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 |
B1535 |
724/2/114 |
[Medical Examination of Candidates for the Royal Military College] |
1933 - 1933 |
B1387 |
1981/655 PART 2 |
Antarctic Marine Living Resources - Meetings |
1982 - 1982 |
PP847/1 |
HB26601A |
BEYER, Bruce Colin beneficiary of BEYER, John Stewart - Service Number - WX17653 |
1971 - 1971 |
B300 |
5334 PART 17 |
Publicity advertisements - general |
1965 - 1969 |
AWM54 |
179/5/1 PART 1 |
[Chemical Warfare - Trials:] Reports from the Chemical Defence Board, Research and Experimental Section, Innisfail, Queensland [Part 1 of 10] |
1944 - 1945 |
A1838 |
696/8/6/2 PART 1 |
Civic action undertaken in connection with deployment of Australian troops in Vietnam |
1965 - 1968 |
A11235 |
57 |
Senate Journals -57th Session of Parliament - Volume containing Journal No. 1 (17 February 1976) to Journal No.86 (25 February 1977) |
1976 - 1977 |
PP870/1 |
MKM34922 |
BRASHAW Harry Arthur - Service Number PM8314, R33364 |
1945 - 1979 |
F1 |
1960/2294 |
Welfare Branch - Annual Report |
1960 - 1964 |
PP913/1 |
HX34290 |
Joe Maitland |
1947 - 1947 |
J25 |
1958/11103 |
European Permanent Admissions - Landing Permits - ASIO Lists, Queensland |
1958 - 1959 |
A452 |
1967/1910 |
Land Policy - Chirstmas Island |
1967 - 1969 |
A13147 |
NSR 176 |
National Security Act Regulations & Ordinances - National Security (General) Regulations. Order 2; Bacon and Smallgoods (SA) Order. Regulation 59 |
11 Jan 1943 - 25 Jan 1946 |
MP1187/1 |
V1965/23751 |
Ivoi, Antonio |
1953 - 1966 |
A1928 |
1023/65 TO 1024/45 |
(Staff files) |
01 Jan 1800 - 01 Jan 1800 |
A432 |
1931/460 |
Sydney C'wealth Bank: Grant's Contract |
1931 - 1931 |
PP707/1 |
MX13979 |
PAULEY William Harrold - DVA File (WWII sern WX695) |
1939 - 1979 |
A12812 |
118 |
Inquiry into Redevelopment of Brisbane International Airport - Initial Works of Phase 1 - Statement of evidence, originating papers, submissions, correspondence |
30 Oct 1978 - 15 Oct 1979 |
C5423 |
1407334 |
CPE [Central Photographic Establishment, Laverton] Follies 1967 |
01 Jan 1967 - 01 Jan 1967 |
A816 |
19/305/141 |
Indonesia |
1951 - 1952 |