Prime Minister Julia Gillard said a specialist panel would review the laws taking into the view particularly the trends in global fights against terrorism even as she said that the terror was an 'ever-present threat'.
The panel headed by recently retired judge, Anthony Whealy will look at the control orders, preventative detention and some emergency powers given to police to stop, question and search people, according to ABC.
"The review of our laws is important to ensure that our laws remain necessary and provide effective powers for our police and security agencies," the Prime Minister said.
The review panel will look at the federal and state counter-terrorism legislation and they have been asked to provide a written report to the Council of Australian Government within six months.
The review was due to start in 2010, however, the head of the Attorney-General's department, Roger Wilkins, told a senate committee last October that the review had "drifted" due to concerns about how it would interact with other government reviews.
"I think there was some concern about how it would interact with the appointment of (the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor, Bret Walker] that is setting up for terrorism legislation. So it has drifted," he said
"We are all ready and set to go. I think it is just a question of when appointments, etc will be settled."
