The Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia is appointed under a resolution of appointment which was passed by the House of Representatives on 1 September 2016 and the Senate on 12 September 2016.

The Committee conducts inquiries into:

1. such matters relating to the development of Northern Australia as may be referred to it by either House of the Parliament or a Minister;

2. annual reports of government departments and authorities and reports of the Auditor-General presented to the House shall stand referred to the committee for any inquiry the committee may wish to make and reports shall stand referred to the committee in accordance with a schedule tabled by the Speaker to record the areas of responsibility of each committee, provided that:

    a.  any question concerning responsibility for a report or a part of a report shall be determined by the Speaker; and

    b. the period during which an inquiry concerning an annual report may be commenced by a committee shall end on the
    day on which the next annual report of that department or authority is presented to the House.

The Committee consists of 10 members, 3 Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Government Whip or Whips, 2 Members of the House of Representatives to be nominated by the Opposition Whip or Whips or by any minority group or independent Member, 2 Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, 2 Senators to be nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, and 1 Senator to be nominated by any minority group or independent Senator.