Top-secret Australian govt files ‘sold at second-hand shop’

Canberra has launched an investigation into how hundreds of top-secret documents spanning five governments and dubbed The Cabinet Files ended up being sold at a second-hand furniture shop in the Australian capital.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) obtained the treasure trove of files and published a series of exclusive reports earlier this week.

Most of the documents were classified, some “top secret” and others marked “AUSTEO” (to be seen by Australian eyes only), and were meant by law to remain secret for at least two decades.