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Royal commission

{{short description|Formal body created for public inquiry into a defined issue in some Commonwealth monarchies}}

{{distinguish|text=The Lords Commissioners that are collectively known as the Royal Commission in the United Kingdom}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}

{{Use British English|date=August 2017}}

A royal commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue in some monarchies. They have been held in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Malaysia, Mauritius{{cite web |title=1944 Commissions of Enquiry Act |url=https://attorneygeneral.govmu.org/Documents/Laws%20of%20Mauritius/A-Z%20Acts/C/Co/COMMISSIONS%20OF%20INQUIRY%20ACT,%20Cap%20286.pdf |publisher=Government of Mauritius |access-date=2020-12-11}} and Saudi Arabia. In republics an equivalent entity may be termed a commission of inquiry.

Such an inquiry has considerable powers, typically equivalent or greater than those of a judge but restricted to the terms of reference for which it was created. These powers may include subpoenaing witnesses, notably video evidences, taking evidence under oath and requesting documents.

The commission is created by the head of state (the sovereign, or their representative in the form of a governor-general or governor) on the advice of the government and formally appointed by letters patent. In practice—unlike lesser forms of inquiry—once a commission has started the government cannot stop it. Consequently, governments are usually very careful about framing the terms of reference and generally include in them a date by which the commission must finish.

Royal commissions are called to look into matters of great importance and usually controversy. These can be matters such as government structure, the treatment of minorities, events of considerable public concern or economic questions. Many royal commissions last many years and, often, a different government is left to respond to the findings.

Notable royal commissions

= Australia =

{{Update|section|date=September 2024}}

Royal commissions have been held in Australia at a federal level since 1902. Royal commissions appointed by the Governor-General operate under the Royal Commissions Act 1902 passed by the Parliament of Australia in 1902.{{cite web |title=Royal Commissions and Commissions of Inquiry |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/Browse_by_Topic/law/royalcommissions |work=Parliament of Australia Library |access-date=2 August 2021 |location=Canberra |language=en-AU |archive-date=6 September 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906020914/https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/Browse_by_Topic/law/royalcommissions}} A defunct alternative is known as a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry.{{cite letter |subject=Parliamentary Commission Of Inquiry Into The Financial Sector |recipient=Senator Peter-Whish Wilson |first=Rosemary |last=Laing |date=16 August 2016 |publisher=Clerk of the Senate |access-date=2 August 2021 |location=Parliament House Canberra ACT |url=https://greensmps.org.au/sites/default/files/d16-137012_-_advice_-_senator_whish-wilson_-_parliamentary_commission_of_inquiry_into_the_financial_sector.pdf |archive-date=21 March 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220321013500/https://greensmps.org.au/sites/default/files/d16-137012_-_advice_-_senator_whish-wilson_-_parliamentary_commission_of_inquiry_into_the_financial_sector.pdf}}

Royal commissions are the highest form of inquiry on matters of public importance. A royal commission is formally established by the Governor-General on behalf of the Crown and on the advice of government Ministers. The government decides the terms of reference, provides the funding and appoints the commissioners, who are selected on the basis of their independence and qualifications. They are never serving politicians.

Royal commissions are usually chaired by one or more notable figures. Because of their quasi-judicial powers the commissioners are often retired or serving judges. They usually involve research into an issue, consultations with experts both within and outside government and public consultations as well. The warrant may grant immense investigatory powers, including summoning witnesses under oath, offering of indemnities, seizing of documents and other evidence (sometimes including those normally protected, such as classified information), holding hearings in camera if necessary and—in a few cases—compelling all government officials to aid in the execution of the commission. The results of royal commissions are published in reports, often massive, of findings containing policy recommendations.

Due to the verbose nature of the titles of these formal documents they are commonly known by the name of the commission's chair. For example, the "Royal Commission into whether there has been corrupt or criminal conduct by any Western Australian Police Officer" is known as the Kennedy Royal Commission.

While these reports are often quite influential, with the government enacting some or all recommendations into law, the work of some commissions have been almost completely ignored by the government. In other cases, where the commissioner has departed from the Warranted terms, the commission has been dissolved by a superior court.

== Federal ==

{{Main|List of Australian royal commissions}}

== New South Wales ==

{{See also|List of New South Wales royal commissions}}

== Queensland ==

{{main|List of Queensland commissions of inquiry}}

== South Australia ==

{{See also|List of South Australian royal commissions}}

  • Commission appointed by the Governor-in-Chief to inquire into the loss of the Admella (1859)
  • Royal Commission in regard to Rupert Max Stuart (1959)
  • Splatt Royal Commission (1983–1984)
  • Hindmarsh Island Royal Commission (1995) – investigated the legal and political controversy that involved the clash of Indigenous Australian religious beliefs and property rights regarding the construction of a bridge to Hindmarsh Island
  • Kapunda Road Royal Commission (2005) – investigated the circumstances of the hit-and-run death of Ian Humphrey and those of the trial and conviction of Eugene McGee
  • Child Protection Systems Royal Commission (2014–2016) – investigated the effectiveness of the child protection systems then in place
  • Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission (2015) – investigated opportunities and risks for South Australia
  • Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission (2018–2019) – investigated the operations and effectiveness of the Murray-Darling Basin system{{cite web |title=Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission |url=https://www.mdbrc.sa.gov.au/ |access-date=31 January 2019}}
  • Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education & Care (2022–2023){{Cite news |date=2022-10-16 |title=Former prime minister Julia Gillard to lead South Australia's early education system overhaul |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-16/former-prime-minister-julia-gillard-to-lead-sa-royal-comission/101540762 |archive-date=2024-09-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906015250/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-16/former-prime-minister-julia-gillard-to-lead-sa-royal-comission/101540762 |url-status=live |access-date=2024-09-06}}
  • Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence (2024–2025){{cite news |url=https://www.royalcommissiondfsv.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/989667/Royal-Commission-Letters-Patent.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906014359/https://www.royalcommissiondfsv.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/989667/Royal-Commission-Letters-Patent.pdf |archive-date=6 September 2024 |access-date=6 September 2024 |date=4 March 2024 |author=Her Excellency the Honourable Jennifer Frances Anderson AC |title=Letters Patent |url-status=live |volume=XXIX |website=www.royalcommissiondfsv.sa.gov.au}}

== Victoria ==

{{See also|List of Victorian royal commissions}}

  • Royal Commission into the King Street Bridge failure (1962–1963)
  • Royal Commission into the West Gate Bridge collapse (1970–1971)
  • Royal Commission into the Longford gas plant accident (1998–1999)
  • 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission ("Black Saturday Royal Commission") (2009–2010) – investigated the events and conditions surrounding the 2009 Victorian bushfires
  • Royal Commission into Family Violence (2015–2016){{Cite web | url=http://files.rcfv.com.au/Reports/RCFV_Full_Report_Interactive.pdf | title=Summary and recommendations | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105235519/http://files.rcfv.com.au/Reports/RCFV_Full_Report_Interactive.pdf | archive-date=5 January 2017 }}
  • Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System (22 February 2019 – 2 March 2021){{cite web |title=Have Your Say On The Mental Health Royal Commission |url=https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/have-your-say-on-the-mental-health-royal-commission/ |website=Premier of Victoria |access-date=31 January 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://rcvmhs.vic.gov.au/|title=Home|website=rcvmhs.vic.gov.au|language=en|access-date=2019-07-20}}
  • Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants (2018–present)

== Western Australia ==

{{See also|List of Western Australian royal commissions}}

== Northern Territory ==

  • Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory (2016–2017). On 25 July 2016 Prime Minister Turnbull announced a Royal Commission would be established after an investigation by Four Corners uncovered serious mistreatment of inmates within the Northern Territory's juvenile detention system.{{Cite web | url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016/07/26/pm-announces-royal-commission-nt-juvenile-mistreatment | title=PM announces Royal Commission into NT juvenile mistreatment | website=www.sbs.com.au}}

=Bahamas=

  • Royal Commission of Inquiry into Drug Trafficking and Government Corruption (November 1983 – December 1984) (formerly The Commission of Inquiry Appointed to Inquire Into the Illegal Use of the Bahamas for the Transshipment of Dangerous Drugs Destined for the United States of America) – A three-person Commission of Inquiry was appointed after US-television reports alleged the government was taking bribes from drug traffickers to look the other way as drugs flowed through the Bahamas bound for the United States.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

= Bahrain =

= Canada =

{{Main|List of Canadian royal commissions}}

= Ceylon =

{{see also|Presidential Commission of Inquiry}}

= Hong Kong =

{{unreferenced section|date=March 2025}}

{{off topic|reason=Commissions in Hong Kong are no longer royal commissions since the handover to China in 1997|date=March 2025}}

  • Commission of Inquiry into the Construction Works at and near the Hung Hom Station Extension under the Shatin to Central Link Project (2019–2020)
  • Commission of Inquiry into Excess Lead Found in Drinking Water (2015–2016)
  • Commission of Inquiry into the Collision of Vessels near Lamma Island (2012)
  • Commission of Inquiry on Allegations relating to the Hong Kong Institute of Education (2007)
  • Commission of Inquiry on the New Airport (1998–1999)
  • Commission of Inquiry into the Garley Building Fire (1996–1997)

= India =

{{Main|Commission of Inquiry (India)}}

= Malaysia =

= Mauritius =

  • Royal Commission on Slave Trade: Commissioners of Eastern Inquiry, Mauritius (1826–1828){{cite web |title=Report on Slave Trade CO 167/138 (1828) |url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C985448 |publisher=UK National Archives |access-date=2020-12-11}}
  • Fever Inquiry Commission in Mauritius (1866–1868){{cite journal |title=Report of the Fever Inquiry Commission (Mauritius), 1866 and 1867. Folio pp. 78, Mauritius, 1868 |journal = The British and Foreign Medico-Chirurgical Review|year = 1871|volume = 47|issue = 93|pages = 134–135|publisher=NCBI |pmc = 5163407}}
  • Commission of Enquiry on living conditions of Indentured Coolies in Mauritius (1872–1874) {{cite web |title=List of commissions and officials: 1870–1879 (nos. 1–37) |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol10/pp1-13 |publisher=British History |access-date=2020-12-11}}
  • Commission of Enquiry into Unrest on Sugar Estates (Hooper Commission, 1937) {{cite web |last1=Hooper |first1=Charles |title=Mauritius. Commission of Enquiry into Unrest on Sugar Estates in Mauritius, 1937 |url=https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2585261 |publisher=Government of Mauritius |access-date=2020-12-11}}
  • Commission of Enquiry into Disturbances in the North of Mauritius (Moody Commission, 1943){{cite web |last1=Moody |first1=Sydney |title=Report of the Commission of Enquiry into the Disturbances Which Occurred in the North of Mauritius in 1943 |url=https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/797635 |publisher=Government of Mauritius |access-date=2020-12-11}}
  • Trustram-Eve Electoral Boundaries Commission (1957–1958){{cite web |last1=Matthur |first1=Raj |title=Party Cooperation & Electoral System in Mauritius |url=http://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/p215941/pdf/ch052.pdf |access-date=2020-12-11}}{{cite web |last1=Trustram-Eve |title=Trustram-Eve Commission report |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1957-12-03/debates/569d886d-a6ad-4722-9c77-a9b025ac1522/Mauritius |publisher=UK Government |access-date=2020-12-11}}
  • Commission of Inquiry Sugar Industry by Balogh & Bennett (1962){{cite book |last1=Balogh |first1=T. |title=Commission of Inquiry Sugar Industry, 1962 |series=Sessional paper |year=1963 |url=https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1688616 |publisher=Government of Mauritius |access-date=2020-12-11}}
  • Banwell Commission on the Electoral System of Mauritius (1966){{cite book |last1=Banwell |first1=Harold |title=Report of the Banwell Commission on the Electoral System |publisher=Colonial Office |series=Colonial reports |year=1966 |url=https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2777186 |access-date=2020-12-11}}{{cite web |title=Banwell Commission |url=https://www.eisa.org/wep/mau2009electoral.htm |publisher=EISA |access-date=2020-12-11}}
  • Commission of Inquiry in corruption with Ministry of Social Security and Ministry of Cooperatives (1978–1979){{cite web |last1=Prayag |first1=Touria |title=Wrangling over a commission of enquiry |url=https://touriaprayag.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/weekly-9-july.pdf |website=L'Express Weekly |access-date=2010-07-09}}{{bsn|reason=wordpress.com is a self-published sources|date=March 2025}}{{cite web |title=A quoi servent les commissions d'enquête? |date=28 February 2020 |url=https://www.lexpress.mu/article/371215/quoi-servent-commissions-denquete |work=L'Express |access-date=2020-02-28}}
  • Commission of Enquiry on the Sugar Industry (1984){{cite web |title=Report of the Commission of Inquiry on the Sugar Industry (1984) |year = 1984|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h2pEwQEACAAJ |publisher=Government of Mauritius |access-date=2020-12-11}}
  • Commission of Enquiry on Drugs (1986–1987){{cite web |title=Findings of the Commission of Enquiry on Drugs (Commission Rault, 1987)|year = 1987|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AY9RjgEACAAJ |publisher=Government of Mauritius |access-date=2020-12-11}}
  • Margo Commission of Enquiry on crash of South African Airways Flight 295 (1987){{cite web |last1=Young |first1=Mark |title=The Helderberg disaster: Was this the cause of the crash? |work=PoliticsWeb |url=https://www.politicsweb.co.za/news-and-analysis/the-helderberg-disaster-was-this-the-cause-of-the- |access-date=2014-10-01}}
  • Truth and Justice Commission on the lasting impact of slavery and indentured labour (2009–2011){{cite web |title=Labour and the Truth and Justice Commission |date=2 May 2015 |url=https://www.lemauricien.com/le-mauricien/labour-and-truth-and-justice-commission/35576/ |publisher=Le Mauricien |access-date=2015-05-02}}{{cite web |title=Truth and Justice Commission report |url=https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/ROL/TJC_Vol1.pdf |publisher=TJC |access-date=2011-12-01}}
  • Commission of Inquiry on Horse Racing in Mauritius (2014–2016){{cite web |title=Government Launches Inquiry Into Racing |url=https://www.sportingpost.co.za/2014/08/commission-of-inquiry-mauritius-horseracing/ |publisher=Sporting Post |access-date=2015-01-05}}{{cite web |title=Communiqué – Commission of Inquiry |url=http://www.mauritiusturfclub.com/index.php/actualites/locales/7530-communique-commission-of-inquiry |publisher=Mauritius Turf Club (MTC) |access-date=2015-12-01}}
  • Commission of Enquiry on Drug Trafficking (2015–2018){{cite web |last1=Varma |first1=Yatin |title=The Task Force on drugs: a gimmick |date=22 August 2018 |url=https://www.lemauricien.com/le-mauricien/the-task-force-on-drugs-a-gimmick/226371/ |work=Le Mauricien |access-date=2018-08-22}}
  • Commission of Inquiry on the sale of Britam and BAI (2017–ongoing){{cite web |last1=Allybocus |first1=Fairyal |title=Justice system: Was the 'commission d'enquête' on the sale of Britam really intent on finding the truth? |date=5 July 2019 |url=https://www.lexpress.mu/node/356079 |work=L'Express |access-date=2019-07-05}}{{cite web |title=BAI: Sattar Hajee Abdoula et Imrith Ramtohul nommés assesseurs de la commission d'enquête sur Britam |date=9 April 2017 |url=https://www.lexpress.mu/article/304204/bai-sattar-hajee-abdoula-et-imrith-ramtohul-nommes-assesseurs-commission-denquete-sur |work=L'Express |language=fr |access-date=2017-04-09}}
  • Commission of Inquiry on violation of the Constitution and other laws by former President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim (2018–ongoing){{cite web |title=Commission of Inquiry on the violation of the Constitution and any other laws |url=http://www.govmu.org/English/Pages/CommissionOfEnquiry.aspx |publisher=Government of Mauritius |access-date=2020-12-11}}{{cite news |last1=Bhuckory |first1=Kamlesh |title=Mauritian Premier Says Inquiry Ordered by President Is Illegal |newspaper=Bloomberg |date=16 March 2018 |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-16/mauritian-president-orders-probe-of-angolan-banker-media-leak |access-date=2018-03-16}}

= New Zealand =

  • Royal Commission on Mines (1911){{Cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/33416/commissions-of-inquiry-1909-2011|title=Commissions of inquiry, 1909–2011 |encyclopedia=Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand|accessdate=21 February 2024}}
  • Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Ballantyne's fire (1947–1948)
  • Royal Commission on Accident Compensation (1966–1967), which produced the Woodhouse Report and led to the formation of the Accident Compensation Corporation in 1974
  • Royal Commission on Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion (1975–1977)
  • Royal Commission into the Courts (1976–1978)
  • Royal Commission on Nuclear Power Generation in New Zealand (1976–1978)
  • Royal Commission on Maori Courts (1978–1980)
  • Royal Commission to Inquire into and Report upon the Circumstances of the Convictions of Arthur Allan Thomas for the Murders of David Harvey Crewe and Jeanette Lenore Crewe (1980–1981){{Cite web |url=http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/r.christie/thomas_royal_commission_1980.pdf |title=Report of the Royal Commission to Inquire into the Circumstances of the Convictions of Arthur Allan Thomas for the Murders of David Harvey Crewe and Jeanette Lenore Crewe |access-date=27 June 2009 |archive-date=9 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609174212/http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/r.christie/thomas_royal_commission_1980.pdf |url-status=dead }}{{bsn|reason=seems to be a self-publisher source|date=March 2025
  • Royal Commission of Inquiry into the crash of Air New Zealand Flight 901 (Erebus inquiry) (1980–1981){{cite web |url= http://www.erebus.co.nz/Portals/4/Documents/Reports/Mahon/Intro%20&%20Prologue.pdf |title= Report of the Royal Commission to inquire into the Crash on Mount Erebus, Antarctica of a DC10 Aircraft operated by Air New Zealand Limited Introduction and Prologue |year= 1981 |access-date= 6 September 2011}} The findings were successfully appealed to the Privy Council, setting new legal standards for the conduct of royal commissions.
  • Royal Commission into Certain Matters Related to Drug Trafficking (1982–83)
  • Royal Commission on the Electoral System (1984–1986) – investigated the electoral system, and led to New Zealand adopting the mixed member proportional voting system in 1993
  • Royal Commission on Broadcasting and Related Telecommunications (1985–1986)
  • Royal Commission on Social Policy (1986–1988)
  • Royal Commission on Genetic Modification (2000–2001) to look into and report on the issues surrounding genetic modification in New Zealand
  • Royal Commission on Police Conduct (2004–2007)[http://www.dia.govt.nz/Decommissioned-websites---Commission-of-Inquiry-into-Police-Conduct Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct website]
  • Royal Commission on Auckland Governance (2007–2009)
  • Royal Commission on the Pike River Mine tragedy (2011–2012){{Cite web|url=https://pikeriver.royalcommission.govt.nz/|title=Royal Commission into the Pike River Mine Tragedy |accessdate=21 February 2024}}{{cite web|last=Hartevelt|first=John|title=Pike River disaster inquiry announced|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/pike-river-mine-disaster/4399947/Pike-River-disaster-inquiry-announced| work = Stuff.co.nz |date=29 November 2010| publisher = APN |access-date=29 November 2010}}
  • Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failures Caused by Canterbury Earthquakes (2011–2012){{Cite web|url=https://canterbury.royalcommission.govt.nz/|title=Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure Caused by the Canterbury Earthquakes|accessdate=21 February 2024}}
  • Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care (2018–2024){{Cite news|url=https://www.dia.govt.nz/Royal-Commission-into-Historical-Abuse-in-State-Care|title=Royal Commission into Historical Abuse in State Care|work=New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs|access-date=2018-02-01|language=en}}
  • Royal Commission of Inquiry into Christchurch mosque shootings (2019–2020){{Cite web|url=https://christchurchattack.royalcommission.nz/|title=Home|date=21 December 2020|website=Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Attack on Christchurch Mosques on 15 March 2019|accessdate=21 February 2024}}{{Cite news|url=https://nation.com.pk/26-Mar-2019/royal-commission-to-investigate-terror-attacks-in-nz|title=Royal commission to investigate terror attacks in NZ|work=The Nation|access-date=2019-03-27|language=en}}
  • Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons Learned{{cite news |title=Jacinda Ardern, Ayesha Verrall announce Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 response |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/480128/jacinda-ardern-ayesha-verrall-announce-royal-commission-of-inquiry-into-covid-19-response |access-date=5 December 2022 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=5 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205151857/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/480128/jacinda-ardern-ayesha-verrall-announce-royal-commission-of-inquiry-into-covid-19-response |archive-date=5 December 2022|url-status=live}}

= United Kingdom =

{{Incomplete list|date=August 2015}}

See also

References

{{reflist|30em}}

Category:Administrative law

Category:Public inquiries

Category:Government commissions