Australian Journal of Public Administration · 2006 · 46 citations · 0 references
LawAdministrative LawPublic LawAdministrative DiscretionLawmakingPublic International LawAgency DiscretionAppointment Of CommissionersAppointment PowerConfirmation PowersInvestigative AuthorityPrime Ministerial Appointment PowersPrime Ministerial Authority
The Cole Royal Commission into AWB sales of wheat to Iraq once again draws attention to questions of when should governments resort to ad hoc inquiries and, in particular, establish royal commissions with their associated prestige and statutory powers to call and examine witnesses and require presentation of documents. In this article, Dr Scott Prasser, author of ‘Royal Commisions and Public Inquiries in Australia (Lexis Nexis 2006) examines the use of royal commissions and other investigatory/inquisitorial instruments of executive government by Commonwealth and state governments.