‘Australians do have a right to know’: Albanese says Iraq war documents should be released

Prime minister orders independent investigation into Scott Morrison’s government’s failure to transfer all documents

Anthony Albanese says Australians deserve an explanation as to why the Howard government committed the nation to war in Iraq, with an independent investigation ordered into the Morrison-era failure to hand over all the 2003 cabinet documents for release.

Cabinet documents, including those prepared for the national security committee, are released to the public every 20 years. The confidentiality of the 2003 cabinet papers expired on 1 January 2024. The release of the documents was heavily anticipated for the insights into the decision to commit Australia to the US-led invasion of Iraq.