Summary heading

  Descriptive Note

Function and purpose

This series is a discrete  Nominal Index  - separate from the main Nominal Index CRS A13156 - covering references to proper names relating to Commonwealth Departments and instrumentalities in Submissions (CRS A12908 and A12909), Decisions (CRS A13050 and A13075) and files of the main series of correspondence files (CRS A10756) maintained in the Cabinet Office for the administration of Cabinet business during the period of the Fraser Government, from November 1975 to about mid 1981. 

For reasons related to the conventions regarding access to records of a previous administration, it is the practice in Cabinet Office when a new government accedes to office to close off the current main correspondence file series documenting cabinet business and begin a new series for the business of the incoming government.  Accordingly in November 1975 a new series of Submission, Decisions and correspondence file series for Cabinet business of the Fraser government (CRS A10756)   were begun by the Cabinet office, together with the standard suite of control systems – Subject and Nominal indexes.    As well as a general Nominal Index (CRS A13156) indexing references to the generality of proper names, this index was also created providing a separate index dedicated to references to Commonwealth Departments (for example’ Aboriginal Affairs’; ‘Repatriation’) and instrumentalities (for example ‘Health Insurance Commission’; ‘Legislative Drafting Institute’; Telecom Australia’) only. 

The correspondence file series A10756 covers the full range of Cabinet-related activities including the Submissions and Decisions of Cabinet and the various Cabinet Committees in the course of the Fraser government.   When a new file is raised entries are made in this index to allow subsequent retrieval of the file by Nominal keyword (usually – but not always – a term in the file title.)   In addition the contents of the files are progressively indexed as they accumulate, making reference in particular to Submissions, Decisions and any other significant papers (documents such as Reports of Working groups or Inquiries.   In effect this is an meticulously detailed index not only to the files in A10756 but also to the Submissions registered in series A12908 (First Ministry) and A12909 (all subsequent ministries) and to the  Decisions (A13050 and A13075) including Decisions without Submission.    The Submission are indexed by reference to the Number and title only.  However in the case of the Decisions, in addition to the Decision number a detailed précis of the Decision itself is also entered on the cards – often virtually the whole text of the Decision.

It is apparent that this dedicated Nominal index was not continued beyond about the middle of 1981 – there are very few entries later than July 1981 and it is assumed that thereafter such references to Commonwealth Departments etc were indexed in the main Nominal index CRS A13156

There is one section of cards in this index under a tab headed ’State’ which refer to Commonwealth interaction with State governments, State Premiers, and authorities.  The entries cover references to any Commonwealth matter that relates to a State – for example ’Expansion of National Capital into NSW’; ‘Snowy Mountains Scheme’; Sugar Agreement’ – and cover a period to the end of 1982 – much later than the rest of the index.     These cards show  a structured numeric equivalents to approved headings (the primary number is ‘701A’) which reflects the regime of approved headings in the Subject index A12936 and it seems likely that this group originated in another context and were added to this index subsequently.

Related legislation

 

Using the series

The informational content of this series is easily accessed by utilising the lexicographical arrangement of the nominal terms shown at the heading of each card.

This Nominal Index identifies files in series A10756 relating to Commonwealth Departments and instrumentalities, as well as individual entries for Submissions and Decisions documented on those files .  This index covers these records for the period of the Fraser government up until July 1981, though with a few later entries. 

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Language of material

 

Physical characteristics

This index consists of one box of Index cards (8” x 5”) , yellow in colour, pre-ruled in a standardised format allowing for a Heading at the top of the card then ruled in three columns allowing for entry of  Date (of registration) , Description, and File Number

Entries are by handwriting.  The description includes numbers and title of submissions and decisions

There are dividers in the index with raised tabs bearing the letters of the alphabet

System of arrangement and control

  Each card has a heading which is the name of a Commonwealth-related Department, or other authority, etc.   The cards are arranged in lexicographical sequence by this heading.   Entries on the card are chronological as a new file is registered in the series or a Submission or Decision recorded which relates to the particular subject.     The files themselves are controlled in a simple number sequence with an LC prefix.

Relationships with other records

  This series control files of series A10756 both by the file title and by the contents (Submissions and Decisions) by detailed indexing of occurrences of proper names.  It complements the main Nominal index A13156 as well as the Subject indexes A12936 and A13158

Finding aids

 

Access conditions

 

Series history

 

Provenance

  The record item of this series was created in Cabinet Office in November 1975 and the informational content was accumulated from that date to July 1981

Immediate source of acquisition

 

Custodial history

This series were transferred to the custody of NAA by the Cabinet Office on 12 July 2005

Quantity in agency custody

 

Disposal history

 

Publication note

 

Additional information

 

End notes

 

Sources