secret home searches ahead

SECURITY agencies will be able to search people's homes, work and computers without telling them for 18 months afterwards under terror laws being considered by parliament.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer defended the Bill today, saying the "delayed notification search warrants" might be necessary to prevent terrorist attacks.

Mr Downer said the Government was trying to find a balance between civil liberties and preventing fatal terrorist attacks.

"You know how it is. If people get killed everyone will want to know why we didn't have tougher laws to stop attacks happening," he said on Southern Cross radio.

"The laws we have and the work that's been done by the federal police and our intelligence agencies and some of the state police forces up until now have protected us from terrorism, at least within Australia.

"But we need to listen to them If they want more powers, they need more scope to investigate terrorism or alleged terrorist activities, well we need to listen to them and then in the end the parliament will have to make a judgment about whether laws should be changed or not."