Closed access

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
A1838 696/6/4/4 Military operations by Australian and New Zealand forces in Malaysia 1965 - 1971
PP946/1 MKM37390 BRAIN, John William - Service Number - WX501200 1947 - 1982
C1748 ABORIGINES/L66849 TITLE: Spiked killer or war boomerang, two decorated bull roarers, barbed spear, feathered dancing pole, didjeridoo, and a woomera CATEGORY: photograph PRINCIPAL CREDIT: photographer A Ooziness FORMAT: b&w print TYPE: silver gelatin STATUS: preservation material 01 Jan 1911 - 31 Dec 1975
A2487 1921/4324 [Eileen O'Leary, Guardian of the orphan child of Hugh M Donoughe - Application for allowance] 1918 - 1921
A13883 212/1/3/2 PART 1 Singapore defence purchase of Bloodhound missiles 01 Mar 1969 - 20 Jul 1971
A816 25/301/604 Intelligence in the Middle East 1956 - 1957
A12812 44 Inquiry into animal quarantine station, Norfolk Island - Statement of evidence, originating papers, correspondence, unnumbered submissions 03 Apr 1973 - 04 Jul 1973
A1838 3103/4/4 PART 3 Japan - General energy problems 1977 - 1977
C138 M109342 Julia Bligh JOHNSTON [Repatriation medical case file][box 7891] 1928 - 1986
A1838 3107/2/7 PART 9 China - Political - Summary of events - Savingrams from Hong Kong 1973 - 1975
A1209 1958/6130 The economic and political consequences of India's financial problems 1958 - 1958
A1838 3000/2/12 PART 1 Indo China - Relations between Laos, Vietnam, Kampuchea 1976 - 1979
A9186 243 RAAF Unit History sheets (Form A50) [Operations Record Book - Forms A50 and A51] Headquarters Point Cook Feb 85 - Jan 89 1985 - 1989
F504 7 Census 1933 - District E (Pine Creek) 1933 - 1933
C138 HB95457 PART 3 MEYNELL, Olga beneficiary of MEYNELL, William Thomas - Service Number - 6186 1988 - 1994
MP404/1 1947/13772 Radio ABC - Staff and Artists Resignation of Mrs P Stare from the service of the Australian Broadcasting Commission 1947 - 1948
A9334 201/2/7/1 PART 1B Papua New Guinea - Internal Affairs - Political - Internal security and intelligence - Reports including Papua New Guinea Intelligence Committee reports and Joint Intelligence Organization reports 1973 - 1973
D2952 PL143/1980 Edillilie - 150mm AC water main under railway account EWS Department [Location plan - Scale 1:2 000, Drawing number WR 26-80 - 150mm AC main - Railway crossing - Edillilie Township - Hundred of Mortlock showing: [1] Site plan - Scale 1:3 168, [2] Location plan - Scale 1:200, [3] Pipe details - Scale 1:10, [4] Section at railway crossing - Scale 1:50] 1980 - 1982
D5299 3.108 Central Land Council and Research project - Report on sacred sites in the Mt Tops - Iloquara Creek area 1982 - 1982
J1087 1746 Mornington Shire Council - CDEP support 1988 - 1988