"If this is an urgent matter of counter-terrorism, then it reflects terribly on the Prime Minister personally that he has left it so late … No lawmaking should be conducted in a rush," he said. Former national security legislation watchdog Bret Walker spoke out after comments by Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Credit:Fiona-Lee Quimby Mr Walker recommended in his final report as the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor in March last year that the government consider giving the immigration minister the power to strip dual nationals of their Australian citizenship where "it is in Australia's national security or counter-terrorism interests". The Abbott government has seized on the recommendation as support of its plan to give Immigration Minister Peter Dutton the power to strip citizenship in terrorism cases without the need for a criminal trial. But Mr Walker couched his recommendation in the report as an extension of existing powers that require a person be convicted in a criminal trial first.

He said on Thursday it was "absurd" and "ridiculous" to suggest he meant the existing power should require a conviction but the extension should not – as Mr Abbott has done. The government's rushed handling of its citizenship plans reflected badly on Mr Abbott, Bret Walker said. Credit:Andrew Meares He did not specifically mention the need for conviction in the key recommendation because it went without saying, he said. "Surely the Prime Minister doesn't think that because I didn't mention it, it didn't apply," he said. "How ridiculous. His position is indefensible and he should apologise." Mr Walker said neither the Prime Minister nor anyone from the government had even approached him to ask what he meant in his report.

"There has still not been any contact from the Prime Minister, any minister, any departmental liaison officer, with me since March 2014 about any of the recommendations," he said. "Inquiry of me about what was intended … has been completely lacking." His furious remarks came after Mr Abbott told Parliament that "the former monitor is entitled to change his mind and obviously he has changed his mind" over the need for a conviction. Mr Abbott accused Labor of wanting to "roll out the red carpet" to terrorists after