Suppression of Aircraft Data from Third-Party Flight Tracking Platforms
Ben Fairless made this Right to Information request to Queensland Police Service as part of a batch sent to 15 authorities
Dear Queensland Police Service,
I am seeking access to documents relating to the removal, suppression, or anonymisation of aircraft data from third-party flight tracking services such as FlightRadar24, PlaneFinder, ADS-B Exchange, or similar platforms.
Specifically, I’m after:
1. Policies, procedures, or internal guidelines concerning requests to third-party services for the removal or suppression of aircraft tracking data;
2. Correspondence between your agency and third-party flight tracking platforms relating to the suppression, removal, or anonymisation of aircraft data;
3. Internal discussions, briefings, or records outlining the rationale or decisions around seeking to suppress aircraft data from public tracking platforms;
4. Statistics, reports, or summaries indicating the volume and nature of requests made to third-party platforms over the past five years;
5. Any agreements, memoranda of understanding, or formal arrangements between your agency and third-party flight tracking platforms relating to data suppression or visibility restrictions.
I am not seeking access to the personal information of members of the public, nor do I require the direct contact details or last names of public servants below the Senior Executive Service level (or equivalent for your agency).
I have submitted this request to multiple state and federal agencies. Please contact me before initiating any transfer to another agency as they may have already received an identical request.
Please consider if it’s possible to process this request informally/administratively. If you find it can’t be treated that way, please consider it a formal Freedom of Information request.
Yours faithfully,
Ben Fairless
Queensland Police Service
GPO Box 1440
BRISBANE QLD 4001
Dear
Your Reference ID: RTI/53808
QUEENSLAND POLICE SERVICE - RIGHT TO INFORMATION & SUBPEONA UNIT
QPS Right to Information has requested an application fee of AUD 55.75 for your RTI
request. Please click on the Pay Now button or copy and paste the Payment Link into
your browser to make a secure payment.
[1]Pay Now
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DUE DATE OF PAYMENT 16/05/2025
PLEASE NOTE: This Payment Link will expire at 23:59 of the due date; please contact
RTI on the contact information below if you have any questions regarding this request.
If you have any questions regarding this request, please contact Queensland Police
Service RTI Unit on:
Tel: 07 3364 6641
Email: [email address]
Please do not reply to this emai as this mailbox is not monitored and you will not
receive a response.
Regards,
Queensland Police Service
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References
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OFFICIAL
Dear Ben Fairless
Re: Application under the Right to Information Act 2009 (RTIA)
I refer to your application for access to documents received by the Right
to Information and Subpoena Unit, Queensland Police Service (QPS). Your
reference – RTI/53808.
Pursuant to section 24(3) of the RTIA, your application as submitted is
not valid because you have not provided me with:
o Payment of the $55.75 application fee.
NEXT STEPS
To make your application valid you must provide me with:
o Payment of the $55.75 application fee.
Payment can be made via credit card via BPOINT. A BPOINT payment link has
been sent to you in a separate email. Please note BPOINT is the preferred
payment method.
Alternatively, payment can be made either via money order or cheque made
payable to the Queensland Police Service.
Please note that the due date for your response is 16/05/2025. If a
response is not received from you by this date, a decision may be made to
refuse to further deal with your application.
Further information on the relevant legislation is provided below.
Preliminary assessment has been conducted by the Assessment and Support
Team and identified validity requirements as per the attached
correspondence. Your application has been forwarded to a decision maker
who may require further information from you for your application to be
accepted as valid.
Regards
[1]untitled Assessment and Support Team
RTI Team | Right to Information & Subpoena Unit
( 07 3364 4666 (8am – 3pm Mon to Fri) |
*[2][email address]|
+ GPO Box 1440, Brisbane, QLD 4001 Australia
[3]www.police.qld.gov.au
RELEVANT LEGISLATION
RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT 2009
Sections 24(2) and (3) of the RTIA sets out the requirements of a valid
application:
(2) The access application must –
(a) be in the approved form; and be accompanied by the application fee;
and
(b) give sufficient information concerning the document to enable a
responsible officer of the agency or the Minister to identify the
document; and
(c) state an address to which notices under this Act may be sent to the
applicant
(d) state whether access to the document is sought for the benefit of,
or use of the document by—
(i) the applicant; or
(ii) another entity; and
Example for paragraph (d)(ii)— A journalist makes an access application
for a document for use of the document by an electronic or print media
organisation.
e. if access to the document is sought for the benefit of, or use of the
document by, an entity other than the applicant—the name of the other
entity.
3. If the application is for access to a document containing personal
information of the applicant, the applicant must provide with the
application or within 10 business days after making the application —
f. evidence of identity for the applicant; and
g. if an agent is acting for the applicant— evidence of the agent’s
authorisation and evidence of identity for the agent.
Examples of an agent’s authorisation—
o the will or court order appointing the agent to act as the applicant’s
guardian
o the client agreement authorising a legal practitioner to act for an
applicant
o if the application is made in reliance on section 25, evidence the
agent is the child’s parent
Part 2 subsection (3)(1) of the Right to Information Regulation 2009 (the
RTIR) prescribes the following forms of identification:
(a) a passport; or
(b) a copy of a certificate or extract from a register of births; or
(c) a driver licence; or
(d) a statutory declaration from an individual who has known the person
for at least 1 year; or
(e) if the person is a prisoner within the meaning of the Corrective
Services Act 2006-a copy of the person’s identity card from the department
administering that Act that is certified by a corrective services officer
within the meaning of that Act.
Part 2 of the RTIR states:
2. If a document under this section, other than a document mentioned in
subsection (1) (e), is a photocopy of an original document, the
document must be certified by a qualified witness as being a correct
copy of the original document.
3. In this section-
qualified witness means-
(a) a lawyer or notary public; or
(b) a commissioner for declarations; or
(c) a justice of the peace.
References
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2. mailto:[email address]
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file:///tmp/blocked::http:/www.police.qld.gov.au/
OFFICIAL
Good afternoon Mr Fairless
Please find attached correspondence in relation to your Right to
Information application, ref: RTI/53808.
Kind regards
Principal RTI Officer
RTI Team | Right to Information and Subpoena Unit
Right to Information and Privacy Services | Legal Division
Queensland Police Service
Email: [1][Queensland Police Service request email]
Ph: 07 3364 4666
References
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1. mailto:[Queensland Police Service request email]
Dear Principal RTI Officer,
I apologise for the delay in coming back to you regarding this request. Is it possible to process the request for information without a formal RTI request?
Yours sincerely,
Ben Fairless
OFFICIAL
Good afternoon Mr Fairless
I have looked over the scope of your application and whilst I am unable to
comment on whether the information you are seeking exists, and/or would be
released, I believe that Right to Information would be the best avenue to
request the information you are seeking.
Kind regards
Principal RTI Officer
RTI Team | Right to Information and Subpoena Unit
Right to Information and Privacy Services | Legal Division
Queensland Police Service
Email: [1][Queensland Police Service request email]
Ph: 07 3364 4666
From: Ben Fairless <[2][FOI #13078 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 4 June 2025 12:03
To: RTI PHQ <[3][Queensland Police Service request email]>
Subject: Re: Right to Information application - RTI/53808
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of Queensland Police Service.
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Dear Principal RTI Officer,
I apologise for the delay in coming back to you regarding this request. Is
it possible to process the request for information without a formal RTI
request?
Yours sincerely,
Ben Fairless