Unpacking royal commissions, public inquiries and reviews

The Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) Queensland division summarises the main points from their most recent Mastercraft Series with Dr Scott Prasser, public policy consultant and commentator, on studying the past and present of commissions, inquiries and reviews in Australia.

On 11 May 2023, IPAA Queensland hosted the first in our new Mastercraft Series. This series is designed to deliver the latest information and thinking about core areas of the craft of public administration.

For their first topic they dived into one of the most impactful and debated policy functions: royal commissions, public inquiries and reviews. In this seminar, Dr Scott Prasser explored some key questions drawing on his depth of academic knowledge and practical experience in policy making and advice, with insights from a career of studying the past and present of commissions, inquiries and reviews in Australia.

The following key questions were dissected:

• Why we do we have them?
• What do they do?
• What is their impact?
• And, most importantly – why should public purpose workers care or invest in these processes?

“…appointed not so much for digging up the truth, as for digging it in” (Herbert, 1961)

IPAA Queensland Councillor Mark Le Dieu, Group Manager (Community Grants Hub), Department of Social Services, offered his own insights about the importance of paying attention to royal commissions. He reflected on the significance of the current Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme for the Australian Public Service (APS) and the impact that such mechanisms of review can have on commonwealth government policy.

Royal commissions and commissions of inquiry are launched to forensically investigate and make public findings and recommendations about individuals, organisations and matters of public concern – usually regarding a specific incident or series of allegations.

Often, they involve contentious, complex issues, and attract significant media attention. The hearings themselves and the recommendations that result can have very serious impacts on businesses, key individuals, or entire industries.

According to Dr Prasser, a Royal Commission is like the Rolls Royce of policy instruments available to governments. Further:

• They are a cornerstone of a rational decision-making process
• They do have impacts
• And, importantly, their impacts can be profound for the public sector.

A full event recording freely available to the public purpose community as part of IPAA Queensland’s mission to advance the capability, integrity and professionalism of public administration and promote pride in service.