Prime Minister Julia Gillard's safe haven in Altona

THE small brick house in Altona that Julia Gillard will continue to call home will be fitted with panic buttons and alarms. 

Home sweet home: Julia Gillard's house in Altona. Picture: Joe Sabljak

THE small brick house in Melbourne's western suburbs that Julia Gillard will continue to call home will be fitted with panic buttons and alarms, and be guarded by her personal security officer when she is in residence.

 These measures will complement the already around-the-clock details of Australian Federal Police officers.  A security assessment will be carried out soon by officers from the Protective Services Co-ordination Centre to ascertain if the Altona home is fit for a national leader.

The assessment will be undertaken by members of the Federal Police, protective services and ASIO's highly secretive T4 unit, which specialises in technical security work.

A spokesman for Ms Gillard confirmed security at the house was under review, although no budget had been set aside at this stage for any upgrades.

Security consultant Neil Fergus, CEO of Intelligent Risks, said providing adequate security at the house was "not without problems but do-able".

"We're talking about Altona, not South Lebanon or Baghdad," he said.

"The question is not Canberra or Altona, but how they (ensure adequate security) and that requires assessment.

"I have no doubt those officers involved will be more than capable of looking after the stated intentions."

While most of Ms Gillard's neighbours believe the permanent presence of the Federal Police is sufficient, at least one neighbour thinks security for the leader of the nation is lax.

"To be honest, yes, there should be better security for her than what there is at the moment," said the neighbour, who did not want to be identified but who shares a fence with the PM.

"She's the Prime Minister and she will be making decisions other people don't like, just as John Howard made decisions about Iraq and Afghanistan that made him a target," he said.

The neighbour said he now kept his front gate locked at all times and was adopting a vigilant approach to security.

"We've heard nothing from the police and I would have expected to. If you lived here, wouldn't you?" the man said.

Next-door neighbour Pat Moran said the street was used to having Ms Gillard as a neighbour and didn't expect things to change now that she was Prime Minister.

"She's Julia to us, and she'll always be Julia," he said.

"I respect the fact that she's the Prime Minister, but she's still Julia."

Two doors down from the PM, Jane Lane-Davis said the constant police presence "is a bit intrusive to be honest".