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 |
A518 |
624/1/98 |
Fealy, C - School Teacher - Norfolk Island |
1954 - 1955 |
A6135 |
K24/1/73/1 |
Aboriginal people and torres strait islander peoples - Tribal - Aboriginals prepare for a corroboree, Yuendumu |
1973 - 1973 |
A10463 |
801/11/1 PART 3 |
Jakarta - Political prisoners |
1974 - 1975 |
PP946/1 |
HKM32083 |
MCGRATH, Wilfred Valentine - Service Number - 5 9008 |
1951 - 1978 |
A1838 |
766/1 PART 25 |
China - Economic relations with Australia |
1976 - 1977 |
B73 |
R88414 |
Lionel Robert Gleeson - Sergeant 4811, 29th Battalion |
1918 - 1925 |
A703 |
564/1/169 |
Defence study - the environment of the 80s |
1980 - 1980 |
A6135 |
K29/11/72/29 |
Aboriginal people and torres strait islander peoples - Oenberna burial ground, Arnhemland |
1972 - 1972 |
MP729/8 |
4/433/4 |
Ideal Calibre SAA Bandolier Packing |
1950 - 1950 |
A12987 |
S72 |
Senate Select Committee on Medical and Hospital Costs - Submissions No 2 of 3 Bundles, PART A - Removal of the Means Test Association |
1968 - 1970 |
B503 |
V2428 |
NICOLSON, Ian Donald - VX16497 [6 pages] [Prisoners of War Trust Fund application] |
1973 - 1973 |
A10463 |
800/34 PART 8 |
Jakarta - Indonesian relations with China |
1977 - 1979 |
A10071 |
1953/12 TRANSCRIPT |
MACE Norman Frederick; MACE Gloria Amy versus MURRAY Joan - Transcript Record of Proceedings - Original |
1953 - 1956 |
A12812 |
175 |
Inquiry into Australian Radiation Laboratory, Yallambie Vic - B/w photos - part of unnumbered submission, b/w and coloured photos - part of inspection |
07 Aug 1974 - 06 Sep 1974 |
K60 |
HKM39042 |
LARKIN, George Frederick - Service Number - NX466, 2/47 |
1966 - 1985 |
A3092 |
221/11/11/2 PART 15 |
Malaysia |
15 Sep 1964 - 19 Nov 1964 |
AWM54 |
179/5/14 PART 11 |
[Chemical Warfare - Trials:] Dugway Proving Grounds. Mobile Chemical Warfare Section Unit, 1945-1946 |
1945 - 1946 |
D363 |
HB4660 PART 4 |
BAMBLETT, Florence May beneficiary of BAMBLETT, Reginald Thomas - Service Number - 27548 |
1989 - 1991 |
A13883 |
1460/3/11/1 PART 2 |
Singapore ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) relations with Indo China |
23 Nov 1977 - 07 Mar 1979 |
A1838 |
929/32/3/7 PART 2 |
Human rights - Countries - Africa, Zimbabwe |
1983 - 1984 |