Royal Commissions – A Guide

02 Oct Royal Commissions – A Guide

Child sexual abuse, banking, aged care and possibly electricity. Time will tell if 2018 becomes known as the year of the Royal Commissions.

This series of articles looks at what we can learn from Royal Commissions and how to prepare your business for one. I focus on two types of business:

• businesses called on to respond to a Royal Commission (in writing or in person); and
• businesses in one of the sectors affected by a Royal Commission but who aren’t approached by a Royal Commission.

We will see that a Royal Commission has wide-ranging impacts across the sectors it investigates.

I explore how all businesses impacted by a Royal Commission can use the process to improve their business in four easy steps.

1. Preparation
2. The Hearing
3. Post-Hearing
4. Government Responses to Royal Commissions

Elaine Abery worked in the Australian Federal Government for over a decade. Her roles included designing legislation and the Secretariat to the Board of Taxation. She spent a decade on the other side of the negotiating table, working with peak industry groups, KPMG and various charities. She has been published in international journals and books. Her work has received prestigious international awards.

Here is a list of current Royal Commissions and their websites:

• Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety
• Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry
• Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse