Australia refuses to connect to undersea cable

Australia's top spy has warned a 4000 kilometre-long cable could be torpedoed over Chinese firm Huawei's involvement.

UN says immigration officials screened refugees for reunions

Immigration officials helped conduct interviews for possible family reunions from Nauru and Manus Island, the United Nations refugee agency has said, appearing to bolster its claim the Turnbull government was considering resettling some refugees.

Chinese spy ship 'entitled' to be off Australian coast, Julie Bishop says

This is the first time China's People's Liberal Army Navy has been known to carry out such open surveillance off our coast.

UN agency claims government had agreed to resettle refugees in Australia

UN High Commissioner for Refugees releases statement strikingly at odds with the Turnbull government's public position.

Intelligence watchdog 'needs to triple staff' to keep eye on spies

The intelligence watchdog's staff of just 17 people has "not kept pace" with its growing workload.

Call for increase in spy powers against terror

Australia's foreign spy agencies could gather intelligence on "classes" of Australians involved with terrorist organisations to help stop lone wolf attacks or help the military target terrorists, under recommendations from the high level intelligence review of the Turnbull government.

Apple flies in top executives to lobby Turnbull government

Apple's top privacy executives have flown out to Australia twice in the past month to lobby the Turnbull government.

Doubts over new home affairs ministry

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.

Home affairs details reassuring but questions remain

• ANALYSIS

Will it make us safer? That's always the threshold.