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Title

Ch18 Parliamentary committees / CONDUCT OF INQUIRIES / Reports / Frequency of reporting

Database

House Practice

Date

01-05-2005

Source

House of Reps

Parl No.

41

Chapter

Parliamentary committees

Chapter No.

Chapter 18

Page

683

Section No.

 

System Id

procedural/practcer/chapter18.87.doc


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Ch18 Parliamentary committees / CONDUCT OF INQUIRIES / Reports / Frequency of reporting



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House of Representatives                                Ch 18                                                 p 683

 

Parliamentary committees / CONDUCT OF INQUIRIES / Reports

 

Frequency of reporting

The frequency with which a committee may report is determined by standing or sessional orders or its resolution of appointment. Standing committees are authorised to report from time to time—that is, as the need arises. Select committees have had various limits placed on their power to report but they are usually required to report by a specified date or as soon as possible, in which case they may submit only one report (whereupon they cease to exist).

A committee without the power to report from time to time may, however, seek leave of the House to submit an ‘interim’ or ‘special’ report. A special report is one in which a committee draws attention to matters incidental to its inquiry and which relates to its powers, functions or proceedings. For example, the Committee of Privileges has submitted special reports seeking an extension of its reference 1 and recommending that the House ask the Senate to grant leave to named Senators to appear before it. 2 In 1976 the Joint Committee on the Parliamentary Committee System presented a special report seeking an amendment to its powers to elect a chair and deputy chair. 3 The Joint Committee of Public Accounts has reported on the issue of whether it was able to sit while the Senate was sitting, 4 and in 1988 it reported on revised procedures for its reports. 5

Instead of presenting a single report on a wide-ranging inquiry, a committee, properly authorised, may submit one or more interim reports. Such reports may deal with the committee’s method of inquiry, or report progress on the inquiry as a whole and/or contain the committee’s recommendations on facets of the inquiry. 6

From time to time committees have reported to the House without a formal inquiry reference or without following the normal procedures of advertising, inviting submissions and public hearings. Circumstances in which committees have decided to report without following the normal inquiry processes have included situations:

  • when a need to report quickly had been identified;

  • where a committee wished to comment on aspects of the Government’s response to previous reports;

  • where the issues were felt to have little public interest;

  • where costs and other resource limitations had prevented a full inquiry;

  • where extensive published material, letters and other documents were available; and

  • where a report naturally flowed from informal briefings, seminars, round-table discussions or inspections.

    • This procedure provides a cost and time-effective way for a committee’s views to be placed before the Parliament, but should be used with care, as the committee could leave itself open to criticism that some community, government or interest groups have been excluded from the process. In addition the committee runs the risk that its conclusions and recommendations could be based on incomplete or incorrect information.

    Committees have also presented annual reports. 7 The annual report of the Department of the House of Representatives also contains some information on committees serviced by the department.



    VP 1954-55/225-6, 239.



    VP 1985-87/1361; H.R. Deb. (26.11.86) 3778.



    VP 1976-77/119.



    Reports 264 and 292 of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts, PP 75 (1987) and PP 317 (1988)— see p. 691 .



    Report 291 of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts, PP 146 (1988).



    E.g. House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, Effectiveness of support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities: Interim report , PP 197 (1988).



    E.g. VP 2002-04/589 (ASIO, ASIS and DSD); VP 2002-04/1806 (Public Accounts and Audit); VP 2002-04/1499 (Public Works).