Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's elevation to the top job coincides with the emerging issue of increasingly younger Australians becoming part of that homegrown threat.
A 12-year-old has been under police investigation, and a 15-year-old was responsible for the shooting in Sydney's suburban Parramatta that killed police worker Curtis Cheng.
Mr Turnbull called state and federal government officials together to discuss a plan of action.
"The shocking murder of Curtis Cheng, a shocking act of terrorism perpetrated by a 15-year-old boy, reminds us yet again that radicalisation, extremism, can be seen in the very young."
Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs Concetta Fierravanti-Wells speaks regularly with Muslim groups and leaders in the communities.
Senator Fierravanti-Wells told SBS that community leaders have told her they want to be able to get help at an earlier stage.
"When a mother is faced with the prospect of having to ring the national-security hotline, the police or, if she can't speak English, the telephone interpreter service, that's a very daunting task. If she's got concerns about her young son or daughter, she will clearly do that in extreme circumstances. So what I've been saying is that we have to look at things earlier in the process, the old adage of 'Prevention is better than cure.' And so, for families and communities, one of the things that they've been urging me to look at is something -- a hotline, a referral service -- and that's one of the things that we're going to be examining, so that they can come to us early in the piece and raise their concerns and get advice."
The Prime Minister wants to work with Muslim communities.
But at the same time, his Government is introducing new terrorism laws that would reduce to 14 the age that a control order, limiting freedom of movement, can be applied.
The Lebanese Muslim Association's Samier Dandan was in Canberra for the launch of Unity Day, to be held at the end of the month.
He was asked about the proposed change to control-order laws.
"From a security perspective, of course, if it's required, then, yes, we will support it. But if it's the only type of process that they want to put in place to address these issues, then we will have a major concern with it."
In parliament, Mr Turnbull's political fortunes seem to be steadying.
The release of the international findings into the causes of the M-H-17 disaster confirmed much of the position Australia has maintained throughout on what happened.
Mr Turnbull reflected on the Australian pain from the crash following the report.
"It was a deeply personal tragedy for the victims and their families. Thirty-eight Australians were killed, but 23 million Australians mourned, many because we knew the victims."
Published opinion polls show a boost in Mr Turnbull's personal rating, but the two major parties are still level at 50 per cent each on a preferred-party basis.
Former leader Tony Abbott has taken his position on the backbench.
After Mr Turnbull praised the man he replaced, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten asked the new prime minister about the coup.
"Given the Prime Minister's admiration for the Member for Warringah's great achievements, why did the Prime Minister overthrow the Member for Warringah for the top job just four weeks ago?"
The Prime Minister's response?
"I'm delighted that the Leader of the Opposition, showing his gallantry, has given me the opportunity once again to praise the Member for Warringah, a prime minister ... the leader who took us out of opposition."
Labor tried to attack the millionaire Prime Minister's personal financial arrangements.ÿ
Mr Turnbull holds overseas-managed funds, some of which have investments listed in the Cayman Islands, a known tax haven.
This was one of many questions about it from Bill Shorten and Labor.
"Is Malcolm Turnbull really saying that putting millions of dollars into a Cayman Islands investment fund, where you need to have millions of dollars to be able to enter those funds, is the same as the superannuation of ordinary Australians?"
Mr Turnbull responded:
"So, really, if the Honourable Member wants to go around wearing a sandwich board saying, 'Malcolm Turnbull's got a lot of money,' feel free (to do it). I think people know that."
After earlier criticising the China free-trade agreement, Mr Shorten now says Labor is prepared to make a deal with the Government and is asking for some workforce protections.
"We urge Malcolm Turnbull and the Government to come to the table to deal with a range of concerns that have been put forward, and then we can all successfully support the China free-trade agreement. We understand there are great benefits in a China free-trade agreement for many people."
The Government welcomed the announcement and said it hopes to gain approval of the deal by the end of the year.
Share
