Annual release of cabinet records - our ancient history not all fit for public consumption

The 1988-1989 cabinet records released on 1 January provide plenty of interest for the buffs and interesting pickings for the mainstream at a slow news time of the year.

As to the admittedly small amount of information still withheld after all these years, a plus that no document is withheld in its entirety.

But still plenty of room for head scratching.

What passes for usual (see last year), parts of various documents concerning Antarctica are withheld. All interested parties no doubt guess those parts don't sit well with our sovereignty claim. 

What officials judge shouldn't be revealed about what cabinet and senior officials knew then concerning the South Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and China is another matter, probably to do with spooks and intelligence matters. 

Clearly that's the case with withheld parts of "People's Republic of China intelligence services activities in Australia" and "Eastern European and Cuban intelligence activities in Australia." As to the withheld part of the title of the submission "Measures to improve Australia's High Frequence (HF) Signal Intelligence Capability.." - any guesses?

Parts of submissions still relevant to the current Mr Fluffy asbestos problem in the ACT and NSW are disclosed but other parts of Memorandum 6034 and Submission 6037 on the subject are withheld for a range of reasons. Including yes, believe it or not, because of likely damage Australia's security, defence or international relations.  legal privilege not outweighed in the judgment of officials by the public interest in disclosure.

Parts of "Cape York spaceport – Commonwealth support" are withheld because of damage to security, defence or international relations.

You have to wonder at what point officials are comfortable for our ancient history to become our publicly known and acknowledged ancient history.

From National Archives Australia, the section dealing with withheld records:


Cabinet records withheld from public access
A small amount of material contained in the Cabinet records has been withheld from public access. The following table indicates whether a document is partially released (noted as 'OWE' – open with exception) or wholly withheld (noted as 'CLOSED') and the reasons for exemption from public access under the Archives Act 1983.
Information has been exempted under different categories of section 33 of the Archives Act 1983 because its disclosure:

• would damage Australia's security, defence or international relations – s33(1)(a);
• would have a substantial adverse effect on the financial or property interests of the Commonwealth and disclosure would not, on balance, be in the public interest – 33(1)(c);
• would be a breach of confidence – 33(1)(d);
• would, or could reasonably be expected to prejudice the fair trial of a person – 33(1)(f)(i);
• would be privileged from production in legal proceedings on the ground of legal professional privilege and its disclosure would be contrary to the public interest – 33(2).

Defence

Topic and title	Document	Reason for exemption from public access under the Archives Act
Possession of firearms by Officers of Diplomatic and Consular Missions	Submission 6904	OWE 33(1)(a)

Foreign affairs

Topic and title	Document	Reason for exemption from public access under the Archives Act
Libya – South Pacific update	Memorandum 5551	OWE 33(1)(a)
United States' interest in PNG – Australian international policy	Memorandum 5789	OWE 33(1)(a)
Australia-Papua New Guinea relations	Submission 5953	OWE 33(1)(a)
Australia-Indonesia relations	Submission 6209	OWE 33(1)(a)
Australia-Indonesia – zone of cooperation in the Timor gap	Submission 6374	OWE 33(1)(a); 33(2)(a)(b)
Australia's relations with China	Submission 6571	OWE 33(1)(a)
Australian diplomatic communications network – redevelopment	Submission 6572	OWE 33(1)(a)

Legal issues and law enforcement

Topic and title	Document	Reason for exemption from public access under the Archives Act
[Asbestos in Canberra houses]	Memorandum 6034	OWE (33)(1)(c)(d)(f)(i); 33(2)(a)(b)
Asbestos in Canberra houses – legal and funding issues	Submission 6037	OWE (33)(1)(c)(d)(f)(i); 33(2)(a)(b)
Evidence in Federal and ACT Courts	Submission 6919	OWE CP 1990

Security and intelligence

Topic and title	Document	Reason for exemption from public access under the Archives Act
Privacy Act 1988 – access to personal information by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO)	Submission 6746	OWE 33(1)(a)
Non-legislative recommendations of the Report on ASIO of the Royal Commission into Australia's Security and Intelligence Agencies	Submission 6762	OWE 33(1)(a)
People's Republic of China intelligence services activities in Australia	Memorandum 6763	OWE 33(1)(a)
Eastern European and Cuban intelligence activities in Australia	Memorandum 6767	OWE 33(1)(a)
Entry and expulsion policy for Soviet and East European intelligence officers	Submission 6800	OWE 33(1)(a)
Measures to improve Australia's High Frequence (HF) Signal Intelligence Capability [portion of title exempt]	Submission 6818	OWE 33(1)(a)
Secretaries Committee on Intelligence and Security (SCIS) Report to Ministers on the activities of the intelligence and security agencies in 1988–1989	Memorandum 6824	OWE 33(1)(a)
Soviet technical security activity – Australian Embassy, Moscow	Submission 6826	OWE 33(1)(a)
Australian's regional security interests and policies	Submission 6881	OWE 33(1)(a)
Possession of firearms by Officers of Diplomatic and Consular Missions	Submission 6904	OWE 33(1)(a)

Science and research

Topic and title	Document	Reason for exemption from public access under the Archives Act
Cape York spaceport – Commonwealth support	Submission 6908	OWE 33(1)(a)

Territories

Topic and title	Document	Reason for exemption from public access under the Archives Act
Long term continuation of the Continental Margins Program (CMP) and extension to Antarctica	Submission 5522	OWE 33(1)(a)
Antarctic Minerals Convention	Submission 5558	OWE 33(1)(a)
Antarctic Minerals Convention	Submission 6415	OWE 33(1)(a)
Antarctic Minerals Convention – further developments	Submission 6506	OWE 33(1)(a)
Antarctica – possible World Park	Memorandum 6507	OWE 33(1)(a)