The government needs to spell out exactly what internet data it wants stored for spies and law enforcement agencies so it can “explain and justify” it, Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull says.

Speaking on Bloomberg TV in the face of criticism the government has demonstrated a lack of understanding of its own proposals, particularly whether the storage of "metadata" would include users' browser history, Mr Turnbull has stressed the policy is still in the consultation and design phase.

Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull says the government's data retention plans are still being finalised. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

“Metadata means different things to different people so what we have to do is get to the end of our consultation, conclude the very, very clear parameters of our policy and then explain it and then justify it,” he said.