Disclosure Australia (AURA) - No 01 - Jun 2003

Magazine Overview

Title: DISCLOSURE AUSTRALIA
Issue: ONE
Volume: 2003
Date: June 2003
Publisher: AURA
Country: Australia

This newsletter introduces the establishment of "Disclosure Australia," also known as "The Australian UFO Research Network Disclosure Project." The project's primary objective is to investigate and document the extent of official Australian Government knowledge regarding the UFO phenomenon, alongside civilian knowledge on the subject. It is supported by the Australian UFO Research Network and managed by a Secretariat based in Adelaide, operated by the Australian UFO Research Association.

The Project's Mission and Aims

The mission statement clearly defines the project's purpose: "To ascertain the extent of official Australian Government knowledge of the UFO phenomenon; then to document both this and civilian knowledge on the subject." To achieve this, the project has outlined three key aims:

1. Information Collection and Dissemination: To gather, analyze, and share information concerning Australian Government knowledge of UFOs.
2. Case Documentation: To document and make accessible the most compelling and well-supported Australian UFO cases, sourced from both civilian and government records.
3. Uncovering Hidden Knowledge: To identify and document any knowledge about the UFO phenomenon that is not currently in the public domain, and to disseminate this information to interested parties.

Project Actions and Required Assistance

Based on a questionnaire survey of Australian UFO organizations, a series of actions are proposed. The project requires active participation from UFO groups and individual researchers.

Key Actions:

• Liaison Officers: Each Australian UFO group is requested to appoint a "Disclosure Australia" liaison officer. This individual will serve as the primary point of contact between their group and the Disclosure Australia Secretariat in Adelaide. Individual researchers who are not affiliated with a group are also encouraged to liaise directly.
• Case Submission: The appointed liaison officers are tasked with reviewing their group's files to identify outstanding, well-documented examples of Australian UFO reports. Copies of these cases, with witness identifiers removed, are to be forwarded electronically or in hard copy to the Adelaide Secretariat for screening and potential inclusion in the "Best Cases" archive.
• Soliciting Information: UFO groups are also asked to solicit their membership for any information not currently in the public domain, allowing the project to document this knowledge.
• Government Knowledge Assessment: The project will revisit and document the current understanding of official Australian Government knowledge on UFOs.
• Information Search: A search will be conducted for additional Australian Government documents related to UFOs, utilizing Freedom of Information and Archive Acts.
• Parliamentary Records: Australian Government Parliamentary questions and answers concerning the UFO phenomenon will be located and documented.
• Archive Establishment: An archive will be created to hold details of the "best" Australian UFO cases and copies of Australian Government documents. This archive will be accessible in both electronic and hard copy formats to all participating Australian organizations.
• Government Lobbying: The Federal Government will be lobbied to openly reveal its knowledge of the UFO phenomenon.

Assistance Required:

Initially, the project seeks the appointment of liaison officers from organizations. These officers will facilitate communication between their groups and the Adelaide Secretariat. The Secretariat will then communicate directly with these nominated individuals. Individual researchers are also asked to liaise directly.

A nomination form is enclosed with the newsletter and must be returned to The Secretariat, Disclosure Australia, PO Box 786, North Adelaide, South Australia 5006, before July 12, 2003.

Archive and Website Development

The Disclosure Australia Project has begun compiling a hard copy and electronic archive of "best cases" using existing material. Permission is being sought from researchers and groups to include their case studies. The project hopes to have a web presence for these documents within a few weeks. The quality of the archive is dependent on the contributions received.

A basic Disclosure Australia website has been established and can be viewed at http://disclosure.freewebpage.org for initial project information.

Contact Information

Queries can be directed to the Secretariat via snail mail at PO Box 786, North Adelaide, South Australia 5006, or via email at [email protected].

Confidential Nomination Form

The newsletter includes a "Confidential Nomination Form" for organizations to nominate a liaison officer. The role of this officer is to liaise on all project matters and to keep their organization informed. They will also be responsible for examining UFO files and forwarding relevant cases to the Secretariat. The form should be returned to DISCLOSURE AUSTRALIA, PO Box 783, Jimboomba 4280, via email or mail, before July 12, 2003.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme is the organized effort to uncover and disseminate information about UFOs in Australia, particularly concerning government knowledge and well-documented cases. The editorial stance is one of proactive research, collaboration, and a desire for transparency regarding the UFO phenomenon. The project emphasizes the importance of documented evidence and encourages broad participation from the UFO research community.