Suppression of Aircraft Data from Third-Party Flight Tracking Platforms
Ben Fairless made this Freedom of Information request to Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications as part of a batch sent to 15 authorities
Dear Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications,
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
OFFICIAL
Dear Mr Fairless
Thank you for your email of 23 April 2025 requesting access to documents
held by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development,
Communications and the Arts (the Department) under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
You have requested 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.
Your request has been allocated the reference number FOI 25-353. Could you
please ensure that you quote this reference number in all future
correspondence with the Department.
Timeframes
The statutory due date for you to receive a decision on your request is 23
May 2025. This date may be extended in certain circumstances, and in the
event that this occurs, the Department will notify you. Where the due
date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, the timeframe will
expire on the next working day.
Other information
Please note that the Department considers the following information
outside the scope of your request unless you specifically request it:
o personal information of third-party individuals; including public
servants below the SES level and all email addresses, signatures and
direct telephone numbers
o any duplicates and drafts of final versions of documents captured by
your request
o any correspondence sent directly to or from you.
The Department may impose a charge for the work involved in providing
access to the documents in accordance with the Freedom of Information
(Charges) Regulations. You will be notified separately if the Department
decides to impose a charge. There is no charge for documents that contain
your own personal information.
Where documents are released to you under the FOI Act in response to your
request, the Department must publish those documents on its FOI Disclosure
Log within 10 business days of their release to you, unless they contain
personal information or business affairs information that would be
unreasonable to publish. Further information regarding the Department’s
FOI Disclosure Log can be found [1]here.
Should you have any questions relating to your request, please do not
hesitate to contact the FOI Section via email to
[2][email address]
Kind regards
FOI Coordinator
Freedom of Information Section • People, Culture and Change Division
P 02 6274 6294
E [3][Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications request email]
GPO Box 594 Canberra, ACT 2601
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development,
Communications and the Arts
CONNECTING AUSTRALIANS • ENRICHING COMMUNITIES • EMPOWERING REGIONS
[4]infrastructure.gov.au [5][IMG]
I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land on
which we meet, work and live.
I recognise and respect their continuing connection to the land, waters
and communities.
I pay my respects to Elders past and present and to all Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islanders.
OFFICIAL
References
Visible links
1. https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/about-...
2. mailto:[email address]
3. mailto:[Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications request email]
4. http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/
5. http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/departm...
OFFICIAL
Good morning Ben
I refer to your request below of 23 April 2025 requesting access to
documents held by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional
Development, Communications and the Arts (the Department) under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
We have undertaken preliminary searches within the Department for
documents relevant to your request. On the advice of officers in the
Domestic Policy and Programs Branch in the Domestic Aviation and Reform
Division, and the Safety and Future Technology Branch in the International
Aviation, Technology and Services Division, it does not appear to us that
the Department holds any documents pertaining to your request. In
particular, we understand that the Department does not facilitate or
partner with any of the third-party flight tracking services referred to
in your request, and does is not responsible for data sources relevant to
your request.
We note that the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) operates the
Australian Civil Aircraft Register, which may have some relevance to your
request. Given that you have advised that you have submitted this request
to multiple agencies, we have not sought to transfer this request to CASA.
On this basis, we are consulting with you to seek your advice as to
whether you would be agreeable to withdrawing your request. We would
greatly appreciate if you could respond to this email by close of business
Monday, 5 May 2025.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us at the contact details below if you
have any questions.
With kind regards
Alison
Freedom of Information and Ministerial Liaison Section
Government Services Branch
People, Culture and Change Division
E: [1][email address]
T: +61 2 6136 8114
GPO Box 594 Canberra, ACT 2601
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development,
Communications and the Arts
CONNECTING AUSTRALIANS • ENRICHING COMMUNITIES • EMPOWERING REGIONS
[2]infrastructure.gov.au [3][IMG]
I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land on
which we meet, work and live.
I recognise and respect their continuing connection to the land, waters
and communities.
I pay my respects to Elders past and present and to all Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islanders.
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
Good morning Ben
I am following up on the email below, seeking your formal withdrawal of a
FOI request.
If you can confirm that you are willing withdraw the request by 12 May
2025, it would be much appreciated.
Kind regards
FOI Coordinator
Freedom of Information Section • People, Culture and Change Division
P 02 6274 6294
E [1][Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications request email]
GPO Box 594 Canberra, ACT 2601
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development,
Communications and the Arts
CONNECTING AUSTRALIANS • ENRICHING COMMUNITIES • EMPOWERING REGIONS
[2]infrastructure.gov.au [3][IMG]
I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land on
which we meet, work and live.
I recognise and respect their continuing connection to the land, waters
and communities.
I pay my respects to Elders past and present and to all Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islanders.
OFFICIAL
From: FOI <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, 2 May 2025 9:49 AM
To: '[FOI #13074 email]'
<[FOI #13074 email]>
Subject: FOI 25-353 - Seeking withdrawal of request [SEC=OFFICIAL]
OFFICIAL
Good morning Ben
I refer to your request below of 23 April 2025 requesting access to
documents held by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional
Development, Communications and the Arts (the Department) under the
Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
We have undertaken preliminary searches within the Department for
documents relevant to your request. On the advice of officers in the
Domestic Policy and Programs Branch in the Domestic Aviation and Reform
Division, and the Safety and Future Technology Branch in the International
Aviation, Technology and Services Division, it does not appear to us that
the Department holds any documents pertaining to your request. In
particular, we understand that the Department does not facilitate or
partner with any of the third-party flight tracking services referred to
in your request, and does is not responsible for data sources relevant to
your request.
We note that the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) operates the
Australian Civil Aircraft Register, which may have some relevance to your
request. Given that you have advised that you have submitted this request
to multiple agencies, we have not sought to transfer this request to CASA.
On this basis, we are consulting with you to seek your advice as to
whether you would be agreeable to withdrawing your request. We would
greatly appreciate if you could respond to this email by close of business
Monday, 5 May 2025.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us at the contact details below if you
have any questions.
With kind regards
Alison
Freedom of Information and Ministerial Liaison Section
Government Services Branch
People, Culture and Change Division
E: [4][email address]
T: +61 2 6136 8114
GPO Box 594 Canberra, ACT 2601
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development,
Communications and the Arts
CONNECTING AUSTRALIANS • ENRICHING COMMUNITIES • EMPOWERING REGIONS
[5]infrastructure.gov.au
I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land on
which we meet, work and live.
I recognise and respect their continuing connection to the land, waters
and communities.
I pay my respects to Elders past and present and to all Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islanders.
OFFICIAL
OFFICIAL
Good afternoon
I refer to your request below for access to documents under the Freedom of
Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
Please find attached a decision in response to your request.
Kind regards
FOI Coordinator
Freedom of Information and Ministerial Liaison Section
Government Services Branch • People, Culture and Change Division
P 02 6136 8114
E [1][Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications request email]
GPO Box 594 Canberra, ACT 2601
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development,
Communications, Sport and the Arts
CONNECTING AUSTRALIANS • ENRICHING COMMUNITIES • EMPOWERING REGIONS
[2]infrastructure.gov.au [3][IMG]
I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land on
which we meet, work and live.
I recognise and respect their continuing connection to the land, waters
and communities.
I pay my respects to Elders past and present and to all Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islanders.
OFFICIAL