ASIO File

An ASIO file is a file compiled by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. These files are known to record the habits and movements of a person or persons of interest to ASIO. Older files present as log-like written documents. A file can be supplemented by digital, video, film, photographic and audio material.
The term is colloquial in origin and now used formally. The terms 'ASIO file' and 'ASIO files' appear in fact sheets 33, 52 and 53, published by the Australian Government National Archives of Australia.
Less frequently the term can be applied to other file types kept by ASIO, including events and other phenomena.
What does an ASIO file look like?
ASIO files that subjects have obtained, and have been filmed or photographed by mainstream news media, take the form of paper files with censored content. Because ASIO files can generally only be released to the public after a period of 30 years under Australia's Archives Act, these known files have the appearance of typed paperwork created over a period ending in the late 1970s.
Description of an ASIO file page
The file page originally shown in this article was a request form of some type, requesting information be added to a subject's file. A description of the page follows:
* Type-face: all upper case and bold. Page headed A.S.I.O. in print similar to the Arial font but more likely to be Helvetica (Arial was designed in 1982 and Helvetica in 1957). 'Inward Message' sub-heads the page in a more elaborate type-face.
* Date: appears to have been stamped (upper right corner). Year digits indistinct, showing a date of 14 Dec, just 11 days before Christmas.
* Stamps: the page had three stamps. A date stamp, an 'urgent' stamp (upper case), and a circulation stamp.
* Hand writing: the page showed six hand written annotations, reference numbers and what could be initials.
Censored rectangular, black ink, blocks appear frequently throughout subjects' files in other images released to the public. Entire paragraphs may be censored in this way.
How accurate is an ASIO file?
People who have obtained parts of their files say their files contain notable inaccuracies and considerable censured content. A royal commission into ASIO conducted in the 1970s corroborates subjects observations' and supports the view that the files are frequently inaccurate. Justice Robert Hope of the enquiry wrote that ASIO, between 1949 when it was formed and the mid 1970's when the enquiry was conducted, "could not be taken seriously as an efficient organisation". He also wrote that "ASIO has pursued radicals beyond what is required to obtain security". George Brownbill, Justice Hope's deputy, recalled that "ASIO files disclosed numerous cases where gossip and tittle-tattle about people and their so-called communist sympathies was recounted to certain figures in the Menzies governments... as we found out later and with more detailed inquiry, much of this was no more than slander under privilege."
The National Archives of Australia has, in consultation with ASIO, negotiated a process and subjects of files may now submit a written statement outlining as clearly and concisely as possible any inaccuracies they believe their file (or a file of a deceased spouse or parent) contains. The National Archives cannot change the contents of the file but will add the subject's statement to the file. The subject's statement should only address material already in the file.
Who can an ASIO file be about?
ASIO has kept, and appears to still keep, files on a wide range of people. ASIO seems interested in almost anyone. Subjects have included artists, scientists, doctors and political activists.
How can an ASIO file be obtained?
Anecdotal evidence suggests a suspected ASIO file can be obtained by requesting it. The Archives Act may be of assistance. Successful file owners seem to have taken a direct approach. Contacting the National Archives may help. Mr Adams emphasises that his file was given to him by the National Archives and not by ASIO.
On November 5, 2007 reports appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald and Brisbane Times newspapers claiming Chicka Dixon had obtained 150 pages of his ASIO file, covering a period in the 1960s and 70s when he was actively involved as a leader of the indigenous rights movement. At the time of writing this article the author is uncertain what steps Mr Dixon took to obtain pages of his file. Mr Dixon is reported to have always been very open with the knowledge that ASIO was interested in him..
On 23 February 2008 the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported in a Good Weekend lifestyle article that artist Mary Hammond went to Canberra in 2003 to ask for her file, reporting she was given 41 pages of it. Ms Hammond was unaware she had been followed by ASIO during early monitoring of her movements but became aware of the possibility during the Vietnam War protests. She said of her file "there are things here that are totally wrong". ASIO refused to hand over documents and in November 2007 the court ordered discovery of a number of ASIO documents. ASIO subsequently appealed to the full court. ASIO's appeal was overturned again in July 2008.
The National Archives' role
The National Archives describes its role as being 'to help Australian Government agencies create and manage their records, to select the most valuable records created by Australian Government agencies to become part of the national archival collection, to store, describe and preserve the national archival collection and... to make records in the national archival collection that are over 30 years old publicly available'.
Under the Archives Act 1983, most records can be released to the public after 30 years unless they fall into any of 16 exemption categories (as itemised in section 33 of the Archives Act).

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