Federal Parliament's powerful Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (JCIS) has called for ASIO's controversial power to detain people for up to a week to be scrapped, arguing it has not been used for more than a decade.

The bipartisan committee, chaired by Liberal MP Andrew Hastie, has been reviewing the domestic spy agency's powers.

It recommended the organisation's broad questioning powers continue, but called on Parliament to repeal the detention powers, introduced in the wake of the September 11 attacks in New York and the Bali bombings.

The JCIS argued Australia's national security framework has developed since the powers were awarded to ASIO in 2003, and there are now other ways the agency can combat terror threats.

"The original purpose of the questioning and detention powers was the prevention of terrorist acts," the report tabled in Parliament on Thursday said.

"The powers were seen, in light of the limited availability of other powers at the time, as a necessary method of preventing terrorism.

"However, noting the seriousness of ongoing detention, the constitutional and human rights concerns with the current framework and the non-use of the powers, the Committee is of the view that the current provisions are no longer the appropriate response to the threat of terrorism."

While calling for ASIO to retain its questioning powers, the JCIS called for a review over the next 12 months.

"ASIO's questioning powers are extraordinary powers," the committee said.

"They were introduced into an unprecedented security environment.

"As noted, this security environment has changed considerably since that time, but the threat of terrorist attack persists."

The Law Council of Australia welcomed the committee's recommendation to scrap the detention powers.

"It is crucial [that] our security and law enforcement agencies have appropriate powers to detect, prevent, and prosecute terrorist activities," president Morry Bailes said.

"But the appropriate balance must be struck between ensuring national security and safeguarding the fundamental legal rights central to our democracy."