What legal protections are provided?
If you make a Royal Commission submission, you will be asked if you want it to be:
- Made public with your name,
- Made public without your name or any identifying details, or
- Private (not made public)
If you want your submission to be private, we recommend marking it as ‘confidential’.
- If you type your submission into the box provided in the online form, write ‘confidential’ at the top.
- If you upload a document, write ‘confidential’ on every page.
Will my submission be published on the Royal Commission website?
The Royal Commission may publish some of the submissions it receives, but only if the author has given permission. Even with permission, not all submissions will be published.
Some published submissions may have parts removed. This can happen if the information:
- Is not relevant to the Terms of Reference,
- Raises privacy concerns, or
- Is covered by a non‑publication order.
More information is available on the Royal Commission website.
How long will the information remain confidential?
While the Royal Commission is still operating, information you share with it cannot be accessed through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. After the Royal Commission finishes, people can ask for access to information under FOI laws.
The Royal Commission’s records will be securely kept by the Attorney‑General’s Department for 20 years. After that, they will be kept by the National Archives of Australia.
Can the Royal Commission share confidential information?
In some circumstances, the Royal Commission may need to share information without asking for consent. This may happen if the information suggests a crime and needs to be shared with police, or if it needs to be shared with another Royal Commission looking at related issues.
Contact us
You can contact the Royal Commission Legal Assistance Service for free, independent and confidential legal advice.
An interpreter can be arranged upon request.
If you are hearing or speech impaired, you can contact us by calling the National Relay Service on 133 677 (TTY) or on 1300 555 727.
You can find more contact options, depending on your specific needs, on the National Relay Service website.
Disclaimer
This information is intended as a general information guide only. It should not be relied upon as legal advice.
We recommend that you speak with a lawyer about your individual situation.
