ARTICLE · 29 NOVEMBER 2015

Royal Commissions – a brief background

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A brief summary of the features that give Royal Commissions their unique and important place in Australian society.

AustraliaGovernment, Public Sector

Martin Slattery

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Former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam famously described Royal Commissions as a channel of communication between Parliament and the people. We currently have two ongoing Royal Commissions at the federal level: the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption. Both these Royal Commissions have tackled controversial and complex issues, had political implications and provided forums for members of the public to tell their story.

This article will provide a brief summary of some of the key features that give Royal Commissions their unique and important place in contemporary Australian society.

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