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 |
A657 |
DS1914/3882 |
Survey - Deviation of the Uriarra Road |
1913 - 1914 |
B354 |
26 |
Lake Tyers outpatients record |
1958 - 1959 |
A13147 |
NSR 83 |
National Security Act Regulations & Ordinances - Butter and Cheese Acquisition Regulations. Regulation 10, 10(b) and 13 |
17 Nov 1939 - 14 Feb 1941 |
MP508/1 |
4/703/556 |
Objection against internment-Guiseppe Cotto |
1940 - 1940 |
K60 |
HB25594 |
COULTER, Olive Margaret beneficiary of COULTER, Alfred Edgar - Service Number - 2693 |
1989 - 1994 |
A1782 |
C53/C |
Inspector A. Richards Personal file |
1924 - 1951 |
B741 |
V/42796 |
Nominal Roll - Local Internees. |
1943 - 1947 |
A2487 |
1921/16360 |
[Inquiry regarding W J Connolly] |
1920 - 1921 |
PP946/1 |
MKM39761 |
POWER, William Patrick - Service Number - WX39525, 4/4052, 3/400879 |
1942 - 1982 |
A4311 |
712/5 |
Brief for Visit by Minister for External Affairs (the Honorable Paul Hasluck, MP) to South-East Asia - June 1964 |
1964 - 1964 |
C162 |
HKM90 PART 1 |
Donald Elliott KERR [Repatriation hospital case file] [box 17783] |
1946 - 1970 |
D644 |
D1985/298 |
ABDJREMAN, L vs Department of Marine and Harbours |
1985 - 1986 |
K26 |
MX3448 |
William George PRINGLE |
1942 - 1988 |
A1838 |
1558/1/44 PART 51 |
International Court of Justice - Advisory opinions French Nuclear tests Australia vs France |
1974 - 1974 |
A13141 |
FOC20 |
Senate Select Committee on Foreign Ownership and Control of Australian Resources - Transcript of Evidence - 13 Feb 74 |
Feb 1974 - Feb 1974 |
SP1745/1 |
NN |
Despina Acquaro |
1974 - 1974 |
M1268 |
275 PART 4 |
[Personal Papers of Prime Minister Fraser] [Special investigation into the affairs of Sinclair Pastoral Company et al by M J Finnane (Inspector) - Annexures, correspondence, exhibits] |
1978 - 21 Aug 1978 |
A13141 |
FOC1 |
Senate Select Committee on Foreign Ownership and Control of Australian Resources - Establishment of Committee |
Dec 1971 - Dec 1974 |
C3939 |
N1956/75117 |
Immigration - Assisted migration - request for confirmation of arrival of assisted migrants [2.0cm; box 71] |
1971 - 1974 |
K376 |
MSS866 VOL 2 |
BOND Robert Allan - DVA File [WWII sern WX40431, W57242] - 2 of 3 volumes |
1947 - 1985 |