Labor leader Bill Shorten has hinted he will keep the powerful home affairs portfolio intact if he becomes the next prime minister.
Some in the Left faction of the party are reportedly agitating for Mr Shorten to dismantle the Department of Home Affairs if Labor wins the federal election.
"If the system is working then, of course, we will keep it. If the security agencies say we need to look at improvements then, of course, we will," Mr Shorten told reporters in Melbourne on Tuesday.
Australia's immigration, border, law enforcement and domestic security agencies were in December merged into a single department overseen by minister Peter Dutton.
The opposition leader said he would maintain a bipartisan approach to national security, relying on expert advice.
"We're not into change for change's sake," Mr Shorten said.
"If we get elected we're not just going to rip up everything the Liberals have done just because they were the Liberals and we're the new broom."
He said his colleagues' main concern with home affairs was Mr Dutton being in charge of the wide-ranging department.
But the Labor leader wouldn't be drawn on suggestions a decision to keep the portfolio would spark internal tensions within his party.
"People trying to say there's disunity on the Labor side, I'm not having a bar of that. If you want to look at Disunity 101 go and have a look at the current government," Mr Shorten said.
