It comes as the government mulls tougher national security laws, including forcing internet service providers to hold customers' records for up to two years, as it grapples with the threat posed by Australians travelling to Syria and Iraq to fight with jihadist groups.

Some of the measures believed to be under consideration were recommended by the very agency that the government plans to abolish, the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor.

In his most recent report, the monitor, headed by senior lawyer Bret Walker, called on the government to consider revoking the citizenship of dual nationals fighting in Syria and Iraq.

The government should also consider giving the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the Immigration Minister the power to suspend passports quickly if intelligence officials believe people are about to travel overseas to fight with extremists.

The government has indicated it is considering both measures.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Monday repeated his vow to do ''everything we humanly can to stop jihadist terrorists'' returning to Australia after fighting in the Middle East. ''We've stopped the illegal boats. We will ensure that we stop the jihadists as well, because the last thing we want is people who have been radicalised and militarised by experience with these al-Qaeda offshoots … returning to create mischief here in Australia,'' he said.

In a rare move, British QC David Anderson has sent a parliamentary submission highlighting the value of the independent monitor on national security, which the government wants to abolish as part of its March ''repeal day'' drive against red tape.

The Australian model was based on the British office. No one had ever suggested abolishing the British office, he wrote.

''On the contrary, its value is frequently asserted both in Parliament and in the courts, as well as by NGOs, academics, community groups and government.''

Among the measures being considered by the government are controversial ''data retention'' laws, under which metadata such as the address and time of an email sent or a Skype call made would be kept by service providers for a set period.

The latest push comes amid growing fears over an estimated 150 Australians who are involved with jihadist groups such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, which has seized large swaths of territory in Iraq.

Social media was alive with angry talk on Monday over moves by Facebook and Twitter to shut down pages promoting jihadist ideas.

Shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus slammed the government over its plan to abolish the independent monitor. ''I can't think of a worse time to be repealing this agency,'' he said.