Royal commissions (sometimes called commissions of inquiry)[1] have been held in Australia at a federal level since 1902.[2] Royal commissions appointed by the Governor-General operate under the Royal Commissions Act 1902 passed by the Parliament of Australia in 1902. The governments of the states and territories of Australia have also appointed royal commissions, although they are not included in this list unless they were appointed jointly by the Government of Australia and a state or territory government.
In 2010, the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) conducted an inquiry into the operation and provisions of the Royal Commissions Act 1902, investigating possible alternative forms of executive inquiry. The ALRC Report ALRC 111 was tabled (presented for consideration) in Parliament in February 2010, but has not been implemented.[3]
Held in 1900–1920
[edit]
Royal Commission appointed to inquire into and report upon the arrangements made for the transport of troops returning from service in South Africa in the S.S. "Drayton Grange" (1902)[4][5]
Royal Commission on sites for the seat of government of the Commonwealth (1903)[6]
Royal Commission on the Bonuses for Manufactures Bill (1903–1904)[6]
Royal Commission on the butter industry (1904–1905)[6]
Royal Commission on the Navigation Bill (1904–1906)[6]
Royal Commission on the affray at Goaribari Island, British New Guinea, on 6 March 1904 (1904)
Royal Commission on customs and excise tariffs (1904–1907)[6]
Royal Commission on old-age pensions (1905–1906)[6]
Royal Commission on the tobacco monopoly (1905–1906)[6]
Royal Commission on ocean shipping service (1906)[6]
British New Guinea—Royal Commission of inquiry into the present conditions, including the method of government, of the Territory of Papua, and the best means of their improvement (1906–1907)[6]
Royal Commission on secret drugs, cures, and foods (1906–1907)[6]
Royal Commission on postal services (1908–1910)[6]
Royal Commission on food supplies and trade and industry during the war (1914)[6]
Royal Commission on mail services and trade development between Australia and the New Hebrides (1915)[6]
Royal Commission on Liverpool Military Camp, New South Wales (1915)[6]
Royal Commission on the charges made by D. L. Gilchrist concerning the construction of the western section of the Kalgoorlie to Port Augusta Railway (1916)[6]
Royal Commission to inquire into and report upon certain charges against the Administrator and other officers of the Northern Territory Administration (1916)[6]
Royal Commission on Federal Capital Administration (1916–1917)[6]
Royal Commission on Java and the East Indies, Singapore and the Straits Settlements (1917–1918)[6]
Royal Commission on Navy and Defence Administration (1917–1919)[6]
Royal Commission on the war—Australian Imperial Force. Report as to number of members fit for active service and number of reinforcements and enlistments required (1918)[6]
Royal Commission on Public Service administration, Commonwealth of Australia (1918–1920)[6]
Royal Commission upon the public expenditure of the Commonwealth of Australia with a view to effecting economies (1918–1921)[6]
Royal Commission on taxation of leasehold estates in Crown lands (1918–1919)[6]
Royal Commission on the sugar industry (1919–1920)[6]
Royal Commission on industrial troubles on Melbourne wharfs (1919–1920)[6]
Royal Commission on late German New Guinea (1919–1920)[6]
Royal Commission to inquire into complaints by the munition worker passengers to Australia by the transport "Bahia Castillo" (1919)[6]
Royal Commission on Northern Territory Administration (1919–1920)[6]
Royal Commission on the increase of the selling price of coal (1920)[6]
Held in 1921–1940
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Royal Commission on the matter of uniform railway gauge (1921)[6]
Royal Commission on pillaging of ships' cargoes (1921)[6]
Royal Commission on Cockatoo Island Dockyard (1921)[6]
Royal Commission upon the loyalty to the British Crown of German Nationals resident in Australia whose property is liable to a charge created by the Treaty of Peace Regulations made under the Treaty of Peace (Germany) Act 1919–1920 (1921)[6]
Royal Commission on the circumstances attending the supposed loss at sea of the steamship "Sumatra" (1923)[6]
Royal Commission in connection with sugar purchases by the Commonwealth through Mr. W. E. Davies in September and October, 1920 (1923–1924)[6]
Royal Commission in connection with joinery supplied to the War Service Homes Commissioner in March, 1920 (1923–1924)
Royal Commission on the Navigation Act (1923–1925)[6]
Royal Commission on national insurance (1923–1927)[6]
Royal Commission on the method for determining the unimproved value of land held under Crown leases (1924–1925)[6]
Royal Commission on the assessment of war service disabilities (1924–1925)[6]
Royal Commission to inquire into extracts from the reports in Parliamentary Debates of speeches made by Mr. Scullin in the House of Representatives on 7 and 19 August 1924, in relation to land tax matters (1924–1925)[6]
Royal Commission on the finances of Western Australia, as affected by Federation (1924–1925)[6]
Royal Commission on the Edie Creek (New Guinea) leases (1927)[6]
Royal Commission on the Moving Picture Industry in Australia (1927–1928)[6]
Royal Commission on the Constitution (1927–1929)[6]
Royal Commission on child endowment or family allowances (1927–1929)[6]
Royal Commission of inquiry into fatalities at Bundaberg (1928)[6]
Royal Commission appointed to inquire into statements in the press in regard to offers alleged to have been made to members to resign seats in the Federal Parliament (1928)[6]
Royal Commission on the finances of South Australia, as affected by Federation (1928–1929)[6]
Royal Commission appointed to inquire into allegations affecting members of the Parliamentary Joint Committee of Public Accounts in connexion with claims made by broadcasting companies against the Commonwealth Government (1930)[6]
Royal Commission on mineral oils and petrol and other products of mineral oils (1933–1935)[6]
Royal Commission on the wheat, flour and bread industries (1934–1936)[6]
Royal Commission appointed to inquire into and report upon the circumstances associated with the retirement of Lieutenant-Commander Alan Dermot Casey from the Royal Australian Navy (1934)[6]
Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the monetary and banking systems at present in operation in Australia (1935–1937)[6]
Royal Commission on doctors' remuneration for national insurance service and other contract practice (1938)[6]
Royal Commission regarding the contract for the erection of additions to the General Post Office, Sydney (1939)[6]
Held in 1941–1960
[edit]
Royal Commission to inquire into and report upon the contract or contracts with Abbco Bread Co. Pty. Limited for the supply of bread to the Department of the Army, and other matters (1941)[6]
Royal Commission to inquire into circumstances under which certain public monies were used and to whom, and for what purposes such moneys were paid (1941)[6]
Royal Commission in the matter of an inquiry into a statement that there was a document missing from the official files in relation to "The Brisbane Line" (1943)[6]
Royal Commission to inquire into and report upon certain transactions of the Sydney Land Sales Control Office, and the Canberra Land Sales Control Office of the Treasury (1947)[6]
Royal Commission appointed to inquire into certain transactions in relation to timber rights in the Territory of Papua-New Guinea (1949)[6]
Royal Commission on the Port Augusta to Alice Springs Railway (1951–1952)[6]
Royal Commission on alleged improper practices and improper refusal to co-operate with the Victoria Police Force on the part of persons employed in the Postmaster-General's Department in Victoria in relation to illegal gambling (1962–1963)[6]
Royal Commission on loss of HMAS Voyager (1964)[6]
Royal Commission on the statement of Lieutenant Commander Cabban and matters incidental thereto (1967–1968)[6]
Royal Commission into Exploratory and Production Drilling for Petroleum in the Area of the Great Barrier Reef (1970–1974)[b][7]
^Commonwealth Parliamentary Library. "Royal Commissions and Commissions of Inquiry". www.aph.gov.au. Canberra: Parliament of Australia. (See also: Laing, 2016). Retrieved 2 August 2021. For more information on the establishment of such an inquiry as an alternative to a Royal Commission see the letter from the Clerk of the Senate...
^Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC). "Royal Commissions and official inquiries". Australian Government - Past inquiries. Canberra: Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
^"THE DRAYTON GRANGE". Sydney Morning Herald. 13 August 1902. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
to inquire into and report upon the arrangements made for the transport of troops returning from service in South Africa in the S.S. "Drayton Grange" (1902)
on sites for the seat of government of the Commonwealth (1903)
on the Bonuses for Manufactures Bill (1903–1904)
on the butter industry (1904–1905)
on the Navigation Bill (1904–1906)
on the affray at Goaribari Island, British New Guinea, on the 6th of March, 1904 (1904)
on customs and excise tariffs (1904–1907)
on old-age pensions (1905–1906)
on the tobacco monopoly (1905–1906)
1906–1910
on ocean shipping service (1906)
British New Guinea—Royal Commission of inquiry into the present conditions, including the method of government, of the Territory of Papua, and the best means of their improvement (1906–1907)
on secret drugs, cures, and foods (1906–1907)
on postal services (1908–1910)
on insurance (1908–1910)
on stripper harvesters and drills (1908–1909)
on Tasmanian customs leakage (1910–1911)
1911–1920
1911–1912
on the sugar industry (1911–1912)
on the pearl-shelling industry (1912–1916)
on the fruit industry (1912–1914)
1913–1914
to inquire into certain charges against Mr. Henry Chinn (1913)
on Northern Territory railways and ports (1913–1914)
on powellised timber (1913–1914)
upon the Commonwealth electoral law and administration (1914–1915)
on meat export trade (1914)
on food supplies and trade and industry during the war (1914)
1915–1916
on mail services and trade development between Australia and the New Hebrides (1915)
on Liverpool Military Camp, New South Wales (1915)
on the charges made by D. L. Gilchrist concerning the construction of the western section of the Kalgoorlie to Port Augusta Railway (1916)
to inquire into and report upon certain charges against the Administrator and other officers of the Northern Territory Administration (1916)
on Federal Capital Administration (1916–1917)
1917–1918
on Java and the East Indies, Singapore and the Straits Settlements (1917–1918)
on Navy and Defence Administration (1917–1919)
on the war—Australian Imperial Force. Report as to number of members fit for active service and number of reinforcements and enlistments required (1918)
on Public Service administration, Commonwealth of Australia (1918–1920)
upon the public expenditure of the Commonwealth of Australia with a view to effecting economies (1918–1921)
on taxation of leasehold estates in Crown lands (1918–1919)
on the basic wage (1919–1920)
1919–1920
on the sugar industry (1919–1920)
on industrial troubles on Melbourne wharfs (1919–1920)
on late German New Guinea (1919–1920)
to inquire into complaints by the munition worker passengers to Australia by the transport "Bahia Castillo" (1919)
on Northern Territory Administration (1919–1920)
on taxation (1920–1923)
on the increase of the selling price of coal (1920)
1921–1940
1921–1930
1921–1922
on the matter of uniform railway gauge (1921)
on pillaging of ships' cargoes (1921)
on Cockatoo Island Dockyard (1921)
upon the loyalty to the British Crown of German Nationals resident in Australia whose property is liable to a charge created by the Treaty of Peace Regulations made under the Treaty of Peace (Germany) Act 1919–1920 (1921)
1923–1924
on the circumstances attending the supposed loss at sea of the steamship "Sumatra" (1923)
in connection with sugar purchases by the Commonwealth through Mr. W. E. Davies in September and October, 1920 (1923–1924)
in connection with joinery supplied to the War Service Homes Commissioner in March, 1920 (1923–1924)
on the Navigation Act (1923–1925)
on national insurance (1923–1927)
on the method for determining the unimproved value of land held under Crown leases (1924–1925)
on the assessment of war service disabilities (1924–1925)
to inquire into extracts from the reports in Parliamentary Debates of speeches made by Mr. Scullin in the House of Representatives on 7 and 19 August 1924, in relation to land tax matters (1924–1925)
on the finances of Western Australia, as affected by Federation (1924–1925)
1925–1926
on health (1925–1926)
on Norfolk Island affairs (1926)
on certain matters in connexion with the British Phosphate Commission (1926)
1927–1928
on wireless (1927)
on the Edie Creek (New Guinea) leases (1927)
on the Moving Picture Industry in Australia (1927–1928)
on the Constitution (Australia)
1929–1930
on the coal industry (1929)
to inquire into allegations affecting members of the Parliamentary Joint Committee of Public Accounts in connexion with claims made by broadcasting companies against the Commonwealth Government (1930)
1931–1940
1931–1935
on Jacob Johnson (1931)
on performing rights (1932–1933)
on taxation (1932–1934)
on mineral oils and petrol and other products of mineral oils (1933–1935)
on the wheat, flour and bread industries (1934–1936)
to inquire into and report upon the circumstances associated with the retirement of Lieutenant-Commander Alan Dermot Casey from the Royal Australian Navy (1934)
to inquire into the monetary and banking systems at present in operation in Australia (1935–1937)
1936–1940
on doctors' remuneration for national insurance service and other contract practice (1938)
regarding the contract for the erection of additions to the General Post Office, Sydney (1939)
1941–1960
1941–1950
to inquire into and report upon the contract or contracts with Abbco Bread Co. Pty. Limited for the supply of bread to the Department of the Army, and other matters (1941)
to inquire into circumstances under which certain public monies were used and to whom, and for what purposes such moneys were paid (1941)
an inquiry into a statement that there was a document missing from the official files in relation to "The Brisbane Line" (1943)
to inquire into and report upon certain transactions of the Sydney Land Sales Control Office, and the Canberra Land Sales Control Office of the Treasury (1947)
to inquire into certain transactions in relation to timber rights in the Territory of Papua-New Guinea (1949)
1951–1960
on the Port Augusta to Alice Springs Railway (1951–1952)
on television (1953–1954)
on espionage (1954–1955)
1961–1980
1961–1970
on alleged improper practices and improper refusal to co-operate with the Victoria Police Force on the part of persons employed in the Postmaster-General's Department in Victoria in relation to illegal gambling (1962–1963)
on loss of HMAS Voyager (1964)
on the statement of Lieutenant Commander Cabban and matters incidental thereto (1967–1968)
into exploratory and production drilling for petroleum in the area of the Great Barrier Reef (1970–1975)
1971–1980
1971–1975
Aboriginal Land Rights Commission (1973–1974)
Australian Post Office Commission of inquiry (1973–1974)
of Inquiry into land tenures (1973–1976)
on petroleum (1973–1976)
of Inquiry into the maritime industry (1973–1976)
Independent Inquiry into Frequency Modulation Broadcasting (1973–1974)
of Inquiry into transport to and from Tasmania (1974–1976)
on Australian Government Administration (1974–1976)
on human relationships (1974–1978)
on intelligence and security (1974–1977)
into alleged payments to maritime unions (1974–1976)
to inquire into and report upon certain incidents in which Aborigines were involved in the Laverton area (1975–1976)
on Norfolk Island (1975–1976)
1975–1980
of Inquiry into drugs (1977–1980)
of Inquiry into matters in relation to electoral redistribution Queensland, 1977 (1978)
of Inquiry into the efficiency and administration of hospitals (1979–1981)
of Inquiry into the viability of the Christmas Island phosphate industry (1979–1980)
on the activities of the Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Union (1980–1984)
1981–2000
1981–1990
1981–1985
of Inquiry into Drug Trafficking (1981–1983)
into the activities of the Australian Building Construction Employees' and Builders Labourers' Federation (1981–1982)
into Australian meat industry (1981–1982)
of Inquiry into the activities of the Nugan Hand Group (1983–1985)
on the use and effects of chemical agents on Australian personnel in Vietnam (1983–1985)
on Australia's security and intelligence agencies (1983–1985)
of Inquiry into compensation arising from social security conspiracy prosecutions (1984–1986)
into British nuclear tests in Australia (1984–1985)
of inquiry into alleged telephone interceptions (1985–1986)
1986–1990
of inquiry into Chamberlain convictions (1986–1987)
into grain storage, handling and transport (1986–1988)
into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (1987–1991)
1991–2000
of Inquiry into the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (1994–1995)
of Inquiry into the leasing by the Commonwealth of accommodation in Centenary House (1994)
of Inquiry into the relations between the CAA and Seaview Air (1994–1996)
2001–2020
2001–2010
into HIH Insurance (2001–2003)
into the building and construction industry (2001–2003)
to Inquire into the Centenary House Lease (2004)
Inquiry into certain Australian companies in relation to the UN Oil-For-Food Programme (2005–2006)
Equine Influenza Inquiry (2008)
2011–2020
into institutional responses to child sexual abuse (2013–2017)
into the Home Insulation Program (2013–2014)
into trade union governance and corruption (2014–2015)
into the protection and detention of children in the Northern Territory (2016–2017)
into misconduct in the banking, superannuation and financial services industry (2017–2019)
into aged care quality and safety (2018–2021)
into violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability (2019–present)
into National Natural Disaster Arrangements (2020)
2021–present
2021–present
into Defence and Veteran Suicide (2021–2024)
into the Robodebt Scheme (2022–2023)
Royal Commissions Act 1902
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