‘The use of parliamentary committees and royal commissions serves a number of valuable purposes.’ Referring to one recent example of a recommendation for law reform, explain one strength and one weakness of either a parliamentary committee or royal commission in influencing a change in the law. - VCE - SSCE Legal Studies - Question 7 - 2020 - Paper 1

One strength of a royal commission is its ability to expose individual and institutional wrongdoing. The Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System effectively investigated systemic issues within the mental health framework and highlighted failures that necessitated urgent reforms. By uncovering evidence of failings in the system, the commission could compel the government to strengthen laws and policies related to mental health care.

One significant weakness of a royal commission is its limited terms of reference. While the commission can investigate specific areas of concern, it does not have the authority to implement its recommendations directly. For instance, even though the Royal Commission made critical recommendations to address the deficiencies in mental health services, the government is not legally obligated to act on these recommendations, leading to potential delays or incomplete reforms.