CDF Commissions of Inquiry and Boards of Inquiry are:

• internal ADF Inquiries, which aim to provide senior commanders with accurate and reliable information to assist them in making decisions in the proper discharge of their military duties;

• established to inquire into the facts and circumstances surrounding an incident or occurrence to inform command decisions about actions that may need to be taken to avoid a recurrence;

• required to apply the requirements of procedural fairness;

• conducted separately from the normal chain of command;

• conducted according to the Terms of Reference, which are determined by the Appointing Authority, such as Chief of Defence Force, a Service Chief or other senior commander;

• not courts of law or judicial tribunals, and do not focus on the attribution of blame.

• not conducting a criminal or disciplinary investigation or concluding that service or civilian offences have been committed but may however make comments or findings that are critical of the conduct of individuals; and

• appointed and conducted in accordance with the Defence (Inquiry) Regulations 1985.