NEWS

Ordinary General Meetings
(Last Tuesday of each month)

Change of Venue
All Meetings are held in the Canberra Southern Cross Club WODEN commencing at 1900hrs

NEW REPATRIATION MEDICAL AUTHORITY CHAIR APPOINTED
Snowdon LTE: ANZAC CENTENARY 'BRANDING'
Australian Gulf War Veterans' Health Study 2011 Follow Up
National President Newsletter No. 8 of 2011
President's OGM Report - November 2011
Overseas Medical Vaccinations
Release of records by the National Archives of Australia

PRESIDENT'S OGM REPORT - NOVEMBER 2011

WODEN VALLEY RSL  

ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING 25 October 2011 

PRESIDENT’S REPORT 

ACCOMMODATION 

The Executive, particularly the Secretary, continue to monitor the CSCC proposal to re-develop the Pitt & Putt course area. At this stage the Club’s application for change of use / purpose has received limited approval so we are not certain what, if any, affect that may have on its plans. 

Concurrently the Sub-branch continues to investigate other accommodation options, as we have no tenure at the Health Club site after 30 Sep 2015. The CSCC management and Board are prepared to provide some office space for us after that date, but it may not be sufficient for our expanding needs. 

We have submitted an application to DVA for the new Service Delivery Integration (SDI) Grant. This grant is for organisations who wish to be considered for support to establish a Veterans’ Support Centre in their area. We have support for our application from some other ex-service organisations, so we are hopeful of a positive outcome. 

PROPOSAL FOR A SOUTHSIDE VETERANS’ CENTRE 

Over the past few years the Sub-branch has been trying to obtain support from the ACT Government and other ex-service organisations for a Southside Veterans’ Centre. Recently the Kindred Organisations Council (KOC) has taken an interest in this concept.  

The Sub-branch is not directly a member of the KOC. The ACT Branch is the member on behalf of all Sub-branches. Next week a meeting of interested members of the KOC is being held to discuss the proposal. I will be attending this and future KOC meetings as an observer. This recognises that Woden Valley RSL Sub-branch is a significant organisation within the southern area of the ACT. 

HONORARY CHAPLAIN 

With the passing of Rt Rev Neville Chynoweth AM ED, the Sub-branch does not have a recognised Chaplain. Rev Roger (Mick) O’Donnell of Duffy has been a member of the Sub-branch since 1973 and assisted at the Edison Park ANZAC & Peace Ceremonies for a number of years. 

The Board agreed to invite Mick to be our Honorary Chaplain and officiate at events as appropriate. I am pleased to report that Mick has accepted our invitation, indicating that he is greatly honoured. 

BRANCH COUNCIL 

The Branch Council met on Monday 17 October. At this meeting there was a lengthy discussion in respect of: 

·       Proposed Draft MOU between the RSL and the VAV – more detail about this is provided in the document circulated separately to all members. 

·       Communication from National HQ and State HQ to Sub-branches – your delegates expressed concern that the HQ were not communicating effectively with the Sub-branches. This is specifically demonstrated by the lack of consultation about the proposed MOU. We cited other examples of poor communication, such as the proposal to establish a National Cemetery in Canberra and the WW1 & WW2 Memorials. 

VALE 

Since our last meeting, representatives of the Sub-branch have attended and participated at the funerals of the following recently departed ex- servicemen and woman: 

Peter Collas 

President 

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Overseas Medical Vaccinations

Earlier last year after submissions had been made to me at an AVADSC meeting in Brisbane I approached the Deputy Commissioner in the Queensland Consultative Forum regarding Gold Card holders being required to pay for Medical Vaccinations prior to overseas travel, I have now received a positive outcome.

Prior to 1st Aug 2010 DVA has not provided coverage for medical vaccinations for DVA clients travelling overseas, the approach was that these were privately incurred expenses.

DVA has now released a new Business Line where in it now states that as from the 1st Aug 2010 all GOLD CARD holders are eligible for all required vaccinations to be covered under the Gold Card arrangements.

Any Gold Card holders that may have incurred charges from 1st August 2010 are able to seek reimbursement via DVA. I would expect a fact sheet covering this to be issued shortly.

I ask that you make this information widely available to your friends and association membership, I will send you a copy of the DVA Fact Sheet once it becomes available.

If you or anyone else has any questions ask them to contact their nearest DVA VAN office.

Regards

Gordon Blake
Chairman
QLD State Advisory Council
Australian Veterans’ & Defence Services Council

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Release of records by the National Archives of Australia

BACKGROUND

The National Archives of Australia is responsible for making Commonwealth records available to the public under the provisions of the Archives Act 1983. The Act requires the National Archives to release records for public access which are in the open access period unless they contain information that falls into one or more of the 16 exemption categories as defined in section 33 of the Act. This applies to both records in the Archives’ custody and those still with government agencies.

Following amendments to the Archives Act in May 2010, the closed access period was reduced from 30 years to 20 years. The changes will be phased in over a 10-year period. Each year, the open access period for Commonwealth records will increase by two years. Before release each file is examined by specialist Archives’ staff who are delegated under the Act to examine records and make decisions about whether they can be released. Sometimes this is done in consultation with relevant departments and agencies.

The National Archives holds a range of information about identified individuals, including files about service personnel, migrants, and subjects of investigation by the security services. Personal information available in these records may include full name, date and place of birth, addresses, next-of-kin details, education qualifications, medical details and work history. The majority of researchers seeking access to these files are family historians, subjects of the files or next of kin.

Under section 33 (1)(g) of the Act material can be exempted if it constitutes an unreasonable disclosure of personal affairs. In the case of medical health information, the age of the material, the amount of detail in the record, and whether the subject of the information is deceased is taken into account. Detailed medical histories and material containing information of continuing sensitivity are not released.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What records are available for possible release? 

The Archives Act applies to all records except those of the Courts, some records of the Parliament, governors-general, the monarch and some records held by other national collecting institutions, such as the National Library of Australia. There is a right of access to all other records in the open access period, including those held by government agencies.

Before the National Archives releases records for public access they are examined to ensure they do not contain information requiring exemption.

2. Who can access the documents?

Once the file has been examined and any exemptions have been applied, the file is available to any person who wants to view it.

3. Can normal records of service be released, and if so, to whom?

Yes they can be released, once they have reached the open period and after they have been examined, and to anyone who has requested them.

Service records are used by the services to administer the movements and pay of personnel. They commonly contain biographical information as well as service information such as movements, postings, training and performance reports, changes in rank, and brief mention of injuries or illness.

4. Can medical documents be released?

Minor medical information such as administrative documents in service dossiers are usually suitable for release. Sensitive medical information on service dossiers would generally be removed from the dossiers and retained by the Department of Defence before records are transferred to the National Archives.

Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) case files which may include hospital, medical or pension files contain personal information that is sensitive, so therefore are not always available for public release. Because many World War II and post-World War II veterans or their spouses or siblings are still alive DVA case files from later years are not suitable for public release even though they are in the open period. The Archives advises inquirers requesting DVA files or Defence health records to contact the departments directly.

5. Can service performance reports be released, and if so, to whom?

Service performance reports can be released. Section 33 (1)(g) of the Archives Act provides that a record is exempt from public access if it contains ‘information or matter of which under this Act would involve the unreasonable disclosure of personal affairs of any person (including a deceased person)’.

Both the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) and the Federal Court have determined that information relating to a person’s professional affairs, including their employment performance, is not considered to be their personal affairs and therefore cannot be exempted under the personal affairs exemption.

Under section 33 (1)(j), information about the business or professional affairs of a person can be withheld where release of this information would adversely impact on lawful business or affairs.

6. Would the service dossiers of SAS soldiers be released?

SAS members’ service documents are still in the custody of Department of Defence. At the present time the department is preparing dossiers of those who served in Korea and Vietnam, including the SAS, for transfer to the National Archives. Sensitive operational information is not usually held on a member’s file but all records are being checked for sensitive operational and medical information before transfer. If any of this information is found it will be removed from the file and retained by the Department of Defence.

7. Are subjects of files notified before release of documents relating to them?

While the Freedom of Information Act requires agencies to consult individuals named in records before release, the Archives Act contains no such provision. This recognises the difference in age of records each Act deals with and the practical difficulties that such a provision would entail. After more than 20 years it is unlikely that the National Archives would be able to contact the large numbers of individuals about whom information is released each year, so in the interests of consistency and equity the Archives does not seek individual views.

8. Can an individual pre-empt the release of any documents by taking some course of action with the National Archives?

No. The Archives Act requires the National Archives to make open period records available for public access unless they contain exempt information as defined at section 33 of the Act. Any person can apply to the Archives for access to an open period record. No person can seek to pre-empt an application for access being processed. Under the law an applicant is not required to explain why they want access nor are they required to be related to, or to have sought permission from, the subject of the record or the subject’s relative.

The National Archives provides access to records through its reading rooms, copying service and its website. Because the Act does not prescribe delivery channels, the National Archives is able to exercise some discretion about what it makes available online. In certain circumstances online access will be withdrawn if the subject of a record, or an immediate relative, objects to a record being online. Where online access is withdrawn, records will continue to be available through the National Archives’ reading rooms and copying service as according to the Archives Act.

9. What, if any, other external documents does the National Archives use to interpret the Act?

Under the Act, the National Archives is the decision maker in relation to providing access to Commonwealth records. Decisions are made using a detailed Access Examination manual which has been informed by relevant decisions by the AAT and Federal Court and sometimes advice sought from government agencies and departments.

Due to changes in the Act reducing the closed period from 30 to 20 years the National Archives is currently reviewing the Access Manual to reflect this change. When the review is completed the Access Manual will be available on the Archives website.

If you seek further information or have concerns about information that has been released, please consult Fact Sheets available on our website (www.naa.gov.au) or contact:

Director, Reference & Information Services
National Archives of Australia
PO Box 7425
CANBERRA BUSINESS CENTRE ACT 2610 

Here is the link: http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/explore/index.aspx

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Tuesday, 10 January 2012                                                                                                                VA003  

LETTER TO THE EDITOR 

ANZAC CENTENARY ‘BRANDING’   

Australia is preparing to commemorate the Centenary of Anzac from 2014 to 2018, marking 100 years since our nation’s involvement in the First World War.  

Over this period we will remember not only the Anzacs who served at Gallipoli and the Western Front, but all Australian servicemen and women who have served in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. 

The media reporting suggesting there would be branding of Anzac Day is wrong. There is no such plan for 25 April 2015 or any other year.   

What is being developed is a specific motif for the centenary program similar to the way a motif was developed for the highly acclaimed Australia Remembers - created to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. 

The final motif will convey to the Australian community the overall theme for the four year centenary program.   

The Anzac Centenary Advisory Board, which includes many eminent Australians and is chaired by the former Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, AC, AFC (Ret’d), supports the development of the motif.  

It is unfortunate that the public has been mislead by inaccurate media reporting on this subject.   

The sanctity of Anzac Day will always be protected. 

The Hon Warren Snowdon MP  

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs 

Minister for Defence Science and Personnel 

Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Centenary of Anzac 

Media inquiries:      Minister Snowdon: Lidija Ivanovski or Marcus Butler  02 6277 7820 or 0407108 935 / 0417 917 796 

                                    Department of Veterans’ Affairs Media: 02 6289 6203 

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