Queensland Government Cabinet Minutes
Cabinet is the decision-making body of the Queensland Government and is made up of The Premier and all Ministers of the Crown. The first Queensland Cabinet was formed in December 1859.
Cabinet minutes are the formal record of the decisions Cabinet makes on a specific issue. The issues discussed affect the whole of Queensland and may set precedent for future State government policy. Examples of Cabinet matters include:
- law reform
- significant policy issues and initiatives
- release of discussion papers
- intergovernmental agreements
- important appointments to government boards and committees.
Before 1957, Cabinet minutes were not officially recorded—decisions were noted on the relevant departmental files by the Minister(s). From 1957 onwards, the decisions and documents of Cabinet meetings have been recorded by the Cabinet Secretary—a non-political, senior public servant— on behalf of the Premier.
Cabinet minutes are subject to a minimum access restriction period of 20 years, with most records subject to a 30 year access restriction period.
Cabinet minutes are released from an embargo period on 1 January each year. For example, the 1986 Cabinet minutes were released from embargo on 1 January 2017.
Cabinet minutes from 1985 onwards are available on ArchivesSearch. You can find them by searching for a Minister’s name or keyword(s), or a Cabinet decision number, if you know it.
Older Cabinet minutes are listed in our catalogue ArchivesSearch, but you will need to visit us in person to view them, or order copies of them.
We have a number of reports, written by historians and researchers, that discuss the background, important decisions and selected highlights for each year since 1972.
Read our research guide for more about researching Cabinet minutes.