Australia: Defence Department terminates UAP reporting policy
The Australian Department of Defence discontinues its official policy for recording unidentified aerial phenomena reports. This decision eliminates formal reporting channels for both military personnel and civilians regarding UAP sightings.
Background
During 1996, the Australian Department of Defence formally ceased maintaining any policy governing the reporting or recording of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. This action marked the end of official government mechanisms for collecting sighting reports from defence members, pilots, air traffic controllers, and the general public. Previously, such reports had been gathered and analyzed by the Department of Air during decades of heightened public interest. The cessation created a permanent gap in Australian governmental UAP data collection, contrasting sharply with later initiatives by allied nations to establish dedicated investigation offices.