NEW LEGISLATIVE PROCESS DEFAULT PROCESS REFERRAL TO COMMITTEE PREVENTING INJURIES ON A STATE-WIDE BASIS: RESEARCHERS AND PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES ARE PARTNERS IN TURNING INJURY PREVENTION AND SAFETY RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE AND POLICY Lyndel Bates Research Director Queensland Parliamentary Service

NEW LEGISLATIVE PROCESS DEFAULT PROCESS REFERRAL TO COMMITTEE  Strengths of parliamentary committees  Overview of reformed committee system  Previous inquiries  Becoming involved OVERVIEW

NEW LEGISLATIVE PROCESS DEFAULT PROCESS REFERRAL TO COMMITTEE WHAT IS A PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE?  Group of Members of Parliament delegated a role by the Parliament  All party membership  Established by Acts of Parliament, Standing Orders or resolution of the Legislative Assembly

NEW LEGISLATIVE PROCESS DEFAULT PROCESS REFERRAL TO COMMITTEE WHAT DO COMMITTEES DO?  Examine and report on legislative proposals, proposed expenditure (estimates), public accounts and public works  Conduct inquiries into matters of public importance and report findings to the Parliament  Monitor and report on independent statutory offices  Deal with matters referred by the Assembly

NEW LEGISLATIVE PROCESS DEFAULT PROCESS REFERRAL TO COMMITTEE NEW COMMITTEE SYSTEM Ethics Committee Committee of the Legislative Assembly Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee Seven Portfolio Committees

NEW LEGISLATIVE PROCESS DEFAULT PROCESS REFERRAL TO COMMITTEE Monitoring implementation Debate in the house Ministerial response Tabling of report Drafting Consider the evidence Public consultation Research Public submissions Decision INQUIRY PROCESS

NEW LEGISLATIVE PROCESS DEFAULT PROCESS REFERRAL TO COMMITTEE YOUNG DRIVER AND RIDER INQUIRIES  Focus on young driver and rider issues  Consulted with stakeholders  Two reports that made 33 recommendations between them  Reports tabled in Parliament December 2003  Government responded March 2004 Bates (2010)

NEW LEGISLATIVE PROCESS DEFAULT PROCESS REFERRAL TO COMMITTEE POST-INQUIRY  Government supported or partially supported a number of recommendations  Government undertook further consultation  Introduced the Transport Legislation and Another Act Amendment Bill in November 2006 Bates (2010)

NEW LEGISLATIVE PROCESS DEFAULT PROCESS REFERRAL TO COMMITTEE EVIDENCE OF COMMITTEE INFLUENCE  Almost 1/3 of Members mentioned the inquiries during their second reading speech  Acknowledgement of the then Minister for Transport  Acknowledgement of other Members Bates (2010)

NEW LEGISLATIVE PROCESS DEFAULT PROCESS REFERRAL TO COMMITTEE BENEFITS OF RESEARCHER INVOLVEMENT  One mechanism that enables research to be turned into policy, practice and legislation  Recommendations based on research results  Another way the government can learn about different research Bates and Hansen (2008)

NEW LEGISLATIVE PROCESS DEFAULT PROCESS REFERRAL TO COMMITTEE BECOMING INVOLVED (1)  Researchers become a stakeholder  Make submissions  Respond to requests for information  Appear as witness at public hearing if invited Bates and Hansen (2008)

NEW LEGISLATIVE PROCESS DEFAULT PROCESS REFERRAL TO COMMITTEE BECOMING INVOLVED (2)  Emphasise the key findings and implications  Understand difference between lobbying and providing informed recommendations  Consider committee members backgrounds  Develop a working relationship with committee staff Bates and Hansen (2008)

NEW LEGISLATIVE PROCESS DEFAULT PROCESS REFERRAL TO COMMITTEE BECOMING INVOLVED (3)  Jurisdictional implications  Cost of the proposed measure  Difficulties transplanting measures  Identify size of benefit Bates and Hansen (2008)

NEW LEGISLATIVE PROCESS DEFAULT PROCESS REFERRAL TO COMMITTEE REFERENCES Bates, L. 2010, Parliamentary committees are important in developing policy: Evidence from a Queensland case study, Australasian Parliamentary Review, 25(2), Bates, L. & Hansen, R. 2008, Parliamentary committees turn road safety research and ideas into practice: Examples from Australia, International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, 46(4),

NEW LEGISLATIVE PROCESS DEFAULT PROCESS REFERRAL TO COMMITTEE QUESTIONS Lyndel Bates Research Director Queensland Parliamentary Service