The short answer

How citizens can make a parliamentary submission

To make a parliamentary submission, you first identify a current committee inquiry open for public submissions, then read the inquiry's terms of reference and submission guidelines carefully. Write a submission that addresses the specific questions the committee is examining, provide evidence or reasoning for your views, and identify whether you want the submission to be public or confidential. Submit it by the deadline through the committee's online portal, by email or by post. A submission is input to the inquiry process — it does not guarantee your recommendations will be adopted or that you will be called to give oral evidence.

This is a federal system guide. State constitutions, parliaments and local-government laws can allocate comparable functions differently.

The useful question is not only “what is the rule?” but also “who administers it, which document controls it, and when might it change?” That distinction prevents an accurate general explanation from becoming wrong advice in a particular election, chamber or policy setting.

Evidence review

Finding an inquiry and reading the terms of reference

The Parliament of Australia website lists all current committee inquiries accepting submissions, organised by House of Representatives committees, Senate committees and joint committees. You can browse inquiries by topic, committee or date. When you click on an inquiry, you will see its terms of reference — the specific questions the committee has been asked to examine. These terms of reference define the scope of the inquiry. Your submission should address them directly, not range across unrelated topics.

Inquiries can be launched by committees on their own initiative (self-referred) or referred by a house of Parliament or a minister. The terms of reference may be broad or tightly focused. Read them several times before you begin writing. If the committee asks four specific questions, your submission should answer those four questions, or explain why you are only addressing a subset. A submission that ignores the terms of reference is unlikely to influence the committee's report.

Evidence review

How to structure and write an effective submission

Start with a brief cover page or header that states the name of the inquiry, your name or the name of your organisation, and your contact details. If you are writing on behalf of an organisation, state your position and the organisation's interest in the inquiry. Number your pages and paragraphs. Address the terms of reference in order, using one section per term if possible. State your recommendations clearly and early — do not bury them at the end of a long narrative.

Support your arguments with evidence. This can include personal experience, professional expertise, published research, government statistics, or references to legislation and policy documents. Cite your sources so the committee can verify them. If you are expressing an opinion, make it clear that it is your view and explain what it is based on. Committees value evidence over rhetoric. A two-page submission with clear evidence is more persuasive than a 20-page submission of unsupported assertions.

Evidence review

Public versus confidential submissions: what to consider

Most submissions to parliamentary committees are published on the committee's website and become part of the public record. If your submission contains personal information, sensitive commercial data, or material that could harm someone's reputation, you may request that it be treated as confidential or that parts be redacted. Confidential submissions are not published, but they are still read by the committee and inform its deliberations.

Requesting confidentiality is not automatic — the committee decides whether to accept your request. The committee may ask you to provide a separate public summary if the full submission is treated as confidential. If you are submitting as an individual and discussing personal circumstances, you may also request that your name not be published even if the submission is public. Think carefully about whether your submission should be public — once published, it is permanently in the parliamentary record.

Evidence review

Submission deadlines, formats and where to send them

Each inquiry has a public submission deadline. Late submissions are accepted at the committee's discretion, but there is no guarantee. Always aim to submit before the published closing date. Submissions can be lodged through the online portal on the Parliament of Australia website — you upload a file, usually in PDF or Microsoft Word format, and complete a cover sheet. You can also submit by email or by post to the committee secretariat.

There is no mandatory length, but most individual submissions are between 2 and 15 pages. Very short submissions that simply state agreement or disagreement are unlikely to add value. Very long submissions should include an executive summary. The committee secretariat can advise on formatting requirements. Do not send the same submission to multiple inquiries unless they are explicitly linked — each submission should be tailored to the specific inquiry.

Evidence review

What happens after you submit

After the submission deadline passes, the committee meets to consider the submissions received and to decide on its next steps. This may include calling some submitters to give oral evidence at a public hearing. Being invited to appear as a witness is not automatic — the committee selects witnesses based on the relevance and quality of their submissions and the need for further questioning. If you are invited, you will receive a formal letter or email with the date, time and location of the hearing.

The committee then deliberates and prepares a report to be tabled in Parliament. The report summarises the evidence received, makes findings and may include recommendations to the government. The government is required to table a response to committee recommendations within a set period, usually six months. The committee's power is recommendatory — it cannot force the government to act. However, committee reports carry significant political weight and are frequently cited in parliamentary debate and media coverage.

Evidence review

Tips for individuals and community groups

You do not need a lawyer or professional writer to make a submission. Committees welcome submissions from individuals and community groups, and they value the lived experience perspective that complements expert and institutional evidence. Write in plain English, avoid jargon, and be specific about your experiences or observations. If you are representing a group, make sure you have a mandate to speak on their behalf, and state how many members you have and how you consulted them.

If the inquiry relates to a topic that affects you directly — for example, a proposed change to social security, health policy or immigration rules — describe how the current system or the proposed change affects you personally, with dates and specific examples if possible. Personal stories are powerful evidence if they are directly relevant to the terms of reference. Proofread your submission, ask someone else to read it, and check for factual accuracy before submitting.

Common questions

Before you rely on the answer

Can anyone make a submission to a parliamentary committee?

Yes. Any individual, community group, business, academic institution, government agency or organisation can make a submission to a parliamentary committee inquiry. You do not need to be an Australian citizen or resident. There are no professional qualifications required to participate in the committee process.

How long does the whole inquiry process take?

Inquiry timeframes vary widely. Some inquiries report within a few weeks of the submission deadline; others take a year or more. The reporting date is set by the committee in consultation with the house that referred the inquiry. Check the inquiry page for the expected reporting date, but be aware that extensions are common.

Will the committee read my submission if hundreds of others are also submitted?

Yes, every submission is read by the committee secretariat and made available to committee members. In inquiries that attract a very large number of submissions, the secretariat may prepare a summary analysis, but individual submissions still inform the committee's understanding of the issues. Well-structured, evidence-based submissions are more likely to be cited in the committee's final report.

Can I withdraw my submission after sending it?

You can request withdrawal before the submission is published or before the committee has completed its deliberations. Once the submission has been published on the committee's website or the committee has relied on it for its report, withdrawal is at the committee's discretion and is rarely allowed. The parliamentary record is intended to be permanent.

Source spine

Primary material used for this guide

Review trigger: Review when Parliament of Australia updates its committee submission portals or guidelines, when standing orders for committee operations are amended, or when new privacy or data handling legislation affects the treatment of submissions.

Archive note: Based on Parliament of Australia committee submission guidance as at July 2026. Committee procedures are governed by standing orders and the practices of each house and may be updated between parliaments.

Primary links are provided without affiliate or tracking parameters. Confirm that the source still applies to the bill, sitting date, jurisdiction or reporting period before relying on it.