Report No

Subject

Date Presented

First

Procedural matters 

24 March 1976

Second

Security Vetting and the question of establishment of a Security Appeals Tribunal

24 March 1976

Third

Intelligence Co-ordination Machinery

1 November 1976

Fourth

ASIO (Australian Security and Intelligence Organization)

24 December 1976

Fifth

ASIS (Australian Security and Intelligence Service)

24 December 1976

Sixth

DSD (Defence Signals Directorate)

21 April 1977

Seventh

History of Australian Intelligence and Security Services

21 April 1977

Eighth

Disposal and Subsequent Use of RCIS Records

21 April 1977

First report

A draft was circulated before presentation of the final report

Second report

This report was prepared in accordance with the third of the Terms of Reference. It was given a priority in response to a suggestion that an early report on these matters would be welcomed by the Government. The first drafting was done during the Commissioner’s absence overseas in September to November 1975. A draft version was circulated before presentation of the final report.

Third report

This report relates to the second of the Terms of Reference. A preliminary draft was provided to the Prime Minister and departmental Secretary on about 18 August 1976. A slightly re-drafted version was circulated to heads of relevant department and agencies on 25 August 1976. Special hearings were held with representatives of Department of Defence on 29 September 1976 to discuss objections. (Items under primary number 6 in series CRS A8913 refer.)  The final report was present on 1 November 1976 and an abridgement of findings and recommendations was issued on 1 December 1976.

Fourth report

This report refers to the second and fourth Terms of Reference. An officer from the Australian Security and Intelligence Organization (ASIO) was seconded to assist in the drafting of this report. A draft fourth report ‘not finally settled’ was circulated on 27 October 1976 (see item 4/11 of this series). Relevant correspondence is on files 20/48 and 20/48/1 of series CRS A12381.

Fifth report

This report refers to second and fourth Terms of Reference. A draft fifth report ‘not finally settled’ was circulated on 20 October 1976 (see item 5/37 of this series). Relevant correspondence is on files 20/49 and 20/49/1 of series CRS A12381.

Sixth report

This report refers to second and fourth Terms of Reference. As a preliminary exercise (bearing also on the fourth report) the Royal Commission prepared in 1976 a paper for the Solicitor-General outlining the forms of communication interception carried out by Australian intelligence and security agencies, and obtained his opinion as to the legality of these (see items 6/1 and 6/2 in this series ). Work on the sixth report began in earnest on 27 October 1976 and a draft report was produced for comment on about 1 March 1977.

Seventh Report

This report refers to the first of the Terms of Reference. A consultant historian began work about February 1975 (see file EO/2/6 of series A12386). The contract ended on 31 May 1976 and a draft working version was produced from earlier drafts in November 1976 and was subsequently revised during a brief re-engagement of the consultant historian.

Eighth report

An archivist who was engaged to recommend action for the records of the Royal Commission wrote much of this report – a draft was circulated in March 1977 (file EO/1/40 of series A12386 refers).