 Committees are designed to assist the Senate as a whole. Thus the main formal structure of their work is that the Senate refers something to a committee for examination, and the committee reports back to the Senate on that matter. These reports are tabled during parliamentary sittings, but can also be presented when the Senate is not in session. Committees can gather evidence and will often hold public hearings to assist this process. To gather their evidence committees can (with exceptions) travel from place to place to hear evidence. Committees are able to order the production of documents and the appearance of witnesses (powers that are in practice used very sparingly). Most evidence taken by committees (both written submissions and transcripts of public hearings) is published, however committees have the power to take evidence confidentially (in camera), and regularly do so. Committees hold both public hearings and conduct business at private meetings. The minutes of private meetings are confidential (in contrast, for example, to those of New South Wales parliamentary committees).
