Australia to undertake counter-terrorism legislation reform

Australia will continue detaining those convicted of terror-related offences as part of a raft of new counter-terrorism laws to help preventlone wolf' style attacks that have killed hundreds worldwide.

"The measures we are announcing today are designed to deter terrorism, prevent it, ensure that the nation and our people are kept safe," Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told reporters in Sydney on Monday.

Australia, a staunch ally in the U.S. war on terror in Syria and Iraq, has been on heightened alert for homegrown terrorists since 2014, suffering several attacks including the lone wolf style murder of Police accounting Curtis Cheng at the Parramatta Police station in western Sydney last year.

Australian authorities have already conducted 16 counter-terrorism operations with 44 persons charged, or in jail, since September 2014, however "we cannot afford to be complacent," Turnbull said.

As such, the Australian government will seek to place convicted terrorists at high risk of reoffending into post-sentence preventative detention under a process to be overseen by the courts.

"It will provide a very real incentive for people in prison for terrorist offences not to engage in continued extremist activity," Turnbull said, noting Australian states currently have similar measures for sexual and violent offenders deemed a high risk, but nothing for convicted terrorists.

The government has also accepted a review into counter terrorism legislation proposed in November 2015, which include creating a new office of "advocacy of genocide" similar to "advocacy of terrorism", as well as reducing the age of control orders from 16-years to 14 years in light of the heightened risks.

Counter-terrorism authorities are increasingly concerned about the young age of those being radicalised following the arrest of five teenagers in Melbourne, along with a 14-year-old boy in Britain, for allegedly planning a terror attack at ANZAC-day commemorations in 2015.

Earlier in February, the teenage bride of an Australian terrorism suspect who is already in jail was arrested for allegedly possessing a knife, an Islamic State flag and documents relating to a terror attack.

"At the moment, the lowest age control orders against a person of concern is the age of 16, but as we saw tragically in the shooting at the Parramatta Police Station last year, 16 is too low a threshold," Australian Attorney General George Brandis told reporters, noting the age of criminal responsibility in Australia is below 16 as well.

The western Sydney slaying of Cheng was carried out by 15-year-old Farhad Jabar. Five males aged 16 to 24 have also been arrested in relation to the terror attack, and are awaiting trial.

Turnbull caution Australia must still be vigilant, as Islamic State will still seek other avenues to terrorise as it comes under "greater pressure" from coalition forces retaking land it once held, thus seeking advice on the potential domestic vulnerabilities highlighted by the Nice attack last week.

How Australia reacts to the "phenomenon" of rapid radicalization of those not known to authorities and aren't on the "counter-terrorism radar", and "how we prevent that, is very important," Turnbull said, noting human intelligence is key.

"The deeper and more committed our engagement is with the community, particularly with the Muslim community, the safer we are," Turnbull said. Endit