After spending the best part of two years trying to shut down the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, the government has changed its mind and provided ongoing funding for the organisation.Among its functions, the OAIC administers the Privacy Act, including comprehensive credit reporting.In last week's budget, the government allocated A$37 million to the OAIC for the next four years.The government decided to shut the OAIC in 2014, as part of a series of public sector efficiency measures. The organisation's functions were to be distributed among other departments and agencies.The government tabled a bill to give effect to its decision but it never made it through Parliament. Over the past couple of years the OAIC has received ongoing funding on a piecemeal, short-term basis while the government attempted to get its bill accepted.It will supervise privacy and freedom of information laws.