Proposal 'won't target minority groups'

Australians are being assured minority groups won't be subject to greater scrutiny under proposed changes to the way intelligence is gathered.

A major review has recommended a regime be introduced allowing agencies to seek approval from ministers to produce intelligence on a "class" of Australian people involved with proscribed terrorist organisations.

Agencies, such as ASIO, would be required to keep an updated list of Australians in that class they want to monitor and justify continued coverage.

The authorisation would last a maximum of six months but can be renewed and must be agreed to by the attorney-general and inspector-general of intelligence and security.

Michael L'Estrange, who led the review into Australia's intelligence community, dismissed fears it could make minority groups feel more marginalised and subject to more scrutiny.

"I don't think so," he told ABC radio on Wednesday.

"We've actually built into that recommendation some very important safeguards."

He said the reason behind the recommendation was because getting authorisation to produce intelligence on an individual basis, as is the case now, can be slow.

"It needs to be extremely agile and nimble in response to the challenges that we face. We think this is actually a sensible way to go," the former head of the foreign affairs department said.

"There are a range of safeguards built around both ministerial authority and the class authorisation that I think will guarantee greater security within the framework of respect for individual rights."

The L'Estrange report, released on Tuesday, also recommended introducing a requirement that all agencies under the Intelligence Services Act seek authorisation from a minister for activities likely to have a direct effect on an Australian person.

But it also suggests allowing agencies to act immediately and without authorisation in situations "where it is reasonable to believe that an Australian person consents to the ISA agency producing intelligence on that person".