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 |
A3963 |
S1/1/3 |
Royal Commission on Petroleum: Ampol. 15.5.75 - 11.8.75. |
1975 - 1975 |
A7073 |
J209/114 PART 1 |
Avoidance of tax - Legal opinions given in respect of particular cases |
1981 - 1983 |
A12812 |
158 |
Inquiry into Adelaide Airport: Upgrading for International Services - Briefing papers, submissions, draft report, tabling details, correspondence |
30 Mar 1982 - 12 Jul 1983 |
A13122 |
8 |
Minutes of Committee Proceedings - 36th Parliament - Volume 7 - Miscellaneous Minutes |
31 May 1990 - 24 Jun 1992 |
A4243 |
11 |
Southern Hardwoods Pty. Ltd. |
1974 - 1976 |
A6122 |
910 |
Communist Party of Australia. Social activities - Queensland |
1949 - 1956 |
A11235 |
13 |
Senate Journals - 13th Session of Parliament - Volume containing Journal No. 1 (9 July 1913) to Journal No. 34 (19 December 1913) together with Sessional Papers and Reports from Select Committees |
1913 - 1913 |
PP946/1 |
HKM32377 VOLUME 3 |
BURGESS, Kenneth Charles - Service Number - 5/588 |
1977 - 1978 |
A1533 |
1954/4179 |
HARRISON, Mrs Henny Magdelena [10 pages] |
1954 - 1958 |
B73 |
M97143 |
Vernon, Robert James No 2432 [includes 'R' Repatriation file] |
1916 - 1945 |
B73 |
M28664 |
Binns, Charles William [medical file] |
1916 - 1974 |
A1500 |
K6898 FR |
FOLIO REMOVAL - 1 NEGATIVE - Aboriginal people and torres strait islander peoples - Art - Archaeologists examine cave paintings, Ayers Rock |
1961 - 1961 |
A9377 |
9 |
[The Australian Cypher 1946] Cypher typed |
1946 - 1946 |
A432 |
1985/7846 |
Royal Commission into Australia's Security and Intelligence Agencies - Cabinet Submission on Jurisdiction of Security Appeals Tribunal |
1984 - 1986 |
A12812 |
98 |
Inquiry into Australian Defence Force Academy - Correspondence, govt. comments and responses, in camera Transcripts - Canberra x 2 |
01 May 1978 - 12 Mar 1981 |
C138 |
C114372 |
William James MORAN [Repatriation pension case file] [23 pages; box 8304] |
1939 - 1989 |
A12389 |
B2 |
ASIS document: Brief Background Notes on ASIS |
1958 - 1974 |
A3092 |
221/11/6 PART 7B |
Netherlands New Guinea |
21 Nov 1961 - 31 Dec 1961 |
B26 |
HX163200 |
ROWE, Alan James |
1951 - 1977 |
D363 |
HB14610 PART 1 |
BALLINGER, Gertrude June beneficiary of BALLINGER, Claude Joseph - Service Number - 62295 |
1990 - 1990 |