In 1994, the Senate agreed to a motion requiring all Australian Government departments and agencies to produce an indexed list of files every six months for tabling before parliament. The production of the list is intended to make the operations of government more transparent to the Australian public.
The original Senate Order was amended in 1998 and requires departments to list the files on their Internet websites.
The lists are tabled twice a year, in the Spring sittings and Autumn sittings.
• Spring sittings - files created in the preceding January to June
• Autumn sitting - files created in the preceding July to December
Inquiries regarding access to departmental records under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 1982 can be made to the FOI coordinator, Peta Dixon, 6213 7742.
The Department's Indexed List of Files
In accordance with the Order, the department's list of files does not include:
• files transferred to the National Archives of Australia
• files essentially related the internal administration of the department (staff or personnel, accounts, training, or general administrative matters)
• case related files (for example personal representation or dealing with the personal affairs of departmental or agency client), and
• file titles whose national security classification is Secret or Top Secret or their equivalent.
In accordance with the Order, some information in file titles has been deleted, such as:
• commercially confidential information
• identifiably personal information, and
• any security classified information which is disclosed in or which could reasonably be established from a file title.
Please use the following links to view the lists of file titles relating to the Innovation, Industry and Science & Research functions.
Departmental files
Indexed list of files – 1 January to 30 June 2008 (HTML)
Indexed list of files – 1 July to 31 December 2007 (PDF)
Indexed list of files – 1 January to 30 June 2007 (PDF)
Portfolio Agency files
Lists of files - 1 January to 30 June 2008
Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)
http://www.aims.gov.au/docs/publications/foi-200801-06.html
Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation (ANSTO)
http://www.ansto.gov.au/discovering_ansto/people_at_ansto/access_to_information/freedom_of_information/senate_file_list.html
Australian Research Council (ARC)
http://www.arc.gov.au/about_arc/ARC_file_lists.htm
CSIRO
http://www.csiro.au/resources/pf1gw.html
IP Australia
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/about/files_ipa.shtml