Immigration Minister Peter Dutton was involved in delaying the public release of a Making Children Safer report, about the safety of child detainees, the child sex abuse royal commission hears.

The report reviewed 242 alleged incidents of abuse and found that only half of those matters received an adequate response.

The independent panel behind the report handed it to the Mr Dutton in May last year, but it was not made public until December.

Counsel Assisting Gail Furness QC asked the Secretary of the Department, Michael Pezzullo, why there was a six-month delay in publication.

Michael Pezzullo said: "I was very keen to ensure that both the report, the safeguarding framework and our general action plan … all went out comprehensively."

Commissioner Peter McLellan then pressed the point.

"Why couldn't you have just released the report and then shown later what you were doing in response to it — that's a fairly common way of doing things?"

Mr Pezzullo replied: "On this occasion I chose to, partly … in conferral with the Minister and partly in terms of my own decision making and conferring with the Border Force Commissioner, that we would prefer to go down this path."

Department Secretary 'inclined' to publicly release next report

The panel will be reviewing the measures the department is taking to improve the protection of child detainees in detention facilities and those living in the community.

Mr Pezzullo was asked whether there would be a delay in the release of that report.

"I would brief the Minister on it, we would discuss its handling and release thereafter, but my inclination would be to release that as well," Mr Pezzullo said.

He did not say how soon after receiving the panel's review it would be made public.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is examining the current policies and procedures of Commonwealth, State and Territory governments in relation to child protection and safety standards, including their response to allegations of sexual abuse.

Earlier the inquiry heard there are 175 child detainees on Nauru, and that all are now living with their parents.

One-hundred-and-thirty have been granted residence by the Government of Nauru under 20 year protection visas.

Forty-five are living in the island's immigration detention centre, but are free to come and go at will.

The Minister's office has been contacted for comment.