THE National Capital Committee, which has the power to approve the location and character of national memorials, will conduct an inquiry into the building of national memorials in Canberra.

The inquiry will look into the administration of the National Memorials Ordinance 1928, which defines the membership and responsibilities of the Canberra National Memorials Committee (CNMC).

CNMC consists of the Prime Minister, the Minister responsible for the Ordinance, the leader of the Government in the Senate, the Leader of the Opposition in both the House and Senate and two residents of the ACT.

Committee chair, Senator Louise Pratt said the administrative processes supporting the Ordinance have been criticised recently and need to be examined.

“There are a number of current proposals for National Memorials and some of these have attracted public interest,” she said.

“The inquiry will allow us to set the framework for how the National Memorials Committee should operate.”

Senator Pratt  said the inquiry will also look at how to improve transparency in the administration of the Ordinance.

Submissions close September 9 and Senator Pratt intends to make its findings public by the end of the year.

For more information visit, http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/ncet/index.htm