A royal commission needs to have special powers to do the job properly and make sure that they can properly investigate the issue. What sort of powers does a royal commission have?
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Answer by Kate Dodgson, Brisbane 4000 QLD
- At the federal level the Royal Commission Act 1902 gives broad investigatory powers to royal commissions including:
- the power to summon witnesses to give evidence;
- getting search warrants in relation to the inquiry;
- in some locations a commission does not need a warrant.
- the power to order the production of documents; and
- making it an offence:
- to prevent another person from giving evidence or producing documents that may be required; and
- to destroy or conceal a document that may be required in evidence.
- Each state and territory has its own law that sets out the rules for the powers and responsibilities of a commission.