Commonwealth Numbered Acts

Archives Act 1983 No. 79 of 1983 - SECT 31

Division 3-Access to Commonwealth Records

31. (1) Subject to this Part, the Archives shall cause all Commonwealth
records in the open access period that are in the custody of the Archives or
of a Commonwealth institution, other than exempt records, to be made available
for public access.

(2) A Commonwealth institution that has the custody of Commonwealth records in
the open access period, other than exempt records, shall make such
arrangements with the Archives as will enable the Archives to meet its
obligations under sub-section (1) in relation to those records.

(3) Subject to any regulations made under section 20, sub-section (2) does not
apply to-

   (a)  the Senate, the House of Representatives or a Parliamentary
        Department, in relation to records in the possession of the Senate,
        the House of Representatives or the Parliamentary Department; or

   (b)  a court, in relation to records in the possession of that court or of
        a registry of that court.

(4) The Archives may withhold a Commonwealth record or a class of
Commonwealth records from public access for a reasonable time pending
examination in accordance with section 35.