Prime Minister Tony Abbott is proposing a crackdown on citizenship and immigration laws as part of the fight on terrorism.  Politically bruised and battered in recent weeks, Abbott is seeking to take the pressure off of him and put the onus on immigrants and preachers.

Abbott said immigrants to Australia should “be as tolerant of others as we are of them”, and called on Muslim leaders to proclaim Islam as a religion of peace “more often, and mean it”.  Australia would clamp down on groups that incited religious or racial hatred, he said adding that “no one should make excuses for Islamist fanatics in the Middle East or their imitators here in Australia”.

“For too long, we have given those who might be a threat to our country the benefit of the doubt,” he said on Monday.  “We will never sacrifice our freedoms in order to defend them, but we will not let our enemies exploit our decency either.”

The measures could deny welfare payments to people seen as potential threats, revoking citizenship of those with dual nationality, and limit travel overseas.

"There is always a trade-off between the rights of an individual and the safety of the community,” Abbott said.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten promised to give Abbott’s proposals “full and careful consideration”.  Greens leader Christine Milne condemned Abbott’s comments on Islam as “appalling”, noting that a true leader would bring people together.  She accused Abbott of trying to spread fear and anxiety in an attempt to bolster his leadership.