THE Federal Government will spend $69 million to reduce the risk of terrorist attack across Australia.
The long-awaited counter terrorism white paper was released today by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd at Parliament House in Canberra.
The money will fund the introduction of biometric-based systems and reduce the risk of terrorists, criminals and other persons of concern entering Australia undetected.
In 10 countries applicants for Australian visas will be photographed and finger-printed in their home country before a visa is issued.
A new counter terrorism control centre will be established that will improve the ability of agencies to operate against terrorism and to detect and prevent terrorists' threats.
"The Government remains committed to efforts that enhance integration and co-ordination of Australia's national security systems," the white paper says, adding the range of security challenges would be managed in a flexible and adaptive way".
"This approach serves our objective to take all necessary and practical measures to protect Australia and Australians at home and abroad."
Mr Rudd said terrorism continued to pose a serious threat and a serious challenge to Australia's security.
"That threat is not diminishing," he said.
"In fact, the Government's security intelligence agencies assess that terrorism has become a persistent and permanent feature of Australia's security environment".
Home grown threat
Security and intelligence agencies report that, while there have been counter-terrorism successes, they had been offset by the rise of groups affiliated with, or inspired by, al-Qaeda's message and methods, he said.
"Another apparent shift has been the increase in the threat from people born or raised in Australia, who have become influenced by the divisive narrative espoused by al-Qaeda," Mr Rudd said.
Mr Rudd said a terrorist attack could occur at any time.
"Prior to the rise of jihadist terrorism, Australia was not a specific target, now Australia is," he said, adding that more than 100 Australians had been killed in attacks since 2001.
Mr Rudd said there had been some success with counter terrorism efforts in South-East Asia, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
"But this has been offset by newer areas of concern such as Somalia and Yemen."
Privacy concerns
Earlier today civil libertarians expressed concerns that the new measures could violate privacy.
"I am very concerned that these things pose an ever increasing invasion of privacy," New South Wales Civil Liberties Council president Cameron Murphy said.
Mr Murphy renewed his calls for a Bill of Rights, saying it would protect people from governments over-stepping their duties.
"Information like this might be collected for what look like entirely reasonable reasons, but it can be adapted."
The long-awaited white paper has been leaked extensively and its release comes as the Government fends of Opposition calls for the resignation of embattled Environment Minister Peter Garrett over his handling of the now axed household insulation program.
Opposition legal affairs spokesman George Brandis would not comment on the document except the time it took to deliver.
"It has been delayed for an unconscionably long time," he told Sky News.
