Summary heading

Function and purpose

 This series consists of exhibits tendered at Official Hearings and in chambers, comprising mostly of paper documents. In some cases the exhibit is a document in support of verbal evidence including copies of letters or of published articles, sometimes not more than a name; in other cases it is a formal submission or supplementary submission. In some cases the submissions received at hearings, as well as being registered as exhibits in this series were also registered as submissions in the register of private submissions (file K/26 of series A12384).

There was the occasional exhibit that was not received at an official hearing, such as Exhibit 15A (‘Anonymous letter from ASIO officer March 1975’).

Physical characteristics

 At the time of transfer to Archives’ custody, the exhibits were individually contained in paper envelopes; they have been secured in acid-free folders with Archives’ identification and the envelopes discarded.

System of arrangement and control

 There are two concurrent systems of control apparent in the register and the items themselves – the principal system is a simple numerical sequence with occasional A suffix (denoting that the item is not to be published). There are 140 exhibits registrations in this sequence.

The second system is a simple alpha system that was a set within the primary control sequence – indicating that the exhibits were received ‘in chambers’ hearings. There are only three items identified with the additional alphabetical control symbols. Not all exhibits received ‘in chambers’ hearings had the supplementary control symbols. While originally treated as two series in the Inventory of Records (CRS A12396), HC1 and HC2, control of the exhibits were controlled by the primary numerical sequence, and so is regarded as one series.

Finding aids

 Series HZ (Register of Exhibits) in the Inventory of Records, CRS A12396

HL3 – List of exhibit/transcript cross-references

Custodial history

 Following the closure of the Royal Commission in 1977 the records were transferred to the custody of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (in Canberra) where they remained until transferred to National Archives of Australia in 2001.