Australia Investigates Withholding of Iraq War Cabinet Documents

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese orders inquiry into secrecy of key records, raising questions of potential political cover-up.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has ordered an inquiry into why certain Cabinet documents related to Australia's involvement in the 2003 Iraq war remain secret.
The documents were withheld from the annual release of Cabinet records by the National Archives of Australia, a practice that follows the expiration of a 20-year secrecy provision.
Albanese blames the former conservative government for failing to hand over all documents to the archive three years before their due release date.
Retired public servant Dennis Richardson has been appointed to investigate whether the documents were withheld as part of a political cover-up.
The National Archives of Australia is expected to decide within 90 business days whether the documents can be made public.