Contractors for extraction of defence materiel from Afghanistan

Luke Mansillo made this Freedom of Information request to Department of Defence

This request has been closed to new correspondence from the public body. Contact us if you think it ought be re-opened.

The request was partially successful.

Luke Mansillo
Sent

Dear Department of Defence,

I seek documents related to discussions on how defence material is to be extracted from Afghanistan towards the transition to remove troops there by 2014.

Specifically I would like to see any correspondents relating to the extraction and repatriation of any Royal Australian Army vehicle, be it car, trunk, or tank. Documents relating to what methods have been discussed in the department and proposals for a contracting out repatriation of Australian defence materiel to private contractors.

If the department is contracting out to private providers, documents that detail whom is carrying the Royal Australian Army's materiel is also sought.

Any documents confirming previous contracting between the Department of Defence and National Air Cargo is also sought as a National Air Cargo Boeing 747-400 crashed at Bagram Airbase on the 1st February 2013, containing US military materiel, notably vehicles being repatriated from Afghanistan to the United States.

Yours faithfully,

Luke Mansillo

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Connelly, Phillip MR, Department of Defence

UNCLASSIFIED

Good afternoon

Thank you for your email below.

It has been forwarded for further action/consideration.

Kind regards

Phillip Connelly
FOI Case Officer
Freedom of Information Directorate, FOI and Information Management Branch Department of Defence
CP1-6-007 PO Box 7911 Campbell Park CANBERRA BC ACT 2610 [email address]

Tel (02) 6266 2526

-----Original Message-----
From: Luke Mansillo [mailto:[FOI #101 email]]
Sent: Wednesday, 1 May 2013 15:54
To: FOI requests at Defence
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Contractors for extraction of defence materiel from Afghanistan

Dear Department of Defence,

I seek documents related to discussions on how defence material is
to be extracted from Afghanistan towards the transition to remove
troops there by 2014.

Specifically I would like to see any correspondents relating to the
extraction and repatriation of any Royal Australian Army vehicle,
be it car, trunk, or tank. Documents relating to what methods have
been discussed in the department and proposals for a contracting
out repatriation of Australian defence materiel to private
contractors.

If the department is contracting out to private providers,
documents that detail whom is carrying the Royal Australian Army's
materiel is also sought.

Any documents confirming previous contracting between the
Department of Defence and National Air Cargo is also sought as a
National Air Cargo Boeing 747-400 crashed at Bagram Airbase on the
1st February 2013, containing US military materiel, notably
vehicles being repatriated from Afghanistan to the United States.

Yours faithfully,

Luke Mansillo

-------------------------------------------------------------------

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Stinson, Theresa MRS, Department of Defence

UNCLASSIFIED

Good afternoon Mr Mansillo,

I write in regards to your email below, and would be most grateful if
you could provide me with a contact number so I can discuss this matter
with you.

Kind regards

Theresa Stinson
Assistant Director - Media Case Management Freedom of Information

I am currently working from the Canberra office (CP1-6-012). I can be
contacted on (02) 6266 4434 (I cannot retrieve voicemail messages from
this number).

NOTE: Alternative email: [email address]
Website:http://www.defence.gov.au/foi/index.htm

-----Original Message-----
From: Luke Mansillo [mailto:[FOI #101 email]]
Sent: Wednesday, 1 May 2013 15:54
To: FOI requests at Defence
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Contractors for extraction of
defence materiel from Afghanistan

Dear Department of Defence,

I seek documents related to discussions on how defence material is
to be extracted from Afghanistan towards the transition to remove
troops there by 2014.

Specifically I would like to see any correspondents relating to the
extraction and repatriation of any Royal Australian Army vehicle,
be it car, trunk, or tank. Documents relating to what methods have
been discussed in the department and proposals for a contracting
out repatriation of Australian defence materiel to private
contractors.

If the department is contracting out to private providers,
documents that detail whom is carrying the Royal Australian Army's
materiel is also sought.

Any documents confirming previous contracting between the
Department of Defence and National Air Cargo is also sought as a
National Air Cargo Boeing 747-400 crashed at Bagram Airbase on the
1st February 2013, containing US military materiel, notably
vehicles being repatriated from Afghanistan to the United States.

Yours faithfully,

Luke Mansillo

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #101 email]

Is [Defence request email] the wrong address for Freedom of
Information requests to Department of Defence? If so, please
contact us using this form:
http://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/contact

Write your response as plain text. Only send PDF documents as a
last resort. Government guidelines make it clear that PDF is not an
acceptable format for you to use in the delivery of government
information.
http://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offic...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be
published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
http://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offic...

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your
web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.


-------------------------------------------------------------------

IMPORTANT: This email remains the property of the Department of Defence
and is subject to the jurisdiction of section 70 of the Crimes Act 1914.
If you have received this email in error, you are requested to contact
the sender and delete the email.

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Stinson, Theresa MRS, Department of Defence

UNCLASSIFIED

Good afternoon Mr Mansillo,

 

Thank you for your queries regarding how materiel is to be extracted from
Afghanistan towards the transition to remove troops by 2014.

 

As discussed, your request was not considered valid under the FOI Act, as
you appeared to be seeking information as opposed to documents.  Further
to our discussion, I provide the following response, outside of the FOI
Act, in response to your queries.

 

The Australian Government has commenced planning for the redeployment of
personnel and the redeployment and reconstitution or disposal of materiel,
equipment and infrastructure from Afghanistan.  This planning will take
into consideration the need for ongoing support to the current operations
as well as any Australian Government contribution to Afghanistan post
2014.

 

To assist with the redeployment of ADF troops and equipment and the
disposal of ADF infrastructure, an ADF Transition Redeployment Planning
Team has deployed to the Middle East.

 

The Transition Redeployment Planning Team comprises personnel with
expertise in the areas of logistics, engineering, communications
technicians and business management.

 

The planning team also has specialists in movements, environmental
management, contracting and property management.

 

A comprehensive analysis of ADF equipment and infrastructure in
Afghanistan has been conducted.

 

The value of the ADF inventory currently deployed in the MEAO is $1.9B,
ranging from major items of military equipment, such as ships and
aircraft, to basic stores.

 

A variety of options for the redeployment or disposal of materiel is being
investigated, including return to Australia, gifting or sale (to the
Afghan Government, other coalition partners or commercial operators) or
destruction.

 

There is no intent to gift ADF weapons, ammunition or body armour to the
Afghan National Security Forces.

 

These items will be returned to Australia or comprehensively destroyed in
Afghanistan.

Equipment will be returned to Australia generally by air from Afghanistan
to the UAE and then by sea from Jebel Ali. Some containers will be sent
over the road through Pakistan and then by sea from Karachi.

 

Each option has varying costs and complexities.

 

The ADF will establish contracts with appropriate contractor/s to shift
equipment through Pakistan.  However, until the full extent of
redeployment planning is complete, details of what, how and when equipment
is to be returned to Australia cannot be provided.

 

I trust this information is of assistance.  I would also suggest that you
may like to undertake a search of the AusTender website, as contracts over
$80 000 must be published on the site.  I would also draw your attention
to the recent Estimates hearings during which this issue was discussed. 
The transcripts of the hearings will be available online at aph.gov.au  As
agreed this matter will now be closed.

 

Kind regards

 
Theresa Stinson
Assistant Director - Media Case Management
Freedom of Information
 
Building F065
Gallipoli Barracks
ENOGGERA   QLD   4051
 
Ph: (07) 3332 6359
 
Alternative email: [1][email address]
Website:[2]http://www.defence.gov.au/foi/index.htm
 

IMPORTANT: This email remains the property of the Department of Defence
and is subject to the jurisdiction of section 70 of the Crimes Act 1914.
If you have received this email in error, you are requested to contact the
sender and delete the email.

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