Public Hearings provide an opportunity for Parliamentary Committees to investigate an issue by speaking directly to people (public interest groups and organisations), who have knowledge and views on that topic. They also give committees the chance to gather information on the issue being considered and seek clarification on matters raised in Submissions.
The committee decides who will be invited to give evidence at a public hearing. You may be asked to give evidence as an individual or as the representative of an organisation. You can ask to speak to a committee at a public hearing. However, it is always possible for the Committee to speak to all interested people.
Each inquiry has terms of reference which set out the issues the committee will consider. Your evidence needs to address one or more parts of the terms of reference. You can get a copy of the terms of reference from the publication page on this website or from the committee’s office.
If you have made a written submission, make sure you review it before the hearing as the committee members may ask questions about your submission. For information on written submissions, please refer to the submissions page on this website.
If you wish to provide a document to the Committee at the hearing, please make sure you bring enough copies for everyone (one for each Committee member, some for the Committees records and one for Hansard).
You only have a short time to speak to the Committee so many find it useful to prepare some written notes to refer to
- If you want to use special equipment, such as a projector, laptop, etc...or
- If you have special needs
Sometimes the Committee will identify the representatives of your organisation it wishes to hear from. If the Committee does not request the attendance of specific individuals, organisations asked to give evidence should make sure they send representatives who have a good understanding of the issues the Committee is investigating.
Committee Hearings are usually held in public. In general, all Submissions and transcripts of evidence given at Public Hearings are public documents. This means that the evidence may be published on the National Parliament website and quoted in the Committee’s report to the Parliament.
In special circumstances, a Committee may decide to hold a hearing or part of a hearing privately, either as:
where only the witness and the Committee are present; or
as a closed hearing, but with aditional requirements that all evidence given to the Committee nor a witness is permitted to disclose or publish any evidence given in-camera. However, the transcript of confidential evidence will be kept and in some circumstances, may be released after 30 years.
If you wish to present all or part of your evidence at a closed, or in camera hearing, please apply to the committee or if necessary during the hearing.
Evidence given to a Parliamentary Committee is protected by Parliamentary Privilege. This means that no legal action can be taken against you in relation to the evidence given during a hearing. However, Parliamentary Privilege will not apply to any comments you make outside the hearing.
Parliamentary Privilege also applies to written Submissions, but only after they have been accepted by a Committee.
With the protection of Parliamentary Privilege comes your responsibility to not deliberately mislead the Committee, which may be punishable as a Contempt of Parliament.