statements  and 
reimbursements for the most expensive event paid for by the Department  of Defence 
and attended by a Minister or Assistant Minister in the Defence  portfolio in FY 2016-
17. 
Excludes personal email addresses, signatures, personnel (PMKeyS) numbers and 
mobile telephone numbers.  
FOI decision maker 
2. 
I am the accredited officer pursuant to section 23 of the FOI Act to make a decision on 
this FOI request. 
Documents identified 
3. 
I identified 11 documents as matching the description of the request.  
4. 
I have added an FOI reference number and serial number to each of the documents. 
Decision 
5. 
I have decided to: 
a.  release 11 documents in full; and 
b.  remove irrelevant material as referred to in the scope of the request in 
accordance with section 22(1)(b)(ii) of the FOI Act. 
Material taken into account 
6. 
In making my decision, I had regard to: 
a.  the terms of the request; 
b.  the content of the identified documents in issue; 
c.  relevant provisions in the FOI Act;  
d.  the Guidelines published by the Office of the Australian Information 
Commissioner under section 93A of the FOI Act (the Guidelines). 

---

2 
Further Information 
7. 
The 34 Squadron Thank You event is a long standing bipartisan event that is attended 
by several members of the government and opposition. 
8. 
This event was attended by both the Minister for Defence Industry and the Minister for 
Defence Personnel. 
 
Digitally signed by 
 
nicola.viney 
 nicola.viney Date: 2017.09.08 
 
15:00:52 +10'00'
 
Nicola Viney 
Accredited Decision Maker 
Associate Secretary Group 
 
 
 
 

---