HMAS Canberra radar intereference incident
Dear Department of Defence,
I would like to request all documents related to the HMAS Canberra radar interference incident of June 4.
I appreciate your assistance on this matter.
Yours faithfully,
Felix Lee
OFFICIAL
Dear Felix,
Thank you for your request to Defence for information under the Freedom of
information Act 1982.
Scope of your Request
You have requested access to:
"...all documents related to the HMAS Canberra radar interference incident
of June 4.”
Revision of Scope
Based on the description you have provided; your request is too broad. We
are seeking your assistance to narrow the scope of your request so that
Defence can provide the documents you are seeking.
Reasons why the request is too broad
The term ‘all documents’ is unclear and in order to locate the documents
that you are seeking, we require additional information about the
documents you are seeking when using the term ‘all documents’.
You may wish to consider revising the scope of your request to focus on a
particular type of document or specific subject related to the scope of
your request.
Your response by 12 June 2025 would be much appreciated.
Kind regards
Freedom of Information Team
Media and Information Disclosure Branch
Ministerial & Executive Coordination and Communication Division
Department of Defence
[1]Freedom of information requests | About | Defence
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may be a serious criminal offence. If you have received this email in
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References
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Dear Department of Defence,
Further to your response dated 10 June 2025, I am providing a revised scope of my request for information regarding the radar interference incident involving HMAS Canberra on 4 June 2025.
I request access to:
1. Incident Reports and Situation Summaries: Any official incident reports, internal situation summaries, or preliminary assessments produced concerning the radar interference affecting HMAS Canberra.
2. Communications: Internal emails, memoranda, or briefings exchanged referring to the radar interference event.
3. External Notifications: Any communications sent to or received from foreign governments, defence partners, or international agencies regarding the incident.
4. Technical Evaluations: Documents or analyses assessing the cause, source, or impact of the interference.
5. Command Decisions or Responses: Any orders, decisions, or changes in operational posture arising as a result of the incident.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require further clarification.
Yours faithfully,
Felix Lee
OFFICIAL
Dear Felix,
Acknowledgement
I refer to your revised request of 7 June 2025 seeking access to
documents held by the Department of Defence (Defence), under the Freedom
of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act). This email is to advise you that your
request has been received and allocated for Case Management.
The scope of your request is:
1. Incident Reports and Situation Summaries: Any official incident
reports, internal situation summaries, or preliminary assessments produced
concerning the radar interference affecting HMAS Canberra.
2. Communications: Internal emails, memoranda, or briefings exchanged
referring to the radar interference event.
3. External Notifications: Any communications sent to or received from
foreign governments, defence partners, or international agencies regarding
the incident.
4. Technical Evaluations: Documents or analyses assessing the cause,
source, or impact of the interference.
5. Command Decisions or Responses: Any orders, decisions, or changes in
operational posture arising as a result of the incident.
Disclaimer
Where staff details are captured in documents within the scope of your FOI
request, this information will be redacted; this includes private email
addresses, signatures, personnel (PMKeyS) numbers and mobile telephone
numbers, unless you specifically request such details. Defence excludes
duplicates of documents and any documents sent to or from you.
Furthermore, Defence only considers final versions of documents.
Charges
Defence may impose a charge for the work involved in providing access to
the documents in accordance with the Freedom of Information (Charges)
Regulations 2019. We will notify you if your request attracts a charge.
Please note that there is no charge for documents that contain the
personal information of the applicant.
Timeframe
The statutory timeframe to provide you with a decision on your request
ends on 7 July 2025. This period may be extended if we need to consult
with third parties, or for other reasons. We will advise you if this
happens.
Please note that where the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public
holiday, the timeframe will expire on the next working day. This is in
accordance with the FOI Guidelines issued by the Office of the Australian
Information Commissioner under section 93A of the FOI Act.
Disclosure Log
Documents released under the FOI Act may be published on Defence’s
disclosure log, located on our website.
Contact Details
We will contact you via the email address you have provided. Please advise
if you would prefer us to use an alternative means of contact.
Should you have any questions relating to your request, please do not
hesitate to contact us via email: [1][email address].
Kind regards
Freedom of Information Team
Media and Information Disclosure Branch
Ministerial & Executive Coordination and Communication Division
Department of Defence
[2]Freedom of information requests | About | Defence
IMPORTANT: This email remains the property of the Department of Defence.
Unauthorised communication and dealing with the information in the email
may be a serious criminal offence. If you have received this email in
error, you are requested to contact the sender and delete the email
immediately.
References
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2. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.d...
OFFICIAL
Dear Felix,
I refer to your Freedom of Information (FOI) request seeking access to the
following:
“1. Incident Reports and Situation Summaries: Any official incident
reports, internal situation summaries, or preliminary assessments produced
concerning the radar interference affecting HMAS Canberra.
2. Communications: Internal emails, memoranda, or briefings exchanged
referring to the radar interference event.
3. External Notifications: Any communications sent to or received from
foreign governments, defence partners, or international agencies regarding
the incident.
4. Technical Evaluations: Documents or analyses assessing the cause,
source, or impact of the interference.
5. Command Decisions or Responses: Any orders, decisions, or changes in
operational posture arising as a result of the incident.”
The current statutory deadline for you to receive a response to
your request is 7 July 2025.
We are continuing to process your request however, our office is seeking
your agreement to a 14-day extension of the statutory deadline under
section 15AA [extension with agreement] of the FOI Act, due to decision
maker availability, the requirement for further searches and to ensure
that we have considered all aspects of your request.
Should you agree, the statutory deadline for you to receive a response to
your request will expire on 21 July 2025.
It would be much appreciated if you could confirm your agreement to this
extension of time via e-mail by COB Wednesday, 2 July 2025.
Should you have any questions regarding this matter please do not hesitate
to contact us.
Kind regards
Freedom of Information Team
Media and Information Disclosure Branch
Ministerial & Executive Coordination and Communication Division
Department of Defence
[1]Freedom of information requests | About | Defence
IMPORTANT: This email remains the property of the Department of Defence.
Unauthorised communication and dealing with the information in the email
may be a serious criminal offence. If you have received this email in
error, you are requested to contact the sender and delete the email
immediately.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.defence.gov.au/about/accessi...
Dear FOI Case Management,
Yes ok that's fine. Thanks for letting me know.
Yours sincerely,
Felix Lee
OFFICIAL
Dear Felix,
Please find attached the Decision relating to Defence FOI 1214/24/25.
Under section 54 of the FOI Act, you are entitled to request a review of
this decision. Your review rights are attached.
Please contact this office should you require any further information.
Kind regards,
Freedom of Information Team
Media and Information Disclosure Branch
Ministerial & Executive Coordination and Communication Division
Department of Defence
[1]Freedom of information requests | About | Defence
IMPORTANT: This email remains the property of the Department of Defence.
Unauthorised communication and dealing with the information in the email
may be a serious criminal offence. If you have received this email in
error, you are requested to contact the sender and delete the email
immediately.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.defence.gov.au/about/accessi...
Dear Department of Defence,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Department of Defence's handling of my FOI request 'HMAS Canberra radar intereference incident' Defence FOI 1214/24/25
Grounds for review
1.Failure to provide an edited copy under s 22
The decision concludes that, once exempt matter is removed, the documents would be “meaningless and of little or no value”. However, factual information—such as the vessel’s position, the times of reported interference, spectrum readings, and finalised technical findings—can readily be disclosed without revealing sensitive deliberations.
The obligation in s 22 to release an edited copy is not displaced merely because a document might require substantial redaction; the test is practical utility, not volume of deletions.
2.Incorrect application of s 47C (deliberative processes)
Paragraph 6.91 of the OAIC Guidelines—quoted in the Statement of Reasons—makes clear that the conditional exemption applies only where disclosure would be both “substantial and adverse”. Releasing purely factual data about the incident neither exposes internal opinion nor poses any real prejudice to Defence deliberations.
3.Public-interest balance misapplied under ss 47C and 47E(d)
The radar disruption occurred during a goodwill visit to celebrate deep sister city relationship between the two capitals, highlighting the Anzac tradition of enduring trans-Tasman defence cooperation. Public confidence in the safety of Australian and New Zealand naval assets—and in Defence’s stewardship of that shared legacy—carries considerable weight in the s 11B(3) analysis.
The claimed harms under s 47E(d) (impairment of investigations, personnel privacy, etc.) can be fully addressed by targeted redactions. In contrast, disclosure of basic incident particulars would:
– inform debate on the protection of defence assets and other joint capabilities;
– demonstrate accountability to both Australian and New Zealand publics; and
– honour the spirit of openness that underpins modern Anzac cooperation.
4.Overbroad reliance on s 47E(d)
The decision asserts that any release “could reasonably be expected to have a substantial adverse effect on Defence’s management of current and future reported incidents” without explaining how publication of sanitised, factual summaries would realistically impede future investigations. Generalised assertions do not satisfy the “reasonably expected” test.
Remedy sought
a. Set aside the refusal decision;
b. Release all purely factual and other non-exempt portions of the requested documents, including summary chronology, sensor logs, and finalised conclusions;
c. Apply targeted redactions (e.g. names, phone numbers, draft opinions) rather than a blanket refusal; and
d. Provide a fresh Statement of Reasons addressing any remaining exemptions.
The Anzac relationship has long exemplified transparency and mutual trust. Providing the New Zealand public—and the broader Anzac community—with factual clarity about an incident that occurred en route to their capital's harbour is not only consistent with that tradition, it is essential to maintaining its relevance in modern maritime security.
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/h...
Please acknowledge receipt of this request. I remain available to discuss narrowing or clarifying scope to facilitate prompt processing.
Yours faithfully,
Felix Lee
OFFICIAL
Dear Felix,
This response is to acknowledge receipt of your email below.
In that email you requested an internal review under section 54 of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) of the decision issued by Defence on 21/07/2025.
The review you are seeking is in relation to the scope of your original FOI request:
“…information regarding the radar interference incident involving HMAS Canberra on 4 June 2025.
I request access to:
1. Incident Reports and Situation Summaries: Any official incident reports, internal situation summaries, or preliminary assessments produced concerning the radar interference affecting HMAS Canberra.
2. Communications: Internal emails, memoranda, or briefings exchanged referring to the radar interference event.
3. External Notifications: Any communications sent to or received from foreign governments, defence partners, or international agencies regarding the incident.
4. Technical Evaluations: Documents or analyses assessing the cause, source, or impact of the interference.
5. Command Decisions or Responses: Any orders, decisions, or changes in operational posture arising as a result of the incident.”
The statutory deadline for Defence to issue an internal review decision is 30 days from the date we received the request. As the date for your decision falls on a weekend, you will receive your decision on the next business day which is Monday 25/08/2025.
Paragraph 3.141 of the Guidelines issued by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, states 'the processing period refers to calendar days, not business (working) days. This will include any public holidays that fall within the processing period.[44] If the last day for notifying a decision falls on a Saturday, Sunday or a public holiday, the timeframe will expire on the first day following which is none of those days.
In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Regards,
FOI Review Team
FOI Review Directorate
Media and Information Disclosure Branch Ministerial & Executive Coordination and Communication Division Department of Defence
PO Box 7910
R1-05-A
Canberra BC ACT 2610
IMPORTANT: This email remains the property of the Department of Defence. Unauthorised communication and dealing with the information in the email may be a serious criminal offence. If you have received this email in error, you are requested to contact the sender and delete the email immediately.