Principles of public access | Open access period | Access directions | Register of Access Directions | links to more information

Public access to the records of Government is a fundamental right in a democratic society. The State Records Act promotes the principles of accountability and access by providing for the creation, management and protection of State records and for public access to those records. The underlying principle is that all records of continuing value will be publicly available in due course.

Part 6 of the State Records Act creates a framework for regulating public access to State records which have been in existence for at least 30 years (the 'open access period'). The 30 year period has been determined on the basis that most records no longer affect significant interests or are considered sensitive after this time has passed. There is presumption that most records will be open after 30 years.

Public offices are required to make an access direction (to determine whether the records are open or closed to public access) for all their records which are in the open access period. An access direction is a direction that a series, group or class of records is open to public access ('OPA') or closed to public access ('CPA').

State Records maintains a Register of Access Directions for public inspection.

The register provides a listing of records that are the subject of an access direction. It details records covered by a direction, the direction, the duration of closed to public access directions, the reasons given for a closed to public access direction and the public office responsible for the direction.