Turnbull warms to Home Office idea

The government cannot simply 'set and forget' its anti-terrorism apparatus, says Malcolm Turnbull.

Malcolm Turnbull and Theresa May.

Malcolm Turnbull is warming to the idea of a Home Office to fight terrorism. (AAP)

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has left the door open to a Home Office style agency to tackle terrorism and improve border security.

Mr Turnbull, who received an intelligence and security briefing in London on Monday, told reporters at a joint media conference with British leader Theresa May later he was "always interested in learning about the British experience".

"This is no place for set and forget," he said.

"We have to be dynamic, agile constantly asking can we improve the way our agencies are keeping Australians safe."

Integrating departments such as attorney-general, Australian Federal Police, ASIO, Australian Border Force and immigration has been resisted by some cabinet ministers.

Mr Turnbull was due to tell a Policy Exchange forum in London on Monday night the UK and Australia were united in tackling terrorism "the starkest and most urgent enemy of freedom".

He took aim at those who argue tougher measures to deal with online extremism and the use of encrypted communications by terrorists breaches civil liberties and freedom of speech.

"By fighting terrorism - with proportionate means - we are defending liberal values," he will say.

"The privacy of a terrorist can never be more important than the safety of the public. The information security of a terrorist or child abuser must not be protected above the personal security of our children, communities, values."

Mr Turnbull successfully convinced G20 members at the Hamburg summit to include in a statement on terrorism support for companies to provide access to encrypted communications where necessary.

The prime minister says Australia is a model for the UK and Europe in terms of dealing with refugees and border security.

"The lesson is clear: weak borders fragment social cohesion, drain public revenue, raise community concerns about national security, and ultimately undermine the consensus required to sustain high levels of immigration and multiculturalism," he will say.


Share
2 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world
Turnbull warms to Home Office idea | SBS News