More than 40 backbenchers have signed a petition calling for a hardline approach to stripping dual nationals involved in terrorism of their Australian citizenship.

The Coalition will soon introduce legislation to enable the immigration minister to revoke the Australian citizenship of those engaged in terrorism or supporting terror groups, provided they are dual nationals.

The backbenchers signed the petition urging Prime Minister Tony Abbott to push ahead with plan, asking for the new laws to be applied "not only to dual nationals, but those eligible for the citizenship of another country".

West Australian backbencher Dennis Jensen said the Government must be tough on Australians who join terrorist groups.

Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the Government was dealing with an "incredible threat".

"I do not want to look in the eyes of an Australian family who's been a victim of a terrorist attack here in Australia and say 'what else could we have done?'," Mr Frydenberg told the ABC's Q&A program.

But senator Cory Bernardi described the legislation as a "grab for power" that was "inherently dangerous".

The Opposition is prepared to support legislation to revoke the citizenship of dual nationals involved in terrorism, but wants to see the details of proposed legislation.

But Labor's immigration spokesman Richard Marles said he was worried about extending that provision to sole Australian nationals.

"We also need to know who's actually running this," he said.

"We have a petition from 40 backbenchers, it seems to be now opposed by Cory Bernardi.

"The minister seems to be unable to explain himself, let alone able to explain the legislation that we may or may not see being put into the Parliament, this as a process is a complete shambles."

Victorian Liberal MP Sharman Stone signed the letter supporting the tough position on citizenship, but said she wanted the Government to act to also ensure new citizens could speak English.

"I go to so many citizenship ceremonies in my electorate and in other people's electorates when they recite the oath, usually in unison at the request of the Mayor and presiding MP, [and] there's a mumble of voices," she said.

"You look closely at who's reciting the oath, and I'm afraid a very significant number of non-English speaking background cannot speak English, they can't understand what they're saying.

"For a lot of my Middle East communities... for a number of women from those cultural backgrounds, they're expected to be seen and not heard in their homes and the only excuse... that gives them permission to leave their homes and learn English, is when they understand... that they have to be able to speak English to get their citizenship."