Is everything in the inquiry made public?

• Commissions are set up as a public investigation process. The process is designed to be transparent and open to the public but there are some circumstances where certain evidence or material will not be made publicly available.
• This depends on a number of factors. Each commission or inquiry is unique but there are some common circumstances where evidence or material will not be made public.
  • Generally a commission has the power to direct that any evidence not be published. This is called a non-publication direction.
  • To protect a person’s identity a commission can also direct that the contents of any document produced or certain information concerning that person not be published.
  • Evidence can be taken in private hearings rather than public hearings.
• When deciding whether to make a non-publication order the commission will balance a person’s privacy interests against the public interest in exposing the matter.
• If you have concerns about protecting your privacy you can use our Phone a Lawyer service to get a preliminary consultation about your situation. A lawyer may be able to assist you in explaining your concerns to the commission or identifying ways you can protect your identity.