On 11 February 2015, the Senate moved that the following matters be referred to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 1 December 2015.

Future role and contribution of regional capitals to Australia.

Submissions should be received by 30 April 2015. The reporting date is 1 December 2015. On 12 November 2015, the Senate granted an extension of time for reporting until 12 May 2016. On 9 May 2016, the inquiry lapsed with the dissolution of the Senate and House of Representatives for a general election on 2 July 2016. On 15 September 2016 the Senate agreed to re-refer the inquiry with a reporting date of 1 December 2016.

Submissions and additional information received are available on the inquiry webpage. 

Note: the terms of reference do not define ‘regional capitals’. The committee is interested in receiving submissions not just from representatives of regional capitals, but also from other towns and cities who have relevant views to express about the current and future role of regional capitals . Any person, organisation, town or city may contribute to the inquiry through making a submission by 30 April 2015.