Up to 61 Australian jihadists killed

Australian security authorities now reckon as many as 61 Australians have been killed while fighting with Islamist terror organisations in the Middle East.

Attorney-General George Brandis said it was now estimated that between 54 and 61 Australians fighting with those groups in Iraq and Syria had been killed.

That's a small increase on the estimate of up to 59 dead given by Australian Security Intelligence Organisation head Duncan Lewis early last month.

It was estimated 110 Australians were fighting with Islamist terror organisations, primarily Islamic State. That's unchanged from last month.

Senator Brandis said it was also estimated some 40 who had been engaged in the conflict had returned to Australia.

Around 190 in Australia were under surveillance and investigation for involvement in terrorist recruitment, facilitation or financing.

"The nature of the problem is stable. It has been stabilised but it would be incorrect to say the problem has eased," he told Sky News.