If I have given evidence to House committee inquiries, how does that affect evidence I might give to a Royal Commission?

Royal Commissions have access to all the published evidence and information received by House committee inquiries. However, because of the law of parliamentary privilege, there are some limitations on the use Royal Commissions can make of this evidence. For example, people cannot be directly questioned on their parliamentary evidence, but Royal Commissions can use this material to develop lines of inquiry, follow up on matters raised, and independently pursue inquiries.

Royal Commissions cannot access the unpublished or in camera (confidential) material received by House committees unless the House makes a specific decision to provide this material to a Royal Commission. If you provided a submission to a House committee that the committee treated as confidential, you should not provide a Royal Commission with a copy of your actual submission. However, you are free to prepare a new document for a Royal Commission providing the same information you gave to a House committee.

If you provided a House committee with documents that had a prior existence (for example your records from an institution) you can provide those documents to a Royal Commission which can use them to help it investigate matters and question witnesses.

If you require further information, please contact:

Office of the Clerk Assistant (Committees)
Department of the House of Representatives
Phone: 02 6277 4397
Email: clerkassistant.committees.reps@aph.gov.au 

Further information about current Royal Commissions is available at: www.royalcommission.gov.au.