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 |