The ads are in the papers – the HIH Royal Commission is in action. The advertisements, placed in most major Australian newspapers, have called for people to register to appear before the royal commission at preliminary hearings which will begin in Sydney on September 19.

Adelaide insolvency firm Fisher Jeffries has been appointed solicitors for the commission, along with the Australian Government Solicitor.

Federal Attorney-General Daryl Williams revealed on Friday that the commission’s official powers have been amended to give the Commissioner, Justice Neville Owen, more powers and greater discretion to dig deep into the circumstances surrounding the March collapse of Australia’s second-largest general insurer.

Letters patent authorise Justice Owen to conduct his inquiry in combination with state jurisdictions. He has also been given the ability to ignore specific matters that may fall under his jurisdiction, but which presumably will not be central to the HIH investigation.

Mr Williams said the document also protects the royal commission’s authority in situations where it may find its investigations overlapping the ASIC investigation.

The HIH liquidator, Tony McGrath, said on Sunday that HIH had liabilities of up to $8.5 billion when it collapsed. However, the company was “clearly insolvent” in July last year.