Fighting terrorism was on the agenda in Canberra today. A special meeting of State and Territory leaders gave their support to a range of tough new national security measures, but the Prime Minister insists Australians won’t be under mass surveillance.

Bryce Heaton reports.

TRANSCRIPT

Meeting with Premiers and Chief Ministers, the Prime Minister hoped to strengthen counter-terror measures across the nation.

Malcolm Turnbull, Prime Minister: “I want to thank you for the consistent commitment to keeping Australians safe.”

The meeting agreed to establish a national face matching service,

It will hold all passport and drivers’ license information so terror suspects can be more quickly identified.

Malcolm Turnbull, Prime Minister: “It’s been operating I think as we know in a rather clunky, old fashioned manual way.”

The Queensland Premier welcomed the move.

She’s already pledged $100 million towards counter-terror measures for next year’s Commonwealth Games.

Annastacia Palaszczuk, Queensland Premier: “This is about people’s safety and security and there is nothing more important.”

The leaders also agreed to double the time a terror suspect can be detained without charge.

Daniel Andrews, Victoria Premier: “Notional considerations of civil liberties do not trump the very real threat, the very real threat of terror.”

Gladys Berejiklian, New South Wales Premier: “I want to be a premier that has a no regrets policy, I don’t want to look back and think what could I have done differently or more to protect the community.”

Labor also wants the national gun amnesty extended, in the wake of the Las Vegas massacre.

Bill Shorten, Opposition Leader: “I think we need to extend it and I also think we need to put our foot down.”

Twenty eight thousand firearms have been surrendered to police, during the three month amnesty.

Bryce Heaton, QUT News.