Lexi Webster
In a major security breach, hundreds of top-secret Australian government files were found in a second-hand shop in Canberra this week. The files, which were left in two locked filing cabinets, revealed the inner workings of five separate governments and spanned nearly a decade. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) obtained the documents and published a series of exclusive reports, sparking an urgent investigation and review by the Australian government.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Incident | 31 January 2018 |
| Location | Second-hand shop in Canberra, Australia |
| Type of Files | Top-secret Australian government files |
| Number of Files | Hundreds |
| Storage | Two locked filing cabinets |
| Content | Classified information from five separate governments spanning nearly a decade |
| Buyer | Undisclosed |
| Purchase Price | "Small change" |
| Purchase Reason | Locked cabinets with no keys |
| Breach | One of the biggest breaches of Cabinet security in Australian history |
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What You'll Learn
Files were found in a second-hand shop
In a major breach of national security, top-secret Australian government files were found in a second-hand shop. The files were discovered in two locked filing cabinets, which were purchased at an ex-government sale in Canberra, Australia. The cabinets were sold off cheaply because they were locked and the keys had been lost.
The filing cabinets sat unopened for several months until the new owner drilled through the locks. Inside, the owner found thousands of pages of documents, most of which were marked "top secret", "sensitive", "Australian eyes only", and "Cabinet-in-confidence". The files covered a range of topics, including Australia's intelligence priorities, counterterrorism planning, missile upgrades, and profiles of suspected militants. They also included allegations that Australia's then-immigration minister, Scott Morrison, intervened in 2013 to demand extra checks on a group of asylum seekers to prevent them from obtaining permanent protection visas.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) obtained the files and began publishing parts of them, revealing the inner workings of five separate governments spanning nearly a decade. The revelations caused embarrassment for the current government and sparked an urgent investigation into how the files were left unsecured and sold.
The incident has been described as "one of the biggest breaches of Cabinet security in Australian history" and has raised concerns about the potential impact on national security. It has also prompted discussions about the importance of confidentiality in government decision-making processes.
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The Australian Broadcasting Corporation obtained the files
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) obtained the files after they were discovered in two locked filing cabinets in a second-hand furniture store in Canberra, the Australian capital. The cabinets were sold at an ex-government sale, and the locks were drilled into by the purchaser after sitting unopened for several months. The files, which span nearly a decade and cover five separate governments, including those of former Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott, were then obtained by ABC, which began publishing parts of them this week.
The files were reportedly bought for "small change" as the keys were lost, and the ABC has not released any details about how the files were obtained. The network has said it will "protect their privacy at all costs". The files include thousands of pages of documents, most of which are classified, with some marked "top secret" or "AUSTEO" (to be seen by Australian eyes only).
The revelations from the files include allegations that Australia's then-immigration minister Scott Morrison intervened in 2013 to demand extra checks on asylum seekers to prevent them from obtaining permanent protection visas. There are also allegations that former Prime Minister John Howard's government considered removing Australians' right to remain silent in custody and that the Australian Federal Police lost nearly 400 national security files between 2008 and 2013.
The publication of the files has triggered an urgent investigation by the Australian government, which has called it "one of the biggest breaches of Cabinet security in Australian history". The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has also ordered a review, with Martin Parkinson, the head of the department, saying that an investigation into the disposal of the cabinets would be conducted.
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The files covered five governments
The files, which were found in an old cabinet sold at a second-hand furniture store, cover five governments and span nearly a decade. They include records of the current government led by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, as well as those of former Prime Ministers Tony Abbott, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, and John Howard.
The documents reveal the inner workings of these administrations and contain sensitive information that should have been kept confidential for at least 20 years. They include details of counterterrorism operations, missile upgrades, profiles of suspected militants, and Australia's desire for more Indonesian cooperation to stop asylum seekers.
The files also reveal that the Australian Federal Police lost nearly 400 national security files between 2008 and 2013. In addition, they show that former Prime Minister Tony Abbott's government considered denying welfare to people under 30 and that former Prime Minister John Howard's administration debated removing the right of Australians to remain silent in custody.
The release of these files has triggered an urgent investigation by the Australian government into how the documents were left in the cabinets that were sold. It has also sparked amusement and embarrassment among Australians, with some calling the situation absurd.
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The files were marked top secret
The files were marked 'top secret' and contained highly sensitive information, including details of counterterrorism operations, missile upgrades, profiles of suspected militants, and Australia's desire for more Indonesian cooperation to curb asylum seekers. The documents also revealed that the former prime minister, Tony Abbott's government, considered denying welfare to people under 30 and removing the right of Australians to remain silent in police custody.
The files were marked not only as 'top secret' but also with the classification 'AUSTEO', meaning they were intended for 'Australian eyes only'. This classification is typically reserved for the most sensitive and confidential information, accessible only to authorised personnel within the Australian government.
The 'Cabinet Files', as they have been dubbed, also included information on the inner workings of five separate governments, spanning nearly a decade. They provided insights into various controversial decisions and discussions, such as the debate around removing the right to remain silent under police questioning and the alleged intervention by Scott Morrison, the then-immigration minister, to demand extra checks on asylum seekers in 2013.
The exposure of these files has been deemed "one of the biggest breaches of Cabinet security in Australian history" by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). This incident has triggered an urgent investigation by the Australian government, which is seeking to understand how such sensitive information was left unsecured and accessible to the public.
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An investigation has been launched
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) obtained the documents and published a series of exclusive reports, revealing the inner workings of several governments. This included allegations that Australia's then-immigration minister, Scott Morrison, intervened in 2013 to demand extra checks on asylum seekers to prevent them from obtaining permanent protection visas. ABC also reported that former Prime Minister John Howard's government had considered removing the right to remain silent in custody.
The investigation will focus on how the highly sensitive documents were accidentally sold and will be conducted by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Martin Parkinson, the head of the department, stated that an urgent review would be undertaken, but he declined to comment further. The Australian government is treating this as a significant breach of national security, and there is concern that the information could have ended up with a foreign government.
The ABC has described the incident as "one of the biggest breaches of Cabinet security in Australian history". The network has also stated that it will protect the privacy of the individuals who discovered the files, refusing to release any names or details.
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Frequently asked questions
The files were found in a second-hand furniture store in Canberra, Australia.
The files were found in two locked filing cabinets.
The cabinets were bought for "small change" as they were locked and the keys were lost.
The files contained thousands of pages of confidential information, including details of counterterrorism operations and how to defend the United Arab Emirates from Iran.
