Parliamentary inquiries are established by parliamentary committees to examine issues of public importance and inform government decision-making.

Inquiries are conducted in a public forum, and individuals and organisations may participate through written submissions and appearances at hearings by invitation.

Organisations participating in a parliamentary inquiry should be well-informed and advised in respect of the inquiry process and procedure, including the operation of parliamentary privilege and recent changes in law affecting the ability of committees to summon witnesses. We explore some of these issues at a high level in this article.