UNCLASSIFIED

Good morning,

I refer to your email attached. Unfortunately, in its current form your
request is not considered valid under section 15(2)(b) [Requests for
access] of the FOI Act as you have not provided such specific information
concerning the documents as is reasonably necessary to enable a
responsible officer of the agency to identify them. 

Accordingly, prior to the Department accepting your request, I seek
clarification as to the documents you wish to obtain.  Please note under
the FOI Act we are unable to answer questions, you can only ask for
documents. Noting this can you please confirm you agree to the following
revised scope:

“I request the following documents regarding the RAAF airbus registration
a39-007 1:

1. Documents detailing the cost of outfitting the VIP section;

2. Documents showing the layout of the VIP section and what
furniture/seats (number of) are in each area including bedroom, office,
executive seating;

3. Documents detailing how many crew would be on a long haul flight
including flight stewards, mechanics and pilots; and

4. Documents detailing the rest of the plane when set up in passenger
configuration including how many first class, business class and economy
class seats are there.”

I encourage you to contact me so I can assist you in moving forward with
your inquiry. 

Kind regards,

Matt Ashauer

FOI Inquiries

Freedom of Information

Information Management and Access

Governance and Reform Division

Department of Defence

CP1-06-003

PO Box 7910 Canberra ACT 2610

(02) 6266 3685

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.

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.

UNCLASSIFIED

Good morning Mr. Cole,

Thank you for your FOI request seeking details of the VIP fit-out of RAAF
KC-30A, A39-007.  Your request has been registered as FOI 141/19/20.

Searches for relevant documents are currently being undertaken.  Our
office will be in contact again shortly to advise if charges are payable
in respect to this request. 

In the meantime, should you have any queries about this matter please do
not hesitate to contact me.

Regards,

Andy Smith

Case Manager, Freedom of Information

Enterprise Reform Branch

Governance and Reform Division

Department of Defence

PO Box 7910 | 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.

UNCLASSIFIED

Good afternoon Mr. Cole

Thank you for your FOI inquiry, dated 13 September 2019 relating to the
VIP fit-out of RAAF KC-30A A39-007.  Your request was registered on 19
September 2019.

I note that your request is seeking access to 'documents' relating to the
above mentioned matter.  Please be advised that in its current form, a
search for documents that may match your scope will likely attract refusal
under section 24AA of the FOI Act as the information is recorded across a
wide range of documents, each of which would require heavy redaction of
information which is out of scope.   It is considered that the workload
involved in doing so would involve a substantial and unreasonable
diversion of the resources of the agency.

Taking the above into consideration, under section 24AA of the FOI Act and
for the purposes of section 24 of the FOI Act, Defence considers that a
'practical refusal reason' exists in relation to your FOI request. 
Specifically, Defence considers that the work involved in processing the
request in its current form would substantially and unreasonably divert
the resources of the Defence from its other operations.  In particular, a
very significant amount of resources would have to be diverted to arrange
for the required searches to be undertaken, to then review any documents
that were identified as being relevant to your request.  And finally, to
undertake the decision making process on any documents that did meet the
parameters of your request.

This diversion would constitute a significant drain on the resources of
the agency, and would have an unreasonable, substantial and adverse effect
in the ability of areas to conduct their normal business.

In accordance with section 24AB of the FOI Act, Defence is required to
consult with you advising of the intention to refuse access to your
request in its current form.

In accordance with paragraph 24AB(2)(c) of the FOI Act, I am the nominated
person with whom you should contact with a view to agreeing to one of the
following options:

    a.    withdraw your request

    b.    revise your request; or

    c.    indicate that you do not wish to revise your request.

In accordance with section 24AB(9) of the FOI Act, Defence is only
required to undertake this consultation process once, and you must contact
me within 14 days to discuss.

Notwithstanding all of the above, I would suggest that by changing the
wording of your request to remove reference to ‘documents
detailing/showing’ and ask each point as a question, e.g. ‘how many crew
would be on a long haul flight  including flight stewards, mechanics and
pilots’, then RAAF could produce a custom document for you answering each
point as per section 17 of the FOI Act:

I encourage you to contact me so I can assist you in moving forward with
your inquiry.

Kind regards,

Regards,

Andy Smith

Case Manager, Freedom of Information

Enterprise Reform Branch

Governance and Reform Division

Department of Defence

PO Box 7910 | 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.

UNCLASSIFIED

Good afternoon Mr Cole

Thank you for your agreement to revise your request to the following
questions:

1. how many crew would be on a long haul flight including flight stewards,
mechanics and pilots
2. what is the layout of the VIP section and what furniture/seats (number
of) are in each area including bedroom, office, executive seating
3. how many first class, business class and economy class seats are there
in the rest of the plane on a VIP mission
4. what was the cost of outfitting the VIP section

Your case has now resumed processing. The statutory deadline for you to
receive a response to your request is 31 October 2019.

If you have any questions about your case, please do not hesitate to
contact me.

Kind regards,

Jonathan Taylor

Case Manager, Freedom of Information

Enterprise Reform Branch

Governance and Reform Division

Department of Defence | CP1-06-042|

PO Box 7910 | CANBERRA BC ACT 2610

email: [1][email address]

[2]http://www.defence.gov.au/FOI/privacy.asp

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. mailto:[email address]
file:///tmp/blocked::mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.defence.gov.au/FOI/privacy.asp
file:///tmp/blocked::http:/www.defence.gov.au/FOI/privacy.asp

UNCLASSIFIED

Good afternoon Mr Cole,

Please find attached the Statement of Reasons and document relating to
Defence FOI 141/19/20.

FOI Disclosure Log

In accordance with the requirements of section 11C of the FOI Act, Defence
is required to publish details of information released under the FOI Act.
Defence publishes identified documents relating to requests within five
working days of receipt by the applicant or immediately following any
publication of the released material. Defence will also publish the
statement of reasons with privacy deletions.  This request will be
published on 7 October 2019 or immediately following publication.

Rights of Review

Under the provisions of section 54 of the FOI Act, you are entitled to
request a review of this decision. Your review rights are attached.

Should you have any questions in regard to this matter please contact this
office.

Kind regards,

Jonathan Taylor

Case Manager, Freedom of Information

Enterprise Reform Branch

Governance and Reform Division

Department of Defence | CP1-06-001|

PO Box 7910 | CANBERRA BC ACT 2610

email: [1][email address]

[2]http://www.defence.gov.au/FOI/privacy.asp

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. mailto:[email address]
file:///tmp/blocked::mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.defence.gov.au/FOI/privacy.asp
file:///tmp/blocked::http:/www.defence.gov.au/FOI/privacy.asp