Section 101 of the Constitution stated that "there shall be an Inter-State Commission" however an Act providing for the appointment of the Inter-State Commission was not passed until 1912, after two attempts in 1901 and 1909. The powers and duties of the Commission were defined broadly in section 101 of the Constitution:
"(a) Such powers of adjudication and administration as the Parliament deems necessary for the maintenance within the Commonwealth of the provisions of the Constitution relating to trade and commerce and of all laws made thereunder."
Sections 102 and 104 also stated that the Commission should have certain powers relating to rates on State railways which might be found to involve a preference or discrimination against any State. The Interstate Commission Act of 1912 defined the Commission's function more specifically as the investigation of all matters affecting-
"(a) the production of and trade in commodities;
 (b) the encouragement, improvement and extension of Australian  industries and manufactures;
 (c) markets outside Australia and the opening up of external trade  generally;
 (d) the effect and operation of any Tariff Act or other legislation of  the Commonwealth in regard to revenue, Australian manufactures and  industry and trade generally;
 (e) price of commodities;
 (f) profits of trade and manufacture;
 (g) wages and social and industrial conditions;
 (h) labour, employment and unemployment;
 (i) bounties paid by foreign countries to encourage shipping or export  trade;
 (j) population;
 (k) immigration; and
 (l) other matters referred to the Commonwealth by either House of the  Parliament, by resolution, for investigation."2
Although the Act was assented to on 24 December 1912 personnel were not appointed until 11 August 1913 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No 57, 16 Aug 1913). The members, who were appointed by the Governor-General in Council for a period of seven years, were as follows:
A.B. Piddington (Chief Commissioner)
Hon. George Swinburne*
N. Lockyer
* replaced by S. Mills, February 1918.
On 8 September 1913, the Commission was asked to make an investigation into the Tariff. 70 reports were issued in completing this
investigation. Other matters referred to the Commission were: - January 1915, contravention of the provisions of the Constitution  in relation to trade and commerce
- 14 September 1915, the possible establishment of new industries - 7 March 1916, British and Australian trade in the South Pacific - 19 April 1916, changes by the State Railway Commissioners for the  carriage of mails
- 9 August 1917, causes of increased prices.3
On 31 March 1919, the Commissioners and Mr Mills, Comptroller-General of Customs were appointed to a Royal Commission to inquire and report upon the Sugar Industry.
The Commission held its last meeting on 29 March 1920.4 The seven year term of the original three Commissioners expired in 1920 and was not renewed. The Inter-State Commission was not formally abolished until the Statute Law Revision Act of 1950.
1. Commonwealth of Australia Acts, Constitution Act 1900.
2. Commonwealth of Australia Acts, No 33 of 1912, Interstate
 Commission Act 1912.
3. Official Year Book of the Commonwealth of Australia No 13
 1920, p 1123.
4. Australian Archives Accession CP 17/1,
 "Interstate Commission, Minute Book 1913-1920".
 

Historical agency address
314 Albert St, East Melbourne
Legislation administered
Commonwealth of Australia Acts No 33 of 1912, Inter-State Commission Act 1912.