Australia’s Access to Her Queen’s Correspondence

Abstract

A recent High Court decision has established that the secrecy of Royal correspondence is subject to an Act which regulates public access to Commonwealth records. Communications between The Queen and her Australian Governor-General between 1974 and 1977 are now accessible. Other relevant Royal correspondence may continue to be secret where not prohibited by an Act. Based on what has become accessible, The Queen had no direct part in the Governor-General’s dismissal of the Australian Government on 11 November 1975. However, the Royal Household played an important part leading to the Governor-General actions on 11 November 1975. These actions were inconsistent with the constitutional requirements codified at the latest in 1926. Australia’s future republican status inevitably is posed.