I. History, trends and issues - the story so far... -- Towards a common legislative base for inquiries -- The constitutional first principles of royal commissions -- II. An inquiry by any other name... types of public inquiries -- Some reflections on commissions of inquiry -- Public inquiries into political wrongdoing -- Royal Commissions and integrity systems -- Inquiries into disasters - contrasting styles and forms -- Making public policy in the public interest - the role of public inquiries -- III. What inquiries do and how they do it? -- The National Human Rights consultation -- Finklestein Inquiry into the media -- Inquiry into Australian intelligence agencies -- Making drought policy through public inquiries - managing risk or coping with disaster? - Inquiring into government administration -- IV. What is there to show for it? Assessing inquiry effectiveness -- Sweeping the wheat under the carpet - how much have we learnt from the AWB oil for food kickbacks scandal? -- Reviewing the review of a fiscal 'stimulus' program -- Inquiries into defence - why no difference? -- Royal commissions and the press - seagulls at the lawyer picnic -- V. Other countries inquiries -- Public inquiries in the United Kingdom -- Commissions of inquiry - the New Zealand way -- Commissions of inquiry in Canada -- Presidential commissions in the US political system -- VI. Conclusion -- Public inquiries - living up to their potential.