David Wroe is the defence and national security correspondent for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based at Parliament House
Malcolm Turnbull's plan to create a home affairs ministry has met with mixed responses, with experts welcoming strengthened oversight of intelligence agencies but questioning how much improvement to national security the changes will yield.
Will it make us safer? That's always the threshold.
Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed a dramatic shake-up of Australia's security, police and intelligence agencies.
Those in the spy and security community aren't for most part panicking about the creation of a super-portfolio like Britain's Home Office.
George Brandis, Julie Bishop, Michael Keenan and Marise Payne are all understood to oppose the idea.
Potential surprise pick could force Malcolm Turnbull to find his third chief of staff since becoming Prime Minister.
State governments will still decide whether they want help from the military to handle terrorist incidents.
Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne says he wants Australia to become a major arms exporter on par with Britain, France and Germany
As many as 64,000 could die on the first day of a war unlike any seen in generations, perhaps ever.
The RAAF will start flying its advanced intelligence-gathering planes over the southern Philippines to help the country's military beat back an onslaught by Islamic State-affiliated insurgents.
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