The Prime Minister has defended the Government's record of funding Australia's intelligence agencies, after a Four Corners report revealed that ASIO had been successfully targeted in a cyber attack by Chinese hackers.

The ABC's Four Corners program revealed that classified blueprints of the new ASIO headquarters in Canberra were stolen in a cyber hit orchestrated from a Chinese server.

But the Chinese government has labelled the accusations as "groundless".

Four Corners also reported the departments of Defence, Prime Minister and Cabinet, and Foreign Affairs and Trade had all been breached in sustained hacking operations.

Ms Gillard told Parliament the Four Corners report contained "a number of unsubstantiated allegations".

"As the Attorney-General has stated neither he nor the director-general of ASIO intend to comment further on these inaccurate reports in accordance with the longstanding practice of both sides of politics not to comment on very specific intelligence matters," she said.

Key points Secret blueprints of new ASIO HQ stolen

Secret blueprints of new ASIO HQ stolen Chinese hackers believed to be behind theft but its government says claims are "groundless"

Chinese hackers believed to be behind theft but its government says claims are "groundless" Blueprints show security, IT system layouts

Blueprints show security, IT system layouts Attorney-General says ASIO building will be opened later this year and insists it is secure

However, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott used the security breach to press the Prime Minister over funding cuts to intelligence agencies.

Yesterday, a parliamentary committee, chaired by Labor backbencher Anthony Byrne, said efficiency dividends were compromising the capabilities of national security agencies - something Mr Byrne described as "completely unacceptable".

Mr Abbott asked if the Prime Minister could "guarantee that cuts to the AFP, Customs, ASIO and other agencies have not hurt the Government's capacity to keep our country safe".

Ms Gillard replied by saying Mr Abbott should "check the facts", arguing that Labor had increased funding while in office, spending $18 billion since 2008 on national security matters.

"All of our agencies are in a position to keep our country safe with the resources that they have," she said.

"I reject any suggestion that funding to Australia's intelligence agencies has been cut."

Gillard outlines funding to ASIO since 2007

Ms Gillard says the 2013-14 budget will increase funding to ASIO by $32.3 million, which is a 10 per cent increase in funding.

"Since coming to government in 2007, this government has increased funding for ASIO from $291m in 2007-08 to $369m in 2013-14, that represents a funding increase of 27 per cent," she said.

"Over the same period the average staffing level has increased from 1,349 to 1,778 - that's a 32 per cent increase."

She says the parliamentary committee used figures from the 2010-11 budget.

But Mr Abbott continued to push the Prime Minister over Mr Byrne's criticism, challenging her to take action against the Labor backbencher.

"Is the Member for Holt right or is the Member for Holt wrong, and if the Member for Holt is wrong, will she remove him as chairman of the ASIO committee?" he said.

Ms Gillard said that would amount to "bully-boy conduct".

"The facts of this matter as outlined by me mean I do not agree with the Member for Holt," she said.

"Having said that, this is a democracy, this is the nation's parliament, and I believe people should be able to come here and put their views.

"The Leader of the Opposition is asking me to thug the Member for Holt and I won't do so - I am not that kind of person."

China slams 'groundless' accusations

The Chinese Government has rejected the accusations made in the Four Corners report.

"China opposes all forms of hacker attacks. This is a worldwide problem," foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said.

"Though these reports seem solid, given that it is difficult to find the origin of such hacker attacks, I don't see where the real evidence is for reports like this.

"This is a global problem which needs an even-tempered discussion involving regulations.

"Groundless accusations will not help solve this issue."

The Four Corners report revealed the blueprints stolen in the cyber attack on ASIO include the building's security and communications systems, its floor plan and its server locations.

Experts say the attack means ASIO is vulnerable to being spied on and are probably why costs for the new building have blown out to $630 million - more than $170 million over budget.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus says the ASIO building will be opened and occupied in the second half of this year and insists it is secure.

"I conducted an inspection with the director-general of ASIO just last month, and I can assure everybody that this building is a very secure, state-of-the-art facility," he said.

"I'm not going to go into the details of why it is a very secure facility, but it is just that."