They protect witnesses. They operate under the standing orders of the chambers. A committee comprises members of all political parties. Committees receive references from Ministers or from the Parliament. Inquiries are then advertised, submissions received, hearings held throughout the country, reports drafted and considered.
Committees strive for consensus in their reports.
The most powerful statement the Parliament can make on Government policy is when there is unanimity from the members of a committee. Then the Government is more likely to accept its recommendations. In the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade the subcommittees report to the Main Committee and through the Main Committee to the Parliament. Reports are made to the Parliament and recommendations are made to the Government. The Government has, in theory, three months to respond to a committee's recommendations.