Applications are in the works to put some of the worst offenders recently released from immigration detention back behind bars after new preventative detention laws passed.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
A preventative detention regime usually reserved for terrorists is set to be expanded to include the freed detainees who pose an unacceptable risk of committing a serious violent or sexual offence.
New legislation passed the parliament on Wednesday after former laws were struck out by the High Court as unconstitutional.
Three of the nearly 150 detainees who were released following the High Court ruling indefinite immigration detention was illegal have been arrested and charged on separate incidents since leaving detention.
Two are registered sex offenders.
Emran Dad, 33, faced court on Tuesday charged with breaching his reporting obligations to police after he allegedly contacted a child and didn't disclose social media accounts.
The heads of Australian Border Force and the Australian Federal Police briefed the prime minister and premiers on Operation Aegis on Wednesday.
Aegis is a joint operation to ensure community safety in the wake of the High Court decision.
Immigration Minister Andrew Giles has also been in contact with state and territory ministers to ensure the necessary preparations to keep the community safe were under way.
Court applications had been drafted in anticipation of the laws passing.
"We've already begun working through the worst offenders," he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.
Layers of protection were being put in place to ensure Australians' safety, Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil added.
Clare O'Neil was unable to confirm how many people would be covered by the new laws. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)
The new laws would be able to withstand a High Court challenge after previous ones were struck out, she assured the community.
"The safety of the Australian community is paramount to us," she said.
Neither minister confirmed how many people would be covered by the new laws or how many applications were in the works.
The detainees' offences were also kept secret despite Mr Giles previously telling parliament there were three murderers and several sex offenders among the cohort.
The opposition has chastised the government for not having legislation ready to implement as soon as the court's decision was handed down so offenders weren't released.
"You failed to get those preventative detention measures in place, which you could have done months ago, but instead, you blamed your department," Liberal senator Jane Hume told Ms O'Neil.
But Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus slammed the coalition for not understanding how High Court judgments work.
The government cannot out-legislate the constitution, Mr Dreyfus said.
Any delay could open the Commonwealth and individual public servants up to legal action and damages, he said.
"What the opposition has said is simply not true," he said.
"The decision of the High Court sets a new limit on the power to detain anyone in the same position as the plaintiff in that case and it had to be implemented immediately."
The federal government cannot out-legislate the constitution, Mark Dreyfus told the coalition. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)
Western Australian Premier Roger Cook assured the community all the freed detainees in his state had been accounted for after their release.
Those subject to control orders are being closely monitored, he said.
"We know the Australian Federal Police and Border Force personnel are working closely with WA Police to make sure that we keep the Western Australian community safe," he told reporters ahead of the briefing.
There was frustration that the former laws were inadequate, he added.
South Australia police were working diligently to ensure community safety after one of the charged detainees committed his alleged offence in the state, Premier Peter Malinauskas said.
"I'm satisfied they're doing everything they reasonably can - what we need is the federal parliament to do its job and pass that legislation as quickly as possible," he said.
The debate on the laws was a race to the bottom as while "some of them have committed heinous crimes, many of them haven't", Greens leader Adam Bandt said.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
Australian Associated Press