Overview
Under the Australian Archives Act 1983 most Commonwealth records are opened to public scrutiny after twenty years (this was reduced from thirty years in 2010). But the Act also defines ‘exempt’ records that can be withheld from the public for a variety of reasons, including the defence of national security, and the protection of individual privacy. Access under the Act is not an inevitable destination, but a process that may result in records with the access status of ‘closed’.
Here you can explore these closed files. Why can't we look at them? How old are they? What are we really being protected against?
14370
closed files
on 1 January 2016
28
reasons
why these files have been closed
58
years
is the average age of these files
based on their date of their earliest content
1128
series
contain closed files
BE WARNED! This is a work in progress. It's part of an ongoing research project by Tim Sherratt (@wragge). As a result, this interface is likely to change. That said, pretty much everything should work, so feel free to poke around and see what you can find. Have fun!
Here's some examples…
Series |
Control Symbol |
Title |
Contents dates |
A452 |
1971/4073 |
Border surveillance by the Army in Papua New Guinea [2.5cms] |
1971 - 1974 |
C138 |
HB43595 |
BARR, Daphne beneficiary of BARR, Thomas James - Service Number - 1072 |
1991 - 1991 |
K60 |
HKM34136 |
TOWNSEND-CRISP, Gerald Alfred Joseph - Service Number - WX500376 |
1984 - 1985 |
A1575 |
74/231 |
Offshore boundaries |
01 Feb 1974 - 01 Aug 1974 |
PP619/1 |
MX2135 |
William McColl MORTON |
1940 - 1975 |
A432 |
1989/19096 |
Timor Gap zone of cooperation - Australian briefs and agreed minutes |
1989 - 1989 |
A1928 |
1026/9 |
Staff Temporary Victoria A.F. Simpson |
1928 - 1929 |
A432 |
1931/1404 |
Territory for Seat of Govt. - Remedies of C'wealth where Rural Lesees have failed to pay rent. |
1931 - 1931 |
A432 |
1929/810 |
Case of F. U'Ren. Superannuation. |
1928 - 1929 |
A13147 |
NSR 154 |
National Security Act Regulations & Ordinances - National Security (General) Regulations. Control of Manufacture of Gas Producers Order (No 2). Regulation 59 |
22 Mar 1943 - 26 Mar 1945 |
B741 |
V/1185 |
William Dumont. Repatriation Dept War Pension Enquiry Ballarat Report by Police |
1925 - 1926 |
AWM54 |
244/3/2 |
[Demolitions - Preparation:] Schedule of progress - major bridge demolitions |
1939 - 1945 |
B73 |
C117932 |
BERRY, William Henry |
1961 - 1961 |
AWM239 |
MS7 |
RAN Medical Officers' Journals: Australian Mine Sweepers - DELORAINE (1 January 1942 - 31 December 1947); DOOMBA (13 December 1943 - 6 September 1944); DUBBO (4 August 1942 - 31 March 1946) |
1942 - 1947 |
PP911/1 |
MX65318 |
Douglas Walter Buckingham |
1942 - 1964 |
A13147 |
NSR 392 |
National Security Act Regulations & Ordinances - National Security (Camouflage) Regulations. Order Under Regulation 12A |
19 Nov 1942 - 19 Nov 1942 |
A1838 |
3107/40/147 PART 6 |
China - Foreign policy - Relations with India |
1958 - 1959 |
C666 |
24 |
Commonwealth of Australia v A E Goodwin Limited - No 15153 of 1980 - Various court related documents including; memorandum to counsel, brief to advise on evidence, opinion on rental values, statements, drawings (plans) of St Marys Industrial Estate, memorandum of advice, brief to appear, etc |
1983 - 1983 |
A1838 |
2387/1 |
ASPTAP - New Hebrides - Policy & General |
1965 - 1974 |
A1209 |
1961/411 |
SEATO - Report of the Logistics Committee |
1961 - 1961 |