37-675: The Moseley Royal Commission , officially titled the Royal Commission Appointed to Investigate, Report and Advise Upon Matters in Relation to the Condition and Treatment of Aborigines was a Royal Commission established by the Government of Western Australia in 1934 to hear evidence regarding the treatment of Aboriginal people . The commission was named for the author of its final report, magistrate Henry Moseley . The Royal Commission
74-413: A commission of inquiry . Such an inquiry has considerable powers, typically equivalent or greater than those of a judge but restricted to the terms of reference for which it was created. These powers may include subpoenaing witnesses, notably video evidences, taking evidence under oath and requesting documents. The commission is created by the head of state (the sovereign, or their representative in
111-559: A threat model that is broadly similar to that faced by a large private company. The Official Sensitive classification replaced the Restricted classification in April 2014 in the UK; Official indicates the previously used Unclassified marking. Unclassified is technically not a classification level. Though this is a feature of some classification schemes, used for government documents that do not merit
148-401: A change from the previous rule, under which documents could have their classification time length renewed indefinitely, effectively shuttering state secrets from the public. The 2011 law applies retroactively to existing documents. The government of Canada employs two main types of sensitive information designation: Classified and Protected. The access and protection of both types of information
185-504: A classification in public sectors, such as commercial industries. Such a level is also known as " Private Information". Official (equivalent to US DOD classification Controlled Unclassified Information or CUI) material forms the generality of government business, public service delivery and commercial activity. This includes a diverse range of information, of varying sensitivities, and with differing consequences resulting from compromise or loss. Official information must be secured against
222-564: A fair and just social contract . The purpose of classification is to protect information. Higher classifications protect information that might endanger national security . Classification formalises what constitutes a "state secret" and accords different levels of protection based on the expected damage the information might cause in the wrong hands. However, classified information is frequently "leaked" to reporters by officials for political purposes. Several U.S. presidents have leaked sensitive information to influence public opinion. Although
259-476: A few cases—compelling all government officials to aid in the execution of the commission. The results of royal commissions are published in reports, often massive, of findings containing policy recommendations. Due to the verbose nature of the titles of these formal documents they are commonly known by the name of the commission's chair. For example, the “Royal Commission into whether there has been corrupt or criminal conduct by any Western Australian Police Officer”
296-402: A government agency or group shares information between an agency or group of other country's government they will generally employ a special classification scheme that both parties have previously agreed to honour. For example, the marking Atomal, is applied to U.S. Restricted Data or Formerly Restricted Data and United Kingdom Atomic information that has been released to NATO. Atomal information
333-494: A particular classification or which have been declassified. This is because the information is low-impact, and therefore does not require any special protection, such as vetting of personnel. A plethora of pseudo-classifications exist under this category. Clearance is a general classification, that comprises a variety of rules controlling the level of permission required to view some classified information, and how it must be stored, transmitted, and destroyed. Additionally, access
370-400: A routine level of protection and is treated as OFFICIAL. Information that does not form part of official duty is treated as UNOFFICIAL. OFFICIAL and UNOFFICIAL are not security classifications and are not mandatory markings. Caveats are a warning that the information has special protections in addition to those indicated by the security classification of PROTECTED or higher (or in the case of
407-522: A satisfactory background investigation. Documents and other information must be properly marked "by the author" with one of several (hierarchical) levels of sensitivity—e.g. restricted, confidential, secret, and top secret. The choice of level is based on an impact assessment; governments have their own criteria, including how to determine the classification of an information asset and rules on how to protect information classified at each level. This process often includes security clearances for personnel handling
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#1733094409046444-533: Is an acronym for "Control of Secret Material in an International Command". Most countries employ some sort of classification system for certain government information. For example, in Canada , information that the U.S. would classify SBU (Sensitive but Unclassified) is called "protected" and further subcategorised into levels A, B, and C. On 19 July 2011, the National Security (NS) classification marking scheme and
481-725: Is desired that no document be released which refers to experiments with humans and might have adverse effect on public opinion or result in legal suits. Documents covering such work field should be classified "secret". Secret material would cause "serious damage" to national security if it were publicly available. In the United States, operational "Secret" information can be marked with an additional "LimDis", to limit distribution. Confidential material would cause "damage" or be prejudicial to national security if publicly available. Restricted material would cause "undesirable effects" if publicly available. Some countries do not have such
518-541: Is governed by the Security of Information Act , effective 24 December 2001, replacing the Official Secrets Act 1981 . To access the information, a person must have the appropriate security clearance and the need to know. In addition, the caveat "Canadian Eyes Only" is used to restrict access to Classified or Protected information only to Canadian citizens with the appropriate security clearance and need to know. SOI
555-698: Is known as a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry. Royal commissions are the highest form of inquiry on matters of public importance. A royal commission is formally established by the Governor-General on behalf of the Crown and on the advice of government Ministers. The government decides the terms of reference, provides the funding and appoints the commissioners, who are selected on the basis of their independence and qualifications. They are never serving politicians. Royal commissions are usually chaired by one or more notable figures. Because of their quasi-judicial powers
592-559: Is known as the Kennedy Royal Commission . While these reports are often quite influential, with the government enacting some or all recommendations into law, the work of some commissions have been almost completely ignored by the government. In other cases, where the commissioner has departed from the Warranted terms, the commission has been dissolved by a superior court. Classified information Classified information
629-476: Is marked COSMIC Top Secret Atomal (CTSA), NATO Secret Atomal (NSAT), or NATO Confidential Atomal (NCA). BALK and BOHEMIA are also used. For example, sensitive information shared amongst NATO allies has four levels of security classification; from most to least classified: A special case exists with regard to NATO Unclassified (NU) information. Documents with this marking are NATO property ( copyright ) and must not be made public without NATO permission. COSMIC
666-404: Is material that a government body deems to be sensitive information that must be protected. Access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of people with the necessary security clearance with a need to know . Mishandling of the material can incur criminal penalties. A formal security clearance is required to view or handle classified material. The clearance process requires
703-536: Is not a classification of data per se . It is defined under the Security of Information Act , and unauthorised release of such information constitutes a higher breach of trust, with a penalty of up to life imprisonment if the information is shared with a foreign entity or terrorist group. SOIs include: Classified information can be designated Top Secret , Secret or Confidential . These classifications are only used on matters of national interest. Protected information
740-472: Is not classified. It pertains to any sensitive information that does not relate to national security and cannot be disclosed under the access and privacy legislation because of the potential injury to particular public or private interests. Federal Cabinet ( King's Privy Council for Canada ) papers are either protected (e.g., overhead slides prepared to make presentations to Cabinet) or classified (e.g., draft legislation, certain memos). The Criminal Law of
777-421: Is restricted on a " need to know " basis. Simply possessing a clearance does not automatically authorize the individual to view all material classified at that level or below that level. The individual must present a legitimate "need to know" in addition to the proper level of clearance. In addition to the general risk-based classification levels, additional compartmented constraints on access exist, such as ( in
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#1733094409046814-471: The Access to Information Act : ultrassecreto (top secret), secreto (secret) and reservado (restricted). A top secret ( ultrassecreto ) government-issued document may be classified for a period of 25 years, which may be extended up to another 25 years. Thus, no document remains classified for more than 50 years. This is mandated by the 2011 Information Access Law ( Lei de Acesso à Informação ),
851-496: The NATIONAL CABINET caveat, OFFICIAL: Sensitive or higher). Australia has four caveats: Codewords are primarily used within the national security community. Each codeword identifies a special need-to-know compartment . Foreign government markings are applied to information created by Australian agencies from foreign source information. Foreign government marking caveats require protection at least equivalent to that required by
888-736: The Non-National Security (NNS) classification marking scheme in Australia was unified into one structure. As of 2018, the policy detailing how Australian government entities handle classified information is defined in the Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF). The PSPF is published by the Attorney-General's Department and covers security governance, information security , personal security, and physical security . A security classification can be applied to
925-546: The U.S. ) Special Intelligence (SI), which protects intelligence sources and methods, No Foreign dissemination (NoForn), which restricts dissemination to U.S. nationals, and Originator Controlled dissemination (OrCon), which ensures that the originator can track possessors of the information. Information in these compartments is usually marked with specific keywords in addition to the classification level. Government information about nuclear weapons often has an additional marking to show it contains such information ( CNWDI ). When
962-522: The United Kingdom and other members of the British Empire used Most Secret , but this was later changed to match the United States' category name of Top Secret in order to simplify Allied interoperability. The Washington Post reported in an investigation entitled "Top Secret America" that, as of 2010, "An estimated 854,000 people ... hold top-secret security clearances" in the United States. It
999-506: The classification systems vary from country to country, most have levels corresponding to the following British definitions (from the highest level to lowest). Top Secret is the highest level of classified information. Information is further compartmented so that specific access using a code word after top secret is a legal way to hide collective and important information. Such material would cause "exceptionally grave damage" to national security if made publicly available. Prior to 1942,
1036-491: The commissioners are often retired or serving judges. They usually involve research into an issue, consultations with experts both within and outside government and public consultations as well. The warrant may grant immense investigatory powers, including summoning witnesses under oath , offering of indemnities, seizing of documents and other evidence (sometimes including those normally protected, such as classified information ), holding hearings in camera if necessary and—in
1073-455: The definition of classified ought to be information that would cause injury to the cause of justice, human rights, etc., rather than information that would cause injury to the national interest; to distinguish when classifying information is in the collective best interest of a just society, or merely the best interest of a society acting unjustly to protect its people, government, or administrative officials from legitimate recourses consistent with
1110-599: The foreign government providing the source information. Special handling instructions are used to indicate particular precautions for information handling. They include: A releasability caveat restricts information based on citizenship . The three in use are: Additionally, the PSPF outlines Information Management Markers (IMM) as a way for entities to identify information that is subject to non-security related restrictions on access and use. These are: There are three levels of document classification under Brazilian Law No. 12.527,
1147-533: The form of a governor-general or governor) on the advice of the government and formally appointed by letters patent . In practice—unlike lesser forms of inquiry—once a commission has started the government cannot stop it. Consequently, governments are usually very careful about framing the terms of reference and generally include in them a date by which the commission must finish. Royal commissions are called to look into matters of great importance and usually controversy. These can be matters such as government structure,
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1184-407: The information itself or an asset that holds information e.g., a USB or laptop . The Australian Government uses four security classifications: OFFICIAL: Sensitive, PROTECTED, SECRET and TOP SECRET. The relevant security classification is based on the likely damage resulting from compromise of the information’s confidentiality.. All other information from business operations and services requires
1221-476: The information. Some corporations and non-government organizations also assign levels of protection to their private information, either from a desire to protect trade secrets , or because of laws and regulations governing various matters such as personal privacy , sealed legal proceedings and the timing of financial information releases. With the passage of time much classified information can become less sensitive, and may be declassified and made public. Since
1258-422: The late twentieth century there has been freedom of information legislation in some countries, whereby the public is deemed to have the right to all information that is not considered to be damaging if released. Sometimes documents are released with information still considered confidential obscured ( redacted ), as in the adjacent example. The question exists among some political science and legal experts whether
1295-676: The treatment of minorities, events of considerable public concern or economic questions. Many royal commissions last many years and, often, a different government is left to respond to the findings. Royal commissions have been held in Australia at a federal level since 1902. Royal commissions appointed by the Governor-General operate under the Royal Commissions Act 1902 passed by the Parliament of Australia in 1902. A defunct alternative
1332-582: Was given by mothers of children who had been removed from them. The commission produced a report citing problems with the current policy, but concluded that the recommendations of Neville be followed. Royal Commission A royal commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue in some monarchies . They have been held in the United Kingdom , Australia , Canada , New Zealand , Norway , Malaysia , Mauritius and Saudi Arabia . In republics an equivalent entity may be termed
1369-587: Was set up to examine proposals to extend the powers of A. O. Neville , the " Chief Protector of Aborigines ", and the social policy of removal of children from their parents. Agitation by critics, and the resulting media coverage in London, and locally, had drawn attention to the Native Administration Act 1905–1936 (WA) Amendment (1911), and to actions by Neville. A series of submissions detailed accusations of child slavery, abuse and mistreatment, and evidence
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