Former Liberal leader John Hewson has accused the Coalition of "cheap political arse-covering" over attempts to link Malcolm Fraser's 1970s immigration policies to criminal gang activity and Islamic radicalisation in Australia today.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton attacked the Fraser government's policies on Thursday, saying they were partly to blame for Australia's struggle with foreign fighters travelling to international conflict zones and suburban violence linked to newly arrived communities.

Mr Dutton said many Australians fighting in the Middle East were the children or grandchildren of migrants who settled during the 1970s and 1980s - an apparent reference to the more than 16,000 people who came from Lebanon in the wake of the 1976 civil war.

"The reality is Malcolm Fraser did make mistakes in bringing some people in the 1970s and we're seeing that today," he told Sky News.