OFFICIAL

 

Reference: 2025/081 

Dear Mr Fairless

Thank you for your email of 23 April 2025 in which you made a request
under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act) to the Department
of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (the Department). 

You set out the terms of the request as follows:

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.

Timeframe for receiving your decision

The 30 day statutory period for processing your request commenced from the
day after the Department received your request, you should therefore
expect a decision from us by 23 May 2025.

The processing period of 30 days may be extended in certain circumstances
and we will write to you separately regarding any extension of time. 

Charges

Agencies may decide that an applicant is liable to pay a charge in respect
of a request for access to documents. If the Department decides that you
are liable to pay a charge, we will send you a preliminary assessment of
the charge as soon as possible. 

Publication of documents

Please note that information released under the FOI Act may later be
published online on our disclosure log at
[1]https://www.pmc.gov.au/government/depart...,
subject to certain exceptions. 

If you think you might wish to raise any objections to the publication of
your requested document, which may be released to you, please contact us
by email at [2][DPMC request email].  If you do wish to object to the
publication of information, you would need to set out your reasons.

Exclusion of officers’ names and contact details

For documents that fall within scope of the request, it is the
Department’s policy to withhold:

o any person’s signature;
o the names and contact details of Australian Public Service officers
not in the Senior Executive Service (SES);
o the mobile or direct numbers of SES officers;
o the names and contact details of Ministerial staff at a level below
Chief of Staff.

If you consider the information categorised above is relevant to the terms
of your request please let us know at [3][DPMC request email], otherwise we will
take it that you agree this category of information may be reasonably
regarded as irrelevant and we will delete this information if it appears
in the documents that are otherwise responsive to your request. 

The names and other details of SES officers will not be withheld unless
there is some reason for that information to be exempt from release.

Further information on FOI processing can be found at the website of the
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at
[4]https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...

Yours sincerely

 

Coordinator | FOI Section

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849

e. [5][email address]  w. [6]pmc.gov.au 

 

 

[7]Image removed by sender.

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. https://www.pmc.gov.au/about-us/accounta...
2. mailto:[DPMC request email]
3. mailto:[DPMC request email]
4. https://www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-infor...
5. mailto:[email address]
6. https://pmc.gov.au/

OFFICIAL

 

Reference: 2025/081 

Dear Mr Fairless

We write to you with respect to you request dated 23 April 2025, seeking
access to the following:

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.

We note that for part 4 of your request you have included a timeframe, but
this is not referenced against the other parts of the request. We
therefore seek your clarification as to the timeframe for the whole
request and if you are seeking documents for part 1 through to 5 that
would cover the last 5 years.

Please provide your clarification on the timeframe for requested documents
to the Department by 8 May 2025, you can do so by replying to this email.

Yours sincerely

Janelle

FOI Section

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849

e. [1][email address]  w. [2]pmc.gov.au 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://pmc.gov.au/

OFFICIAL

 

Reference: 2025/081 

Dear Mr Fairless

Further to our email of 6 May 2025, we write to you with respect to you
request dated 23 April 2025, seeking access to the following:

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.

We note that for part 4 of your request you have included a timeframe, but
this is not referenced against the other parts of the request. We
therefore seek your clarification as to the timeframe for the whole
request and if you are seeking documents for part 1 through to 5 that
would cover the last 5 years.

Please provide your clarification on the timeframe for requested documents
to the Department by 12 May 2025, you can do so by replying to this email.

Yours sincerely

 

Adviser

FOI Section | Legal Policy Branch[]

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [1][email address] w. [2]pmc.gov.au

 

[3]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.

 

 

 

 

 

From: FOI <[4][email address]>
Sent: Tuesday, 6 May 2025 4:08 PM
To: FOI <[5][email address]>;
[6][FOI #13075 email]
Subject: Freedom of Information Request - Seeking clarification of
timeframe - 2025/081 [SEC=OFFICIAL]

 

OFFICIAL

 

Reference: 2025/081 

Dear Mr Fairless

We write to you with respect to you request dated 23 April 2025, seeking
access to the following:

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.

We note that for part 4 of your request you have included a timeframe, but
this is not referenced against the other parts of the request. We
therefore seek your clarification as to the timeframe for the whole
request and if you are seeking documents for part 1 through to 5 that
would cover the last 5 years.

Please provide your clarification on the timeframe for requested documents
to the Department by 8 May 2025, you can do so by replying to this email.

Yours sincerely

Janelle

FOI Section

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849

e. [7][email address]  w. [8]pmc.gov.au 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
4. mailto:[email address]
5. mailto:[email address]
6. mailto:[FOI #13075 email]
7. mailto:[email address]
8. https://pmc.gov.au/

OFFICIAL

 

Reference: 2025/081 

Dear Mr Fairless

This email is to follow-up on the below email seeking further
clarification from you on the timeframe for requested documents.

 

We would be grateful if you can provide this information as soon as
possible.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Adviser | FOI Section[]

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849

Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit  Barton  ACT  2600  |  PO Box
6500  CANBERRA  ACT  2600
e. [1][email address]  w. [2]pmc.gov.au

[3]cid:image001.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0[4]cid:image002.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0

[5]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.

 

 

 

 

From: FOI <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, 9 May 2025 12:24 PM
To: [FOI #13075 email]
Cc: FOI <[email address]>
Subject: Action: Follow-up - Freedom of Information Request - Seeking
clarification of timeframe - 2025/081 [SEC=OFFICIAL]

 

OFFICIAL

 

Reference: 2025/081 

Dear Mr Fairless

Further to our email of 6 May 2025, we write to you with respect to you
request dated 23 April 2025, seeking access to the following:

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.

We note that for part 4 of your request you have included a timeframe, but
this is not referenced against the other parts of the request. We
therefore seek your clarification as to the timeframe for the whole
request and if you are seeking documents for part 1 through to 5 that
would cover the last 5 years.

Please provide your clarification on the timeframe for requested documents
to the Department by 12 May 2025, you can do so by replying to this email.

Yours sincerely

 

Adviser

FOI Section | Legal Policy Branch[]

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [6][email address] w. [7]pmc.gov.au

 

[8]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.

 

 

 

 

 

From: FOI <[9][email address]>
Sent: Tuesday, 6 May 2025 4:08 PM
To: FOI <[10][email address]>;
[11][FOI #13075 email]
Subject: Freedom of Information Request - Seeking clarification of
timeframe - 2025/081 [SEC=OFFICIAL]

 

OFFICIAL

 

Reference: 2025/081 

Dear Mr Fairless

We write to you with respect to you request dated 23 April 2025, seeking
access to the following:

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.

We note that for part 4 of your request you have included a timeframe, but
this is not referenced against the other parts of the request. We
therefore seek your clarification as to the timeframe for the whole
request and if you are seeking documents for part 1 through to 5 that
would cover the last 5 years.

Please provide your clarification on the timeframe for requested documents
to the Department by 8 May 2025, you can do so by replying to this email.

Yours sincerely

Janelle

FOI Section

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849

e. [12][email address]  w. [13]pmc.gov.au 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
3. https://twitter.com/pmc_gov_au
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/departm...
6. mailto:[email address]
7. https://www.pmc.gov.au/
9. mailto:[email address]
10. mailto:[email address]
11. mailto:[FOI #13075 email]
12. mailto:[email address]
13. https://pmc.gov.au/

OFFICIAL

 

Departmental reference: FOI/2025/81

 

Dear Mr Fairless,

 

Please find attached the decision regarding your request under the Freedom
of Information Act 1982.

 

Kind regards,

 

Adviser

 

Adviser

FOI Section | Legal Policy Branch[]

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

p. (02) 6271 5849
Ngunnawal Country, One National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600 | PO Box
6500 CANBERRA ACT 2600
e. [1][email address] w. [2]pmc.gov.au

 

[3]cid:image003.jpg@01D78E24.FF2DAFB0 The
Department
acknowledges
and pays
respect to
the past,
present and
emerging
Elders and
Traditional
Custodians
of Country,
and the
continuation
of cultural,
spiritual
and
educational
practices of
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait
Islander
peoples.

 

 

______________________________________________________________________ 
IMPORTANT: This message, and any attachments to it, contains information 
that is confidential and may also be the subject of legal professional or 
other privilege. If you are not the intended recipient of this message,
you 
must not review, copy, disseminate or disclose its contents to any other 
party or take action in reliance of any material contained within it. If
you 
have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
by 
return email informing them of the mistake and delete all copies of the 
message from your computer system. 
______________________________________________________________________

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.pmc.gov.au/