Former prime minister Tony Abbott is encouraging the Turnbull Government to amend the Defence Act to allow specialist army regiments to take the lead on major domestic terror incidents.
Mr Abbott - who himself put a commando unit on standby during the Lindt café siege in December 2014 – has said on numerous occasions too many are concerned about “political correctness” and wants “shoot to kill” powers made a priority.
“If there is a complex situation, I think it is fitting the military become the lead agency," Mr Abbott told reporters in Ballarat on Monday.
Malcolm Turnbull will meet with state and territory leaders in Hobart on Friday and Mr Abbott wants the issue firmly on the day’s agenda.
"All too often in officialdom's ranks there is this notion Islamophobia is almost as bigger problem as Islamist terrorism," he said.
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"Islamophobia hasn't killed anyone, Islamist terrorism has now killed tens of thousands of people."
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the idea was already under review following the Lindt cafe siege.
"The issue of defence support in national counter-terrorism arrangements is already being considered," Ms Bishop told the ABC.
