List of Australian royal commissions


s have been held in Australia at a federal level since 1902. Royal commissions appointed by the Governor-General operate under the Royal Commissions Act 1902 passed by the Parliament of Australia in 1902. The governments of the states and territories of Australia have also appointed royal commissions, although they are not included in this list unless they were appointed jointly by the Government of Australia and a state or territory government.
In 2010, the Australian Law Reform Commission conducted an inquiry into the operation and provisions of the Royal Commissions Act 1902, investigating possible alternative forms of executive inquiry. The ALRC Report ALRC 111 was tabled in Parliament in February 2010, but has not been implemented.

Held in 1900–1920

  1. Royal Commission appointed to inquire into and report upon the arrangements made for the transport of troops returning from service in South Africa in the S.S. "Drayton Grange"
  2. Royal Commission on sites for the seat of government of the Commonwealth
  3. Royal Commission on the Bonuses for Manufactures Bill
  4. Royal Commission on the butter industry
  5. Royal Commission on the Navigation Bill
  6. Royal Commission on the affray at Goaribari Island, British New Guinea, on 6 March 1904
  7. Royal Commission on customs and excise tariffs
  8. Royal Commission on old-age pensions
  9. Royal Commission on the tobacco monopoly
  10. Royal Commission on ocean shipping service
  11. British New Guinea—Royal Commission of inquiry into the present conditions, including the method of government, of the Territory of Papua, and the best means of their improvement
  12. Royal Commission on secret drugs, cures, and foods
  13. Royal Commission on postal services
  14. Royal Commission on insurance
  15. Royal Commission on stripper harvesters and drills
  16. Royal Commission on Tasmanian customs leakage
  17. Royal Commission on the sugar industry
  18. Royal Commission on the pearl-shelling industry
  19. Royal Commission on the fruit industry
  20. Royal Commission appointed to inquire into certain charges against Mr. Henry Chinn
  21. Royal Commission on Northern Territory railways and ports
  22. Royal Commission on powellised timber
  23. Royal Commission upon the Commonwealth electoral law and administration
  24. Royal Commission on meat export trade
  25. Royal Commission on food supplies and trade and industry during the war
  26. Royal Commission on mail services and trade development between Australia and the New Hebrides
  27. Royal Commission on Liverpool Military Camp, New South Wales
  28. Royal Commission on the charges made by D. L. Gilchrist concerning the construction of the western section of the Kalgoorlie to Port Augusta Railway
  29. Royal Commission to inquire into and report upon certain charges against the Administrator and other officers of the Northern Territory Administration
  30. Royal Commission on Federal Capital Administration
  31. Royal Commission on Java and the East Indies, Singapore and the Straits Settlements
  32. Royal Commission on Navy and Defence Administration
  33. Royal Commission on the war—Australian Imperial Force. Report as to number of members fit for active service and number of reinforcements and enlistments required
  34. Royal Commission on Public Service administration, Commonwealth of Australia
  35. Royal Commission upon the public expenditure of the Commonwealth of Australia with a view to effecting economies
  36. Royal Commission on taxation of leasehold estates in Crown lands
  37. Royal Commission on the sugar industry
  38. Royal Commission on industrial troubles on Melbourne wharfs
  39. Royal Commission on late German New Guinea
  40. Royal Commission to inquire into complaints by the munition worker passengers to Australia by the transport "Bahia Castillo"
  41. Royal Commission on Northern Territory Administration
  42. Royal Commission on the basic wage
  43. Royal Commission on taxation
  44. Royal Commission on the increase of the selling price of coal

Held in 1921–1940

  2. Royal Commission on the matter of uniform railway gauge
  3. Royal Commission on pillaging of ships' cargoes
  4. Royal Commission on Cockatoo Island Dockyard
  5. Royal Commission upon the loyalty to the British Crown of German Nationals resident in Australia whose property is liable to a charge created by the Treaty of Peace Regulations made under the Treaty of Peace Act 1919–1920
  6. Royal Commission on the circumstances attending the supposed loss at sea of the steamship "Sumatra"
  7. Royal Commission in connection with sugar purchases by the Commonwealth through Mr. W. E. Davies in September and October, 1920
  8. Royal Commission in connection with joinery supplied to the War Service Homes Commissioner in March, 1920
  9. Royal Commission on the Navigation Act
  10. Royal Commission on national insurance
  11. Royal Commission on the method for determining the unimproved value of land held under Crown leases
  12. Royal Commission on the assessment of war service disabilities
  13. Royal Commission to inquire into extracts from the reports in Parliamentary Debates of speeches made by Mr. Scullin in the House of Representatives on 7 and 19 August 1924, in relation to land tax matters
  14. Royal Commission on the finances of Western Australia, as affected by Federation
  15. Royal Commission on health
  16. Royal Commission on Norfolk Island affairs
  17. Royal Commission on certain matters in connexion with the British Phosphate Commission
  18. Royal Commission on wireless
  19. Royal Commission on the Edie Creek leases
  20. Royal Commission on the Moving Picture Industry in Australia
  21. Royal Commission on the Constitution
  22. Royal Commission on child endowment or family allowances
  23. Royal Commission of inquiry into fatalities at Bundaberg
  24. Royal Commission appointed to inquire into statements in the press in regard to offers alleged to have been made to members to resign seats in the Federal Parliament
  25. Royal Commission on the finances of South Australia, as affected by Federation
  26. Royal Commission on the coal industry
  27. Royal Commission appointed to inquire into allegations affecting members of the Parliamentary Joint Committee of Public Accounts in connexion with claims made by broadcasting companies against the Commonwealth Government
  28. Royal Commission on Jacob Johnson
  29. Royal Commission on performing rights
  30. Royal Commission on taxation
  31. Royal Commission on mineral oils and petrol and other products of mineral oils
  32. Royal Commission on the wheat, flour and bread industries
  33. Royal Commission appointed to inquire into and report upon the circumstances associated with the retirement of Lieutenant-Commander Alan Dermot Casey from the Royal Australian Navy
  34. Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the monetary and banking systems at present in operation in Australia
  35. Royal Commission on doctors' remuneration for national insurance service and other contract practice
  36. Royal Commission regarding the contract for the erection of additions to the [General Post Office, Sydney]

Held in 1941–1960

  2. Royal Commission to inquire into and report upon the contract or contracts with Abbco Bread Co. Pty. Limited for the supply of bread to the Department of the Army, and other matters
  3. Royal Commission to inquire into circumstances under which certain public monies were used and to whom, and for what purposes such moneys were paid
  4. Royal Commission in the matter of an inquiry into a statement that there was a document missing from the official files in relation to "The Brisbane Line"
  5. Royal Commission to inquire into and report upon certain transactions of the Sydney Land Sales Control Office, and the Canberra Land Sales Control Office of the Treasury
  6. Royal Commission appointed to inquire into certain transactions in relation to timber rights in the Territory of Papua-New Guinea
  7. Royal Commission on the Port Augusta to Alice Springs Railway
  8. Royal Commission on television
  9. Royal Commission on Espionage

Held in 1961–1980

  2. Royal Commission on alleged improper practices and improper refusal to co-operate with the Victoria Police Force on the part of persons employed in the Postmaster-General's Department in Victoria in relation to illegal gambling
  3. Royal Commission on loss of HMAS Voyager
  4. Royal Commission on the statement of Lieutenant Commander Cabban and matters incidental thereto
  5. Royal Commission into Exploratory and Production Drilling for Petroleum in the Area of the Great Barrier Reef
  6. Aboriginal Land Rights Commission
  7. Australian Post Office Commission of inquiry
  8. Commission of inquiry into land tenures
  9. National Estate Committee of Inquiry
  10. Royal Commission on petroleum
  11. Commission of Inquiry into the maritime industry
  12. Independent Inquiry into Frequency Modulation Broadcasting
  13. Commission of Inquiry into transport to and from Tasmania
  14. Royal Commission on Australian Government Administration
  15. Royal Commission on human relationships
  16. Royal Commission on Intelligence and Security
  17. Royal Commission into alleged payments to maritime unions
  18. Royal Commission to inquire into and report upon certain incidents in which Aborigines were involved in the Laverton area
  19. Royal Commission on Norfolk Island
  20. Australian Royal Commission of inquiry into drugs
  21. Royal Commission of inquiry into matters in relation to electoral redistribution Queensland, 1977
  22. Commission of inquiry into the efficiency and administration of hospitals
  23. Commission of inquiry into the viability of the Christmas Island phosphate industry
  24. Royal Commission on the activities of the Federated Ship Painters and Dockers Union

Held in 1981–2000

  2. Royal Commission of Inquiry into Drug Trafficking
  3. Royal Commission into the activities of the Australian Building Construction Employees' and Builders Labourers' Federation
  4. Royal Commission into Australian meat industry
  5. Royal Commission of Inquiry into the activities of the Nugan Hand Group
  6. Royal Commission on the use and effects of chemical agents on Australian personnel in Vietnam
  7. Royal Commission on Australia's security and intelligence agencies
  8. Commission of inquiry into compensation arising from social security conspiracy prosecutions
  9. Royal Commission into British nuclear tests in Australia
  10. Royal Commission of inquiry into alleged telephone interceptions
  11. Royal Commission of inquiry into the Chamberlain convictions
  12. Royal Commission into grain storage, handling and transport
  13. Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
  14. Commission of inquiry into the Australian Secret Intelligence Service
  15. Royal Commission of inquiry into the leasing by the Commonwealth of accommodation in Centenary House
  16. Commission of Inquiry into the relations between the CAA and Seaview Air

Held in 2001–2020

  2. Royal Commission into HIH Insurance
  3. Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry
  4. Royal Commission to Inquire into the Centenary House Lease
  5. Inquiry into certain Australian companies in relation to the UN Oil-For-Food Programme
  6. Equine Influenza Inquiry
  7. Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
  8. Royal Commission into the Home Insulation Program
  9. Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption
  10. Royal Commission into the Child Protection and Youth Detention Systems of the Government of the Northern Territory
  11. Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry
  12. Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety
  13. Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability
  14. Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements

Held since 2021

  2. Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme
  3. Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide
  4. Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion