Peter Dutton expects Malcolm Turnbull to review National Security Committee

Peter Dutton expects Malcolm Turnbull will soon review the composition of the National Security Committee of Cabinet.

Peter Dutton said he had been invited to join NSC meetings “as required” since the change of leadership.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton expects Malcolm Turnbull will soon review the composition of the National Security Committee of Cabinet, amid a renewed push to restore his border protection portfolio to the key body.

Liberal Tasmanian MP Andrew Nikolic, a former commander of Australian forces in Iraq, has called for Mr Dutton to resume his place as a fulltime member of the NSC, as was the case under Tony Abbott.

Mr Abbott, when asked whether Mr Dutton’s position should be restored, today told Sydney radio 2GB: “In the end it is up to Prime Minister to decide who should be the member of all of the various committees of cabinet, but the Minister for Border Protection is, in my judgment, a significant part of national security machinery.”

Mr Dutton said Mr Turnbull would “no doubt” review the controversial decision soon.

“The Prime Minister made it clear that it was under review and I think that’s perfectly reasonable so no doubt he’ll consider that over the coming days and weeks,” he told Sydney radio 2UE.

Mr Dutton said he had been invited to join NSC meetings “as required” since the change of leadership. However he had not attended “in recent days”, he said.

Mr Turnbull has not indicated that he is eager to reshape the NSC. He has previously defended running a “leaner” committee, as John Howard did for much of his tenure.

“Ministers have got to get on with their day jobs. You clearly want to ensure that no minister is in a committee taking up his or her very valuable time on matters that are not directly relevant them,” he told Sky News on September 23.

“If experience suggests we should change the arrangements, we will. None of this is being written in stone.”

Mr Nikolic, an Abbott loyalist during September’s leadership spill, told The Australian: “I believe that greater risk arises when Peter Dutton is not there to see the important linkages between ministries and given that he’s responsible for immigration and visas and a whole range of issues­ ... risk diminishes when he is a permanent member of that committee.”