Those in the spy and security community aren't for most part panicking about the creation of a super-portfolio like Britain's Home Office.

But nor are they quite sure why there's a need for it. Until we see the detail there are a lot of old hands and current practitioners on the coalface who are wondering what is wrong with the current system.

ASIO, the Australian Federal Police and other agencies involved will be watching to see whether there is any encroachment on the way they do their business – and given the recent track record of stopping terror attacks, they seem to be doing their business rather well.