On 31 January 2013 the National Archives imposed a disposal freeze on Commonwealth records likely to be required by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and any subsequent actions by the Australian Government.
The disposal freeze suspends the National Archives' permission to destroy any relevant records. This means that relevant records cannot be destroyed using any agency specific or general records authorities issued by the National Archives or through a normal administrative practice (NAP).
The Royal Commission submitted its final report on 15 December 2017. The National Archives welcomes the advice of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse on the importance of records, supported by good recordkeeping practices.
On 11 October 2018 the National Archives of Australia issued General Records Authority 41 Child Sexual Abuse Incidents and Allegations as part of its response to the recordkeeping-related recommendations of the Royal Commission.
The disposal freeze remains in force until the National Archives is confident that GRA 41 provides adequate protection for Australian Government records relating to incidents and allegations of child sexual abuse.
Background
On 12 November 2012 the Prime Minister, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, announced the Australian Government’s intention to establish a Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Australia. The Governor-General issued the Letters Patent and Terms of Reference establishing the Royal Commission on 11 January 2013.
The Archives has determined that a disposal freeze is necessary to ensure that relevant records are protected and available for the purposes of the Royal Commission and any subsequent actions by the Australian Government, for future reference and accountability purposes and to protect the rights and entitlements of stakeholders.
Information about the categories of records affected by the freeze is contained in the following official notice: Notice of Disposal Freeze: Records related to institutional responses to child sexual abuse (pdf, 210kB).
The disposal freeze may also be a useful reference for State and Territory governments, and the not-for-profit and private sectors.
Commonwealth agency heads were notified on 23 November 2012 of the pending disposal freeze and were asked to protect records potentially relevant to the Royal Commission from destruction.