Dear Tasmanian Government Information Strategy Unit,

I am writing to formally request the immediate and complete public release of all documents pertaining to the Port Arthur Massacre. I understand that these documents were initially sealed for 30 years and that this period has been extended by a further 75 years.

The continued withholding of these crucial historical records for such an extended duration raises significant concerns within the public and fuels speculation regarding the full truth of this tragic event. While I acknowledge the initial sensitivities surrounding the massacre, the prolonged secrecy now, decades later, serves only to erode public trust and foster suspicion.

The initial rationale for sealing these documents may have been understandable in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy. However, the decision to extend this period so substantially lacks transparent justification and inevitably leads to questions about what information is being concealed and why.

The argument that public release could cause undue distress or harm has diminishing weight with the passage of time. Conversely, the continued secrecy actively contributes to an environment of distrust and allows unsubstantiated theories to proliferate. Openness and transparency are fundamental principles of a healthy democracy, and the public has a right to access information of such profound national significance.

Furthermore, the notion that the public might react in a destabilizing way to the contents of these documents underestimates the resilience and maturity of the Australian people. Access to factual information, even if difficult or challenging, is essential for a society to understand its history and learn from it.

Therefore, I urge the Tasmanian Government Information Strategy Unit to reconsider the current classification of these documents and to prioritize their immediate and unredacted public release. Such an action would be a significant step towards fostering greater transparency, dispelling unfounded speculation, and ultimately strengthening public trust in government institutions.

I look forward to a prompt and positive response to this request.