The Australian news network ABC has obtained hundreds of highly classified documents, dubbed the Cabinet Files, which were discovered in locked filing cabinets purchased at a second-hand shop in Canberra.
Describing the Cabinet Files as "the biggest breaches of cabinet security in Australian history," ABC declined to identify the shop and the person who bought the filing cabinets.
Meanwhile, the country's Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has announced an urgent investigation into the leak of the classified documents, with some of them marked as "top secret" or "AUSTEO", a sign that they can only be looked through by Australians.
The #CabinetFiles prove that right-wing so called journalist Andrew Bolt lied about about being 'consulted' regarding changes to be made to Section 18c of the Racial Discrimation Act, after he had been found guilty by the federal court of breaching them. #Auspol pic.twitter.com/DbPGq5krhg
— Jeff Campbell (@joxer) 31 января 2018 г.
In particular, the Cabinet Files have revealed that the Australian Federal Police (AFP) lost nearly 400 national security files in five years, and that former Prime Minister Tony Abbott's government had considered denying welfare to people under 30.
Additionally, the classified files claimed that the administration of former Prime Minister John Howard discussed scrapping the right of people to refuse to answer questions during a police interrogation.
The real story is: where are the rest of the cabinets? #cabinetfiles
— Left of a blue super moon eclipse (@giddeygirl) 31 января 2018 г.
Twitter users were quick to quip at the news, with many poking fun at the Australian government.
Total #cabinetfiles eclipse of the cabinet @theage #auspol pic.twitter.com/A0miXMf7ku
— MattGolding Cartoons (@GoldingCartoons) 31 января 2018 г.
We're in good hands people. We have a government minister that names a Sydney ferry FerryMcFerryFace (& lies about it) & top secret government documents sold to a second hand dealer in old locked cabinets. Now that's a #cabinetleak #CabinetFiles
— Cathy Thomson (@tassiedevil) 31 января 2018 г.
The #CabinetFiles is the stereotypical Australian mainstream media scoop, because it involved documents mysteriously falling into journalists' hands from unknown sources whose motivations are unclear.
— Dave Donovan (@davrosz) 31 января 2018 г.
Government security: We’ve had an networked data breach.
— Gareth (@liquidparanoia) 31 января 2018 г.
Advisors: We’ll just keep everything on paper, that’ll be safer.
Government security:…
Advisors: Great! Barry! Make sure you get 2 sets of keys cut this time. #TheCabinetFiles #CabinetFiles
This will be all I have to say on the matter. #CabinetFiles pic.twitter.com/YLDF65Xs1h
— The Cabinet Filing Cabinet (@LeakyCabinet) 31 января 2018 г.
The current Govt is responsible for the protection of Cabinet Documents.#Cabinetfiles
— Peter (@faully33) 31 января 2018 г.
