Public inquiry

A public inquiry—also called a tribunal of inquiry, government inquiry, or simply an inquiry—is a formal review of events or actions, ordered by a government body, often through a parliamentary inquiry committee. In many common law countries like the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and Canada, this type of inquiry differs from a royal commission because it holds hearings and accepts evidence in a more open forum, and it concentrates on a particular incident. Members of the public and interested organisations can submit written evidence, as is typical for most inquiries, and they may also listen to oral testimony provided by others.

Such inquiries are usually called for events that result in multiple deaths, such as mass murders or public transport crashes. Advocacy groups and opposition political parties frequently demand public inquiries on a wide range of issues, but the government typically grants only a small number of these requests. Whether a government decides to appoint a public inquiry depends on several factors. First, events that receive more media coverage are more likely to be investigated. Second, because government ministers usually make the decision to appoint an inquiry, events where the relevant minister faces allegations of blame are less likely to be examined. Third, public inquiries tend to take longer and cost more due to their open nature. When a government refuses to hold a public inquiry, it often cites at least one of these reasons.

The inquiry’s conclusions are presented in a written report, which is first given to the government and then made public soon after. These reports typically include recommendations for improving government or public management in the future. A 2016 study found that public inquiry reports do not effectively change public opinion about the event they examine. Empirical research also does not support the idea that appointing a public inquiry reduces media attention to the issue. Reports seem to gain public trust only when they are critical of the government, and they tend to lose credibility when they find no government fault.

In France, any major project that requires compulsory acquisition of private property must undergo a public inquiry before approval, usually conducted by the prefect of the region or department. A favourable outcome results in a *déclaration d'utilité publique*, a formal finding that the project serves the public good. This procedure was established by the expropriation law of 7 July 1833, which expanded on an earlier law from 1810.

In South Africa, several historically important public inquiries have occurred since full democracy began in 1994. Some have examined national-scale events, such as systematic human rights abuses during apartheid or widespread corruption.

In Hong Kong, the Commissions of Inquiry Ordinance provides the legal basis for establishing such commissions. After the 2012 Lamma Island ferry collision, a commission produced a public report of its findings, while an internal report remained confidential. During the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests, one of the protesters’ five key demands was the establishment of another commission to investigate the protests themselves.