Under section 17 of the Inquiries Act 2013, the Inquiry can designate a person or group as a core participant in the Inquiry. Core participant status gives general rights to a person or group to give evidence and make submissions to the Inquiry, subject to the Inquiry’s directions.  In general, the Inquiry’s preference is to designate core participants for each investigation, as is the approach adopted by similar inquiries overseas. This allows the Inquiry to manage investigations and hearings, ensure fairness, and efficiently carry out its work.

The following list includes persons or groups who have been designated core participant status by the Inquiry. There may be additional persons or groups who cannot be named, for example, due to Section 15 Restriction Orders under the Inquiries Act 2013.