Greater privacy for abuse victims THE federal government has changed the century-old Royal Commissions Act to facilitate the inquiry into institutional child abuse. The bill passed in the lower house on Wednesday night allows those who want to give evidence to do so in a less formal setting. They will now be able to go before a private hearing, not swear an oath or affirmation, but receive the same protections as those giving evidence at formal hearings. The government has also strengthened the confidentiality measures surrounding the information given in a private session. The amended bill excludes personal information given in private sessions from being released under the Freedom of Information Act and stops the records from being accessed for 99 years. Although the procedural changes in this legislation are being introduced specifically for the royal commission into institutional abuse, they will now apply to all future Commonwealth royal commissions. The Royal Commissions Amendment Bill 2013 will now proceed for royal assent.