The Publications Committee, established under standing order 219 (PDF 270KB), has existed in its current form since 1970.

Each House of the Parliament has a Publications Committee which has the power to confer with the other. In practice most meetings are joint meetings of the two committees. The standing orders of each House permit the publications committees to undertake inquiries and make reports on:

• the printing, publication and distribution of parliamentary and government publications, and
• other matters which may be referred by the relevant Minister.

When undertaking an inquiry, the committees are known as the Joint Committee on Publications.