NSW Parliamentary Committees and Inquiries – Making a Submission

One of the ways parliamentary committees investigate an issue is to call for submissions from the public and any relevant organisations, providing everyone with a valuable opportunity to have their say.

New South WalesParliamentary Committees and Inquiries

Parliamentary Committees

A NSW Parliamentary Committee is a group of Members of Parliament, appointed by the Parliament, to investigate policy issues, proposed legislation or government activities.

The NSW Parliament is made up of the Legislative Council (Upper House) and the Legislative Assembly (Lower House).

Both Houses refer issues that are of particular importance to the people of New South Wales, to Parliamentary Committees for detailed inquiry.

Committees provide an opportunity for individuals and groups to put their views directly to Parliamentarians. Members of the public can:

• make submissions
• give oral evidence
• attend public hearings, and
• obtain copies of reports

Follow this link to view the Committees of the NSW Parliament (opens in a new browser window)

Parliamentary Inquiries

In most cases, one of the Houses or a Minister refers inquiries to a Committee. The terms of reference define the scope of an inquiry and are determined by the House or the Minister responsible for referring the inquiry.

A committee will often start its inquiry by calling for submissions from the public and relevant organisations.

In addition to calling for submissions and taking evidence, committees may canvass public opinion on the issues raised by an inquiry in a number of other ways. These include seminars, conferences, study tours, workshops and round-table discussions.

Follow this link to view NSW Parliamentary Inquiries (opens in a new browser window)

Have Your Say - Making a Submission to NSW Government Committee Inquiries

Submissions alert committee members to facts or information relevant to an inquiry. Committee reports usually refer to - or quote directly from - the information and the arguments presented in submissions.

Submissions show how you, your organisation or your community feels about an issue. They may also help to decide who should be called to give evidence at committee hearings.

The NSW parliamentary website includes:

• How to make a submission to the Legislative Council
• Standing Committees of the Legislative Council
• Preparing a submission to the Legislative Assembly

The website also contains:

• records of parliamentary committees
• committees currently receiving submissions
• contacts
• reports
• hearing transcripts

The guides to making submissions contain contact information for the various committees.

Follow this link to Information about NSW Parliamentary Committees and Inquiries and making submissions (opens in a new browser window)

For further information

Contact	:	Clerk-Assistant (Committees) Legislative Council
Address	:	Parliament House Macquarie Street Sydney NSW 2000
Phone	:	02 9230 2224
Fax	:	02 9230 2828

WWW

:

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au