Committee Details

The Legal Affairs and Safety Committee of the 57^th Parliament was established as a portfolio committee of the Queensland Legislative Assembly on 26 November 2020.

The committee has responsibility for the following portfolio areas:

• Justice and Attorney-General
• Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence
• Police
• Corrective Services
• Fire and Emergency Services.

Responsibility for Women was shifted from the Legal Affairs and Safety Committee to the Health and Environment Committee on 23 May 2023. 

In relation to its areas of responsibility, the committee:

• examines the estimates of each department (and relevant statutory agencies);
• examines Bills to consider the policy to be enacted;
• examines Bills and subordinate legislation for the application of the fundamental legislative principles set out in section 4 of the Legislative Standards Act 1992;
• considers the compatibility of Bills with the Human Rights Act 2019, including examining statements of compatibility for Bills;
• considers the lawfulness of subordinate legislation;
• assesses the public accounts of each department in regard to the integrity, economy, efficiency and effectiveness of financial management by:
  • examining government financial documents, and
  • considering the annual and other reports of the auditor-general.
• considers departments' public works in light of matters including, but not limited to the:
  • suitability of the works for the purpose,
  • necessity for the works,
  • value for money of the works,
  • revenue produced by, and recurrent costs of, the works, or estimates of revenue and costs,
  • present and prospective public value of the works,
  • procurement methods used for the works, and
  • actual suitability of the works in meeting the needs in and achieving the stated purpose of the works.

The committee must also investigate any issue referred to it by the Legislative Assembly or under an Act, whether or not the issue is within the committee’s areas of responsibility.

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The committee also has a monitor and review function in relation to the performance of the functions of the Queensland Ombudsman, the office of the Information Commissioner, and the Queensland Family & Child Commission. However, the committee does not have jurisdiction to investigate individual complaints in relation to those statutory offices. The committee must also be consulted regarding senior appointments to the Electoral Commission of Queensland.

View: Report No. 37, 57th Parliament - Annual Report 2021-22 - tabled 19 October 2022
View: Report No. 13, 57th Parliament - Annual Report 2020-21 - tabled 18 October 2021