Guide to parliamentary committees

Parliamentary committees are small groups of senators, members of the House of Representatives, or both, that examine bills, government spending and policy in detail. They report to Parliament with recommendations. For organisations, an inquiry is a chance to put evidence and proposals on the public record.

As of October 2026, the Parliament’s website lists 67 current committees in the 48th Parliament, which first met in July 2025. That count treats each Senate legislation committee and references committee as a separate committee.

This guide covers the federal Parliament. Each state and territory parliament has its own committees and rules.

The types of committee

Committees are described by how they are set up and how long they last.

• Standing committees are appointed at the start of each Parliament and last until it ends.
• Select committees are set up for one inquiry and end when they present their final report.
• Joint committees have members from both Houses and report to both.
• Statutory committees are set up by an Act of Parliament. All of them are joint committees.
• Domestic committees deal with Parliament’s own business, such as privileges, procedure and publications.
• Scrutiny committees check every bill and legislative instrument against set principles, such as respect for personal rights and liberties.

Senate committees

The Senate has a legislation committee and a references committee in each of eight subject areas. Each pair shares members and a secretariat. The eight areas are:

• Community Affairs
• Economics
• Education and Employment
• Environment and Communications
• Finance and Public Administration
• Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
• Legal and Constitutional Affairs
• Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport

Legislation committees examine bills, the government’s spending at Senate estimates, and the annual reports and performance of their departments. Each has three government senators, two opposition senators and one from the minor parties or independents. A government senator chairs it.

References committees inquire into broader issues the Senate refers to them. Each has three opposition senators, two government senators and one from the minor parties or independents. An opposition or minor party senator chairs it.

In the Senate, most bills reach a committee through the Selection of Bills Committee. It meets weekly when the Senate sits and recommends which bills should go to which committee, and when they should report. The Senate then decides.

Select committees take on a single issue. As of October 2026, the Senate has two: one on productivity in Australia and one on women’s health. The Senate also has scrutiny committees for bills and delegated legislation, and domestic committees.

Senate Brief No. 4, Senate Committees, sets out the system in full.

Senate estimates

At Senate estimates, the eight legislation committees question ministers and senior officials about the government’s spending and programs. Any senator can attend and ask questions, but only committee members vote.

Hearings follow the Budget: budget estimates after the May Budget, supplementary budget estimates later in the year, and additional estimates early the next year. The dates for each round are on the Parliament’s next hearings page.

Questions taken on notice, and the answers, are searchable on the Senate estimates page.

House of Representatives committees

The House appoints general purpose standing committees at the start of each Parliament, each covering an area of government. They inquire into matters the House or a minister refers to them, including bills and proposed laws. Annual reports of departments and agencies, and Auditor-General reports, are referred to them automatically under a schedule set by the Speaker.

In the 48th Parliament there are ten:

• Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water
• Communications, the Arts and Sport
• Economics
• Education
• Employment, Workplace Relations, Skills and Training
• Health, Aged Care and Disability
• Industry, Innovation and Science
• Primary Industries
• Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport
• Social Policy and Legal Affairs

Most House committees are chaired by a government member, with an opposition member as deputy chair. The House also has domestic committees, such as Petitions and Procedure, and can appoint select committees. As of October 2026 it has one, on cyber security for small to medium sized businesses and organisations.

The House’s Infosheet 4 explains its committees.

Joint committees

Joint committees have members from both Houses. Some, such as the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, are set up by Acts of Parliament. Others, such as the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, are set up by resolution of both Houses.

Joint select committees take on a single issue. For example, both Houses appointed a Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence on 20 August 2026.

What committees can do

They have the powers Parliament gives them. A committee has the powers delegated by the House or Houses that appoint it. A statutory committee’s powers are set out in its Act.

They can compel evidence, but rarely do. Committees can summon witnesses, require documents and take evidence on oath. In practice, most witnesses are invited and most evidence is volunteered.

Evidence is protected. Committee proceedings attract parliamentary privilege, so what you say in evidence can’t be used in court against you or anyone else. It is an offence to threaten or intimidate a witness, or to harass or discriminate against someone for giving evidence.

Misleading a committee is a contempt. A witness who lies to or misleads a committee, refuses to answer, or ignores a summons can be punished by reprimand, fine or imprisonment. Maximum penalties under the Parliamentary Privileges Act 1987 are six months’ imprisonment, or fines of $5,000 for a person and $25,000 for a corporation.

They recommend; the government decides. A committee can’t amend a bill or direct the government. It reports with recommendations, which the government can accept, reject or consider further.

How an inquiry runs

• Referral. The Senate, the House or a minister refers a bill or an issue, with terms of reference that set the scope. Some committees can also start inquiries of their own.
• Call for submissions. The committee publishes the inquiry on its webpage and invites people and organisations it expects to have a view. For a bill inquiry, the bill itself sets the scope.
• Submissions. The committee decides whether to accept and publish each one. Most are published online with the submitter’s name, and you can ask, with reasons, for all or part to stay confidential.
• Public hearings. The committee invites some submitters to give evidence, often for 30 to 60 minutes each. Hansard publishes a transcript, and Senate hearings in Canberra are broadcast live.
• Report. The committee tables a report with recommendations. Members who disagree can add a dissenting report.
• Government response. Governments have undertaken to respond to Senate committee reports within three months. A 2010 House resolution requires a response to House committee reports within six months.

An inquiry can take a few weeks or many months. Both Houses publish lists of government responses that are still outstanding.

How organisations take part

Find the inquiries that matter to you. The Parliament lists current inquiries, inquiries open for submissions and upcoming public hearings. If you use GovConnex, Tracker follows inquiries, bills and consultations, with their deadlines in your calendar.

Make a submission. Anyone can. The Senate’s guidance asks for concise submissions, generally four or five pages at most, that address the terms of reference and suggest solutions. Our guide to writing a submission for an inquiry covers how to write one.

Lodge it online, then wait. Committees prefer the online system, which confirms receipt by email. Processing can take several weeks, and you shouldn’t share your submission until the committee has accepted and published it.

Prepare to give evidence. A submission can lead to an invitation to a public hearing. Witnesses are usually invited to make a short opening statement, then answer questions, and can take a question on notice to answer in writing. Our guide to appearing before a parliamentary committee covers preparing for a hearing.

Read the other evidence. Published submissions and hearing transcripts show who else is engaging with the inquiry and what they are asking for.

Common questions

What is the difference between a legislation committee and a references committee? Both are Senate standing committees, paired in eight subject areas. Legislation committees examine bills, Senate estimates and departments’ annual reports, and a government senator chairs each one. References committees inquire into broader issues the Senate refers to them, and an opposition or minor party senator chairs each one.

What is the difference between a standing committee and a select committee? A standing committee is appointed for the life of a Parliament. A select committee is set up for one inquiry and ends when it presents its final report.

How many parliamentary committees are there? As of October 2026, the federal Parliament’s website lists 67 current committees, counting each Senate legislation and references committee separately. The number changes as select committees are set up and finish their work.

Can anyone make a submission to a parliamentary inquiry? Yes. Individuals and organisations can lodge a submission, usually online, while the inquiry is accepting them. The committee decides whether to accept and publish it.

What are Senate estimates? Hearings at which the Senate’s legislation committees question ministers and senior officials about government spending. They are held after the May Budget, later in the year and early in the next year.