Following a media query on 18 December 2023, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) identified that it had failed to transfer 78 Cabinet records from 2003 to the National Archives of Australia (NAA), in line with historical arrangements.

On 1 January 2024, Professor Glyn Davis AC, Secretary of PM&C, commissioned an independent review of the transfer process for the 2003 records and to confirm all relevant records had been transferred to the NAA. Dennis Richardson AC was appointed to conduct the review.

Key findings:

• PM&C’s failure to provide the NAA with a complete set of 2003 Cabinet records was a result of administrative error, in part due to the circumstances particular to 2020 and in part due to systemic issues. Any suggestion of political influence or interference is without foundation.
• As at 30 December 2023, PM&C was aware of 78 Cabinet records from 2003 that had not been transferred to the NAA. 77 of these records were provided to the NAA on 31 December 2023.
• During the course of the Review, one of the 78 records and a further four Cabinet records from 2003 were located which had not been transferred. These five Cabinet records were provided to the NAA on 5 January 2024.