SYDNEY, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Anti-Terrorism is at the forefront of Australia's agenda on Tuesday with a swathe of anti-terror laws to be introduced and police officials meet to counter radicalisation following a spate of terror-related incidents as recently as October.
New South Wales (NSW) police accountant Curtis Cheng was executed by a radicalised 15-year old outside the Parramatta Police station in early October, an act that caused shock around the nation.
The teenage gunman, who was shot by police special constables protecting the building, was buried last Saturday in a quiet ceremony in a western Sydney cemetery.
The NSW government will introduce new legislation on Tuesday, making it harder for anyone with links to terrorism to receive bail, implementing changes to a joint federal and state review into the Lindt Cafe Siege at Martin Place in December 2014.
Gunman Man Haron Monis was on bail for a string of offences, including being an accessory to his ex-wife's murder and sending letters to the families of Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan when he took 17 people hostage in the December siege.
Monis was killed in a shoot-out with police after executing cafe manager Tori Johnson. A second victim, Katrina Dawson died after being hit by a bullet ricochet.
"We've witnessed the brutal and senseless destruction terrorism has caused, and we will do what it takes to protect the community against any identified risks," NSW Attorney-General Gabrielle Upton said in a statement.
Under the changes, courts will be take into account an accused person's links with terrorist organizations as well as any statements or actions they have made in support of terror attacks or violent extremism.
Further south, The Victorian government will seek increased police powers to remotely access a suspect's computer, which previously they had to covertly enter a house to access.
The new legislation follows a British teenager being sentenced to life in prison for inciting a Melbourne man to behead a police officer in a terror attack on ANZAC day, Australia's national day of remembrance.
The teenager exchanged 3,000 encrypted messages over a nine-day period after becoming radicalised by online Islamic State propaganda.
Australian authorities arrested the Melbourne man the day before the ANZAC celebrations after British police discovered messages on the boy's phone exposing the plot and immediately notifying their Australian counterparts.
The legislation, to be introduced on Tuesday will also allow authorities to use a person's alias on preventative detention orders.
"At the moment when police apply for a preventative detention order sometimes they're unaware of the exact name of the suspect because they know the suspect by an alias," Victorian Attorney-General Martin Pakula told reporters on Tuesday.
Preventative detention orders under Victorian law allow authorities to detain a suspect without arrest or charge for up to 14 days where there is a threat of an imminent terrorist attack which will be prevented, or immediately after a terrorist attack where it is likely vital evidence would be lost.
Meanwhile representatives from Australia's police are meeting in Adelaide to discuss measures they say will help protect the Australian community and police from terrorism.
The murder of NSW police accountant Curtis Cheng in early October by a 15-year old radicalised youth is only the latest in a burgeoning threat against Australia's police, including the stabbing of two police officers who were investigating a terrorism suspect in September 2014.
Police Federation of Australia President Mark Carroll told reporters on Tuesday front line police need access to a real-time criminal intelligence database, rather than relying on out-dated 30-year old systems to help not only terrorism investigations, but other areas of policing.
"Unless (the driver) is a South Australian, (police) are going to have no chance of identifying quickly enough whether that person could be someone we need to know about," Carroll said, using South Australia to illustrate an example.
Earlier on Tuesday it was reported multi-million dollar security upgrades will be carried out over the coming months at Police stations in NSW, primarily across Sydney and those deemed high-risk following the fatal shooting of Cheng.
The upgrades include perimeter fencing, fortified security screens, remote-door access, CCTV cameras and a requirement officers do not work alone at night.
Australia's federal government is also seeking to introduce new anti-terror laws next month which reportedly will expanded powers to closely monitor children as young as 14.
Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the expanded nature gives greater protection to sensitive information in control order proceedings and protects against the incitement of genocide.
