| Royal Commissions Act 1902 | |
|---|---|
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| Parliament of Australia | |
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| Royal assent | 8 August 1902 |
| Commenced | 8 August 1902 |
| Status: Amended | |
The Royal Commissions Act 1902 is an Australian Act of Parliament which authorises the Australian Governor-General to initiate an investigation, referred to as a Royal Commission. Royal Commissions are a major independent public inquiry into an issue, initiated by the Australian Government. They often investigate cases of political corruption or matters of significant public concern.
A Royal Commissioner, or panel of Royal Commissioners, is appointed by letters patent to preside over the commission of inquiry. The Commissioner has considerable powers, generally greater than those of a judge. However, the powers of the Commissioner are restricted to the terms of reference of the commission handed down by the Governor-General in the letters patent. Once a Commission has started the government cannot end it, and thus the government is careful in framing the terms of reference,[2] and may place a time limit for an inquiry. The terms of reference may be amended and the time for an inquiry may be extended, at the government's discretion.
- ^ Long Title
- ^ "Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody". National Archives of Australia. Archived from the original on 21 April 2007. Retrieved 20 March 2007.