Australian spies helping after NZ shooting

Australian spies have been answering all requests for assistance from their colleagues in New Zealand in the aftermath of the Christchurch massacre.

Duncan Lewis, the director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, has told senators of the support during a budget estimates hearing in Canberra.

"We are giving assistance to our New Zealand colleagues," he said on Monday.

"We are doing everything that we can and answering all requests for assistance at this stage."

The spy chief said he could not detail the support that his agency has provided.

Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant has been charged with murder after 50 people were killed in shootings at two mosques in Christchurch on March 15.

Asked whether ASIO is concerned after the attack that right-wing extremism is increasing, Mr Lewis said such groups are more organised now than they have been in the past.

But he said ASIO has been keeping a close eye on right-wing extremists for about 40 years.

Following the events in Christchurch, the agency is assessing whether it may need to increase its focus on such extremism, but Mr Lewis expects they will not.

"There is no early evidence to suggest to me that there will be some dramatic reset around all this."

Of the seven terrorist attacks carried out in Australia since September 2014 and the 15 thwarted in that time, only one has been linked to right-wing extremism, Mr Lewis noted.

"It's important this be seen in context, in the long term."