In 1994, the Senate agreed to a motion by Senator Harradine 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 now requires departments to also list these files on their Internet websites.
The lists are tabled twice a year, once in the Spring sittings and once in the Autumn sittings.
• Spring sittings - files created in the preceding July to December
• Autumn sitting - files created in the preceding January to June
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
Due to the Machinery of Government changes on 3 December 2007, the Autumn 2008 listing will include industry and innovation function files from the former Department of Industry, Tourism & Resources (DITR), as well as the current Department of Innovation, Industry, Science & Research (DIISR) files and portfolio agency files.
• For Science & Research function files, including Questacon, from 1 July 2007 to 4 December 2007, please refer to
http://www.dest.gov.au/portfolio_department/dest_information/publications_resources/resources/departmental_file_lists/listing_of_departmental_files.htm
(operational from 19/03/08.)
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.
In response to the senate order requirement that the list be 'indexed', the files are assigned to one of the following categories:
• Corporate
• International Relations
• Industry
• Innovation
• Small Business
• Measurement
• Science & Research (from 5 December 2007 to 31 December 2007)
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 2007
Indexed list of files – 1 July to 31 December 2007
Agency files
Lists of files - 1 July to 31 December 2007
IP Australia
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/about/files_ipa.shtml
Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)
http://www.aims.gov.au/foi/foi-02.html
Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation (ANSTO)
http://www.ansto.gov.au/discover/about_ansto/files.html
CSIRO
http://www.csiro.au/resources/pf17t.html
Australian Research Council (ARC)
http://www.arc.gov.au/about_arc/ARC_file_lists.htm