Suspected Australian terror supporters would have their unemployment benefits and other welfare payments cut off, under new legislation proposed by the Coalition.



Tony Abbott said the legislation would allow the Department of Human Services to cancel benefits to those assessed as a serious threat to national security.



“These new measures will ensure Australian taxpayers are not financing people known to be members of, or working with, terrorist organisations,” the prime minister said in a statement on Saturday.



Abbott said under current arrangements, welfare payments could only be suspended or cancelled for those who didn’t meet social security eligibility rules.



That includes failing to fulfil participation, residence or portability qualifications.



The government has already cut benefits to those abroad, but not extremists in Australia who continue to meet eligibility requirements.



Abbott said he was committed to ensuring Australians engaged in terrorist activities were not receiving taxpayer-funded welfare payments.



He said legislation would be introduced to ensure benefits could be promptly stopped for people identified by national security agencies as involved in extremist conduct.



“The new legislation will enable the Department of Human Services to cancel a person’s welfare payment if it receives advice that a person has been assessed as a serious threat to Australia’s national security,” he said in the statement.



Advice will be provided by the attorney general, the minister for foreign affairs or the minister for immigration.



“Ministers will exercise discretion and take into account all relevant factors including advice from national security agencies, before requesting cancellation of welfare payments,” he said.



Abbott said the government would also ensure relevant agencies worked more closely together to share information on issues of national security where that related to cancelling welfare to those regarded as posing a threat.



“Australians travelling to Syria, Iraq, and other conflict zones to engage in, or support, terrorist activities are committing criminal offences,” he said.



Abbott said Australia’s welfare system already allowed payments to be suspended or cancelled for those who didn’t meet their obligations.



“This measure is based on the same principle. It is designed to make sure taxpayers’ money is not being used to undermine Australia’s national security,” he said.