Summary heading

  Descriptive Note

Function and purpose

A Cabinet Decision  - traditionally called a ‘Cabinet Minute’ – is the essential record output of the Cabinet system – it is the fiat which authorises the bureaucracy to act in matters of significance – high level policy issues, major expenditure or significant appointments.     All matters discussed in a  Cabinet meeting result in a Cabinet Decision (even if the decision is merely that the matter was noted.)  The matters discussed are normally the formal  Submissions received from Ministers and Departments which are listed in the agenda, prepared by Cabinet Office  for that meeting.  However, a Minister may, by prior agreement of the Prime Minister, bring up another matter for discussion for which no formal submission has been made,  These are known as ‘under-the-line matters and the Decision resulting from the discussion is termed a Decision without Submission.

Senior officers of the Cabinet Office  attend the Cabinet meetings to take notes of the discussion and the decisions made.  (The notebooks created by the Notetakers are described in RecordSearch as CRS A11099.  In the Fraser government an additional facilitative record was introduced from 1976 called ’Debrief sheets’ – see CRS A12937.)    Immediately after the conclusion of the meeting the Decisions are typed up from the notes and  registered  in the Cabinet Office and distributed to Ministers and departments for action as required.   Note that while Submissions are formulated by Ministers and their departments, the Decisions are created in the Cabinet Office. To assist the Cabinet officer in this regard, the Cabinet Handbook stipulates that a Submission must contain a recommendation and the wording of the recommendation should anticipate the wording of the Decision.  Each Decision is created as a discrete document – traditionally called a ’Cabinet Minute’, normally of only one or two pages.  Multiple copies are created for distribution to Ministers and departments for action as required; and within Cabinet Office, one copy is filed in a Master set of Decisions contained in a sequence of Folders – which constitutes this series.   (Another copy is filed with the relevant Submission in the Master set of Submissions (CRS A12908 or A12909) and one is filed on the relevant Subject file in A10756.

The first Fraser Ministry  was in effect an interim ministry of 15 members, sworn in as a caretaker government on 11 November 1975, following the dismissal of the Whitlam government.  It remained in place for six weeks while the outcome of the election set for 13 December 1975 was determined.   The ministry formally ended on 22 December 1975 when a new Fraser government (with much expanded ministry) was sworn in following the Coalition’s election victory.  The numbering sequences of both Submissions and Decisions for the caretaker government were discontinued and new number sequences were begun by the Cabinet office for the second Fraser  ministry.  These new numbering sequences continued throughout all the subsequent Fraser ministries.

Note that during the term of the Fraser government two new categories of Cabinet documents were introduced that approximated the role of the Submission and in regard to which Decisions were made.  There were Cabinet Papers, introduced from  September 1976 (see CRS A12933) and Cabinet Memoranda introduced from 5 February 1979 (see CRS A12930)

 This series consists of a total accumulation of 55 folders containing copies of all Decisions made at Cabinet meetings, and Cabinet Committee meetings  during the term of the second, third, fourth and fifth Fraser Ministries, filed in sequence by the Decision number.  The first folder of decisions was begun on 22 December 1975  and the last folder was added to the series on 3 December 1982 and its contents end with Decision no 19675 ( C ) made at a meeting of the Coordination Committee on 11 Feb 1983.  This was the date of the last Cabinet  or Cabinet committee meeting before the election of 5 March 1983 which brought the Fraser government to an end.

A Submission to Cabinet may be referred, at the discretion of the Prime Minister, to a Cabinet Committee for consideration rather than to the Cabinet itself.  There were no Cabinet Committees during the brief term of the First Fraser (Caretaker) Ministry however a range of Standing Committees was created in the Second Ministry in accordance with established practice and various Ad Hoc Committees were created from time to time to consider specific matters (Note 1) 

In some cases a Committee, having discussed the matter, may then refer a recommendation to a meeting of Cabinet for a Decision.  In other cases the Committee itself made the Decision.   The Decision number in respect of any submission, indicates where the Decision was made.  A Decision made by Cabinet has no alpha suffix to the Decision number.  A Decision made in a Cabinet Committee has an alpha suffix which indicates which committee.  Generally Decisions made in any Ad Hoc committee have the same suffix (AD HOC) except for Decision of the Budget Committee which was in effect a recurring Ad Hoc Committee – its Decisions have a ‘B’ suffix (sometime shown as ‘AHB’):

AD HOC – a generic abbreviation for any Ad Hoc Committee

B – Ad Hoc Committee on Budget

C – Coordination Committee (1979-1983)

EC – Economic committee  (1975-1983)

FAD – Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee (1975-1983)

GA – General Administrative Committee (1975-1979)

GP – General Policy Committee (1979-1983)

IP – Industry Policy Committee (1979-1983)

IS - Intelligence and Security Committee  (1977-1980)

LEG – Legislation Committee (1975-1983)

MOG – Machinery of Government committee (1975-1979)

MP – Monetary Policy Committee (1977-1983)

PC – Planning and Coordination Committee (1975-1979)

PIC – Public Information Committee (1981-1981)

WP – Wages Policy committee (1977-1983)

SWP – Social Welfare Policy Committee (1977-1983)

The Whitlam government had adopted the practice of including the entire ministry in the Cabinet and this practice was effectively continued in the caretaker Fraser government. (The First Fraser ministry consisted of only 15 members, most holding multiple ministerial portfolios.)  However with the formation of the second ministry – which consisted initially of 27 members – the former practice, which had been in place since the 1950’s, was restored and the Second Fraser Cabinet consisted of only 12 ministers (13 ministries, PR Lynch being both Treasurer and Minister for Finance.)  Note that the Record of Attendance (A12575) shows what ministers attended each meeting – including co-opted ministers. (Note 2)

However the Fraser government revived the concept of Ministerial meetings where Decisions made were registered and controlled  in the sequence of Cabinet Decisions – and were distinguished by addition of an ‘M’ suffix (sometimes shown in the Decision register as ‘MIN’). The first Decisions of the Second Fraser government were Ministerial decisions (made at a meeting of the full ministry on 23 December 1975.)  Each subsequent ministry was normally inaugurated with a ministerial meeting of this kind and a short sequence of ministerial Decisions – hardly more than a re-iteration of the previous set of Ministerial Decisions..  These were all confined to housekeeping and procedural matters, mostly concerning specifically the operation of the Cabinet system, and procedures of the Cabinet office (control and circulation of  submissions etc.)   (Prominent among them was a statement that Cabinet meetings had absolute claim on a Minister’s time.)

Related legislation

 

Using the series

All the Decisions of the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Fraser Ministries are present in this series – whether they were made at a Cabinet, Committee or Ministerial meeting and whether they were made in regard to a Submission, a Paper or a Memorandum, or were Without Submission.  However, only those without Submission have been individually described in the item database of RecordSearch.   The folders are entered as standard item entries and those Decision in a folder which are Without Submission are entered as sub-items of the entry for the folder.  Entries are made in this way because this series may be the only place where Decisions Without Submission can be seen.  In all other cases (that is, where Decisions were made in response to a Submission, a copy of the Decision is present in the Submission series A12909 – all items of which have been individually entered in RecordSearch. A subject keyword search in RecordSearch will therefore find any Decision on that subject, in series A12909 if the Decision related to a Submission, or in series A13075 if there was no Submission.

Note also that in some cases a Decision may be Without Submission, but a Paper (from September 1976) or a Memorandum (from February 1979) may have been submitted in lieu of a formal Submission and in those instances a copy of the Decision will be present with the Paper (series A12933  - Cabinet; or A12934  - FAD Committee) or with the Cabinet Memorandum (series A12930).   Note also that the Legislation  Committee also had its own discrete series of Papers/Memoranda  - there is a Register in A129430 – but it appears a ‘master’ set of copies of these papers was not maintained.

The Register of Decisions (CRS A12911) shows the relevant LC file for each Decision (that is, including Decisions without Submissions)

As all submissions have been entered in RecordSearch database, a submission relating to any particular subject can be retrieved by keyword search in RecordSearch (limiting search by Series No 12909.)   An alternative is to peruse the Register of Submissions (CRS A12910)  This register also shows the relevant Decision number for each Submission.   A submission is normally, by direction of the Cabinet Office,  a fairly brief document.  More background material may be found on the relevant file in the Cabinet Office’s LC series (CRS A10756)  The department which prepared the submission will also have files on the subject, including the drafting of the submission, in its general correspondence files series.  (The Cover Sheet on top of  each  submission indicates which Minister - and hence which department - is making the submission.)

The entry for the LC file in RecordSearch shows the relevant Submission number in the Title field.

Note that there is no correlation between a Submission number and the Decision number for that submission.  The sequence of Submission numbers reflects the chronology of the submissions’ being received in Cabinet Office.  The sequence of Decision numbers reflects the chronology of the submissions’ being presented to a cabinet meeting for consideration - and there are many variable factors that intervene to affect the latter.  In addition, the sequence of Decision numbers includes Decisions on matters for which no submission was made (known as ‘Decisions without Submissions’)  The Decision number is therefore normally well in advance (in numerical terms) of the Submission number.  In the course of the Second to Fifth Fraser ministries, there were 5974 Submissions but a total of 19675 Decisions.

Language of material

Physical characteristics

 The Decisions are created in Cabinet Office in a standardised format.  The aim is a succinct expression of the Cabinet’s will and a Decision is normally only one or two pages – though occasionally more where the matter is complex and also sometimes with a schedule attached.  The front page is headed ‘Cabinet Minute’ and has a copy number in top-right hand corner    The name of the meeting (whether cabinet or a particular committee) and the place and date of the meeting follow before the Decision Number.  There is then a reference to the Submission (by Number and title) or ‘Without Submission’ if there was none.  The text of the Decision then follows and at the end the signature of the Committee Secretary.  Multiple copies are created.  The practice of the Cabinet Office is that master copies of all Decisions are accumulated in a sequence of Visidex folders arranged by the Decision number.  This series consists of a total of 55 folders.  The range of Decisions in each folder appears on a blue label on the spine of the folder. 

In the custody of the National Archives these folders have been retained (unlike the submissions, A12909,  each of which has been re-packaged in individual folders and the Folders discarded.)

Cabinet Decisions are routinely classified Confidential.

System of arrangement and control

  The items of this series are the folders which are controlled by simple number sequence, from number 1 to number 55.  The Decisions contained in the folders are controlled by a Decision number allocated from the Decision Register (CRS A12911.)   The Decision number sequence is a simple number sequence ranging from 1 to 19675.  However in cases where the Decision was made by a Cabinet Committee, rather than the Cabinet itself, an alpha suffix is added to the Decision number which indicates which Committee made the Decision – see list of committees and suffixes above.  An ‘M’ suffix indicates the Decision was made at a Ministry meeting.

Relationships with other records

  The submission numbers are allocated from the Submission register (CRS A12910)  which documents the receipt in Cabinet Office of all submissions made during the ministry   The relevant file in the LC series (CRS A10756) documents the process of preparation of the submission for presentation to the cabinet.  The Decision register (CRS A 12911)  controls the allocation of Decision number to register all Decisions made in that ministry, including Decisions without Submissions.  The Decisions themselves (normally one page for each Decision) are accumulated in this series (ie A13050).  Cabinet Papers (CRS A12933) introduced from 1976 and Cabinet Memoranda (CRSA12930) introduced from 1979  are series of documents which substitute for or supplement Submissions.    The Attendance Sheets (CRS A12575) record which ministers were present  at each meeting (as well as the type of meeting – whether cabinet or a committee – and also who the Notetakers were at each meeting.)

Finding aids

  This series and related series of the First Fraser Ministry are described in RecordSearch database both at Series level and item level.  For general information regarding the Cabinet office refer to registration for agency CA 1472 in RecordSearch.  The Cabinet Office procedures regarding preparation of  Submissions is described in detail in the Cabinet Handbook which was first printed during the term of the second Fraser Ministry (February in 1976.)  The Handbook also outlines the operation of the Cabinet system in broad terms.  The present edition (the fifth) can be seen at   www.pmc.gov.au/guidelines/index.cfm

Note that Cabinet Decisions are referred to in the Handbook, and in some other contexts, as Cabinet Minutes.  Matters that are raised in the Cabinet meeting for which no submission has been made (leading to a Decision without Submission) are referred to as ‘under–the-line’ matters.

Access conditions

 

Series history

 

Provenance

  The records that constitute this series were created in the Cabinet Office (CA1472) in November 1975

Immediate source of acquisition

 

Custodial history

  The records that constitute this series were transferred from the Cabinet Office to the custody of the National Archives in May 2004

Quantity in agency custody

 

Disposal history

 

Publication note

 

Additional information

 

End notes

 Note 1:  CABINET COMMITTEES DURING THE FRASER GOVERNMENT

No Cabinet Committees were created in the course of the first Fraser ministry.  At the first meeting of the second Fraser Ministry on 22 December 1975 the following Standing Cabinet committees were created (by Decision No 9)

Policy and Planning Committee (PP)

General Administrative Committee (GA)

Legislation Committee (LEG)

Economic Committee (EC)

Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee (FAD)

Machinery of Government Committee (MOG)

The Policy and Planning Committee was re-named Planning and Coordination (PC) but by October 1976 it had never met and in late 1977 it was again commented that it had ‘hardly any use’ 

In February it was replaced by a  new committee initially proposed as a ‘Leadership’ committee but this name was changed to Coordination Committee (CC)

By the end of 1977 the following committees had also been added

Intelligence and Security (IS)

Monetary Policy (MP)

Wages Policy (WP)

Social Welfare Policy (SWP)

In Feb 1979 the General Administration (GA) committee and the MOG committee were replaced and their functions re-distributed in two new committees called Industry Policy Committee and General Policy Committee

In late 1980 the IS committee was subsumed into FAD Committee

The Chronological Record of Meetings (CRS A12573) shows what Cabinet Committee Meetings occurred  The Attendance Sheets (CRS A12575) records what Ministers attended each meeting.  (The Attendance Sheets in the later period have pre-printed on the reverse of the form a list of the membership of each current committee.)

The committee system was intended to relieve pressure on the Prime Minister - The three most important committees were Planing and Coordination, Economic Committee and FAD – and these (inter alia)  were chaired by the Prime minister.  Others were chaired by Senior ministers. One of the uses of the committee system was to involve ministers who were not cabinet members in decisions of government and the cooperative/collective responsibility ethos.   [SMH article of 23 Jan 1976 (file LC2 part 1) makes the point that Cabinet Committees are more correctly called Ministerial Committees since they include Ministers who are not members of Cabinet.]

The expectation (as set out in Decision 9 of 22 Dec 1975) was that in general the Standing Committees will take final decision on matters referred to them.  In practice, partly because of the management style of the Prime Minister, Committees which he did not chair were less likely to make final decisions.

Ad Hoc committees were created from time to time to deal with particular non-ongoing issues.  For example at the end of 1978 the following AD Hoc committees were current:

Uranium Committee

Taxation Committee

Antarctic Policy Committee

New Parliament House Committee

Industrial Relations Committee

AD Hoc Committees normally did not make final Decisions unless it was clear that the matter had been referred to them for that purpose.

Supporting the Cabinet Committees was a further level of committees which were called ‘Officials Committees’ – name changed in February 1979 to ‘Permanent Heads Committees’  These were composed of departmental heads and were intended to facilitate consultation at departmental level.   The membership of any Permanent Heads committee did not necessarily reflect the Ministerial composition of the Cabinet Committee which it supported.  Permanent Heads Committees did not make Decisions.

The terms of reference of the Standing Committees as at 5 February 1979 were defined as follows:

Coordination Committee (CC) : To consider overall government strategy and to deal with matters refereed to it by the Prime Minister

Foreign Affairs and Defence (FAD)  : To consider matters concerned with international relations and defence

Intelligence and Security (IS) :  To set overall policy and oversee the work of the intelligence community

Monetary Policy  (MP) :  To deal with matters relating to interest rates, banking policy and currency exchange rates

Wages Policy  (WP) :  To settle the Governments Submission at the National Wage Case and deal with related matters referred to it by the Prime Minister or Cabinet.

Social Welfare Policy  (SWP) :  To oversee and consider plans and policies and review existing policies and programs in the broad field of health, welfare and education

Legislation (LEG) :  To examine draft bills, and ensure their compliance with the terms of Decision of Cabinet or Cabinet Committees.  To consider minor legislative proposals determine priority and authorise drafting.  To develop and monitor the legislation program for each Parliamentary sittings, including oversight of priorities for drafting and passage.  To oversee the Parliamentary proceedings and priorities.

General Policy  (GP) :  To consider matters broadly within existing policy guidelines, as referred by the Prime Minister.  To deal with organisational and administrative matters

Industry Policy  (IP)  :  To consider matters arising from reports of the Industries Assistance Commission and the Temporary Assistance Authority. To oversee Government Purchasing policy, including the acquisition of ADP capability.  To deal with matters affecting Australian industry generally

Note 2  CO-OPTED MINISTERS

A minister who was not a Cabinet member might be coopted to a meeting if the subject matter impacted significantly on his portfolio.  That is, he/she was advised by Cabinet Office of the Submission and the forthcoming meeting and was required to attend.  (If the matter was Without Submission the minister could attend if he/she chose.)  As there was no set order in which matters listed were dealt with, a Co-opted minister normally attended the whole meeting and might be invited to comment on other matters apart from the one in relation to which he/she had been coopted.  The same arrangements applied to Cabinet Committee meetings.

Sources