What parliamentary committees do

The short answer

parliamentary committees do

Parliamentary committees are groups of members of parliament from one or both chambers who examine specific matters in more detail than the full chamber can manage during debate. Committees can be created by the Senate, the House of Representatives, or both houses jointly. They conduct inquiries by calling for written submissions from the public and organisations, holding public hearings to question witnesses, and commissioning research. A committee produces a report with its findings and recommendations, which is tabled in Parliament. The committee's report informs parliamentary deliberation but does not itself change the law. Only Parliament through legislation, or the Executive through its lawful powers, can implement the recommendations. Committees provide a structured way for citizens, experts and organisations to contribute evidence and views directly to the parliamentary process.

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

What a parliamentary committee is

A parliamentary committee is a small working group drawn from members of parliament, usually reflecting the party composition of the chamber that created it. Committees operate under terms of reference set by their parent house or by both houses jointly. They have the power to send for persons, papers and records, a form of compulsory process that requires witnesses to attend and produce documents unless a valid claim of privilege is made. The Constitution does not explicitly mention committees, but their establishment is a long-standing exercise of the power of each house under section 49 to determine its own powers, privileges and immunities, drawing on the practice of the United Kingdom House of Commons at Federation. Committees are supported by a secretariat of non-partisan parliamentary staff who manage the administrative and research work of each inquiry.

Evidence review

Types of committees

There are several types of parliamentary committees. Standing committees are permanent and have ongoing subject-matter responsibilities, such as the Senate Standing Committee on Economics or the House Standing Committee on Education and Employment. Select committees are established for a specific purpose and dissolve once they have reported. Joint committees include members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate. A prominent example is the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit. Domestic committees handle internal parliamentary administration, such as the appropriations and staffing of the Parliament itself. Legislative scrutiny committees, such as the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills, examine every bill introduced into Parliament against standards of personal rights, parliamentary propriety and the rule of law. Estimates committees, a distinctive feature of the Senate, examine the proposed expenditure of government departments and agencies during budget estimates hearings.

Evidence review

How a committee inquiry works

When a committee receives a reference, it advertises the inquiry and invites written submissions from the public, organisations, experts and government agencies. Submissions are published on the committee's website unless the committee agrees to accept them in confidence. The committee may then hold public hearings in which witnesses present their evidence and answer questions from committee members. Hearings are usually transcribed and published. Committee members can question witnesses directly and the chair manages the order of questions. After gathering evidence, the committee deliberates in private and drafts a report. The report sets out the evidence received, the committee's analysis and any recommendations. Reports are tabled in the house or houses that established the committee and are published online. The government usually responds to committee recommendations within a prescribed timeframe, often six months, through a formal government response tabled in Parliament.

Evidence review

What committees can and cannot do

Committees can gather evidence, compel witnesses and documents, examine government agencies and expenditure, review legislation and refer matters to other bodies. They can make recommendations to Parliament and to the government, and can report on any matter within their terms of reference. However, committees cannot make law — only Parliament can legislate. They cannot direct government agencies to act — that is the prerogative of ministers and the executive. They cannot impose penalties, although making false or misleading statements to a committee may constitute a contempt of Parliament. They cannot compel evidence from witnesses outside Australia or override legal professional privilege or public interest immunity claims, although they may challenge such claims and ultimately have them tested by the relevant house. Committees also cannot conduct criminal investigations — their role is parliamentary scrutiny, not law enforcement.

Evidence review

How citizens and organisations can participate

Any person or organisation can make a submission to a parliamentary committee inquiry. Submissions do not need to be written by lawyers or experts. The committee's terms of reference explain what the inquiry is about and what kinds of evidence are useful. Submissions should address the terms of reference directly, provide relevant information or views, and be factual rather than abusive. Committees welcome diverse perspectives and routinely receive submissions from individuals, community groups, industry bodies, academics and public servants. If you are invited to appear at a hearing, you may attend in person or, with the committee's approval, by video conference. Parliamentary privilege protects your submission and oral evidence from legal action such as defamation claims, provided the evidence is directly relevant to the inquiry.

Evidence review

Committees and government accountability

Committees are a central mechanism of parliamentary accountability. Senate estimates hearings allow senators to question senior public servants and ministers about the expenditure and administration of their departments. These hearings are conducted twice each year following the budget and mid-year updates, and they are open to the public and broadcast. A senator can ask about anything within the department's portfolio, and while a public servant may decline to answer on grounds such as legal professional privilege, the political pressure to provide information is significant. Committees also conduct post-implementation reviews of legislation, examine annual reports of departments and agencies, and investigate specific issues referred by the house. The committee system is designed to ensure that the executive government, which controls the parliamentary timetable through its majority in the House of Representatives, cannot entirely avoid scrutiny of its decisions.

Common questions

Before you rely on the answer