Australia will back a global effort to deal with foreign fighters when leaders gather at the United Nations to discuss the rising threat of Islamic State.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott heads to New York on Tuesday night where he will outline Australia's commitment to dealing with citizens intending to travel to terrorism hot spots or seeking to return home after supporting IS in Iraq and Syria.
US President Barack Obama, who will chair a meeting of the UN Security Council, will seek support for a resolution calling for action to stem the flow of foreign fighters.
At least 60 Australians are known to have travelled to Iraq and Syria to fight with IS, while the group has about 100 Australian supporters, and 60 people have had their passports seized before they could head overseas.
In total, about 15,000 citizens from several dozen countries have taken up arms alongside IS fighters.
Mr Abbott will spell out Australia's plans to enact foreign fighter legislation, which will be introduced to parliament on Wednesday, and back a global standard to lessen the risk.
Australia's laws will make it a crime to travel to terrorism hot spots unless there is a valid reason.
The prime minister on Tuesday reassured coalition MPs that any military action in Iraq would be "minimal" and have two clear goals: to ensure the region was not a base from which people could attack Australia, and to stop avoidable genocide.
The mission was not about trying to establish a liberal democracy in Iraq but to assist Iraqi forces and the Peshmerga, he said.
Mr Abbott praised the US president for being "rightly" slow to reach for the gun.
A number of MPs voiced concerns that the public would not support a long-term military commitment in Iraq.
While in New York, Mr Abbott is likely to get some clarity on how pre-deployed RAAF Super Hornets and special forces could best be used in Iraq.
The Labor opposition has backed a government bill to bolster the powers of ASIO and is likely to throw its weight behind the foreign fighters laws.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten told the caucus that as well as dealing with legalities, Labor MPs should be promoting social harmony.
"If Australia turns on itself, and if we turn on each other, terror wins," he said.
Australian Greens senator Scott Ludlam said efforts to combat terrorism since September 11 had only made the world a more precarious place.
Defence Minister David Johnston has been in Iraq for talks with its new prime minister Haider al-Abadi, and was due to visit the Australian defence base in the United Arab Emirates.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has had talks with Arab leaders in New York, who she says are committed to supporting the Iraq mission and stemming the flow of money to terrorist groups.
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