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This page will be updated regularly as information comes to hand. (Updated 11 June 2020 with details of the second block of public hearings; updated 22 Jun 2020 with details of new issues paper released for comment).
Terms of Reference
The Terms of Reference for the Royal Commission can be found in the Letters Patent which can be found here.
Public Hearings
Public hearings for the Royal Commission will resume on Tuesday 16 June 2020.
| Hearing Dates | Themes |
| 16 June to 18 June 2020 | Hazard reduction – focusing on division of responsibilities between Australian, state and territory governments; theory, administration and practice of fuel load management; and Indigenous land and fire practices. |
| 22 June to 24 June 2020 | Local government – focusing on the responsibilities of, and actions taken by, local governments in relation to preparation for, response to, and recovery from natural disasters, as well as co-ordination arrangements at local and regional level. |
| Week beginning 29 June 2020 | State and territory governments – focusing on the responsibilities of, and actions taken by, state and territory governments in relation to preparation for, response to, and recovery from natural disasters, as well as co-ordination and accountability arrangements. |
| Week beginning 6 July 2020 | State and territory governments (continued) – focusing on the responsibilities of, and actions taken by, state and territory governments in relation to preparation for, response to, and recovery from natural disasters, as well as co-ordination and accountability arrangements. |
| Week beginning 13 July 2020 | Australian Government – focusing on the actions of the Australian Government in relation to preparation for, response to, and recovery from natural disasters, as well as co-ordination and accountability arrangements. |
The hearings will be live streamed via the Royal Commission's website and daily themes and the list of proposed witnesses will be also be published prior to the start of the hearings here.
Issues Papers
The Royal Commission has released the following issues papers:
Constitutional Framework for the Declaration of a State of National Emergency - Published 8 May 2020. Comment due 25 May 2020.
Health Arrangements in National Disasters - Published on 29 May 2020. Comment due 26 June 2020.
Local Governments and National Disasters - Published on 5 June 2020. Comment due 18 June 2020.
Firefighting and Emergency Services Personnel and Equipment - Published 19 June 2020. Comment due 29 June 2020.
Background Papers
The Royal Commission has released the following background papers:
National Natural Disaster Arrangements – Published on 6 May 2020.
Australian Inquiries and Reports Concerning Natural Disasters – Published 15 May 2020.
Constitutional Issues and National Natural Disaster Arrangements – Published 22 May 2020.
Land Management - hazard reduction – Published 15 June 2020.
Cultural burning practices in Australia – Published 15 June 2020.
2019-20 Bushfire History Project
The Royal Commission is inviting submissions for the 2019-20 Bushfire History Project, more information can be found on this story or the Royal Commission website.
Other documents
The Royal Commission is publishing other documents relating to its work and hearings. These documents can be found here https://naturaldisaster.royalcommission.gov.au/document-library
More information
More information about the Royal Commission can be found on the Royal Commission’s website https://naturaldisaster.royalcommission.gov.au/
You can also subscribe to receive updates from the Royal Commission here https://naturaldisaster.royalcommission.gov.au/news-and-media/mailing-list
