Committee establishment, role and history

Information on the establishment, role and powers of House of Representatives committees can be found at the Committee Office home page and in chapters 16 and 17 of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives.

In summary, the role of the Standing Committee on Economics is to carry out inquiries into matters referred to it by the House of Representatives or a Minister of the Commonwealth Government. Material that can be referred includes any pre-legislation proposal, bill, motion, petition, vote or expenditure, other financial matter, report or paper.

Annual reports of government departments and authorities and reports of the Auditor General tabled in the House stand referred to the relevant committee for any inquiry the committee may wish. Reports stand referred in accordance with the schedule tabled by the Speaker to record the areas of responsibility of each committee.

The Committee has had the following name changes in recent Parliaments:

• 1998-2007 Standing Committee on Economics, Finance and Public Administration
• 1996-98 Standing Committee on Financial Institutions and Public Administration
• 1992-96 Standing Committee on Banking, Finance and Public Administration
• 1987-92 Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration
• 1976-87 Standing Committee on Expenditure.

A full list of reports tabled by the Committee and its predecessors is available online together with reports of inquiries completed since 1997.

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