The letters patent issued by the Governor or Governor-General will usually prescribe a fixed date by which the royal commission must present its final report and recommendations. Royal commissions will sometimes publish an interim report to summarise the commission’s progress and set out recommendations if matters require urgent attention.

The final report of a royal commission will almost always be made public, though in exceptional cases portions may be kept confidential. In 2023 the Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII) launched a public database of all federal and state royal commissions and public inquiries held since the mid-1800s.

The final report will typically set out the royal commission’s terms of reference, findings made based on the evidence heard and submissions received, and formal recommendations.

The government will usually prepare a formal report responding to the commission’s findings and explaining whether and to what extent it will implement the recommendations. The government may then provide updates or reports on a regular basis about its progress in implementing the royal commission’s recommendations.