The Attorney-General has described the legislation, which seeks to force telcos to retain details of phone calls and internet use for two years, as “crucial”.

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The laws, announced last August, are currently before Parliament’s intelligence committee, with a report to be tabled next month.

“Its passage is an urgent priority,” Senator Brandis writes in The Australian today.

“Access to metadata is vital to investigate terrorism and organised crime.”

According to the Attorney-General, the bill does not propose any “additional powers” for ­security agencies.

“It requires telecommunications companies to retain information they have routinely kept but which they might not keep in future.

“Discussions are being undertaken between the government and industry to deal with the definition of the dataset and cost.”

Senator Brandis cites former ASIO Director-General David Irvine, who has described the agency’s ability to access the data as “absolutely crucial” in the fight against terrorism.

“After the Martin Place siege and the atrocities in France, no rational person can dispute that the world — and the free and democratic West in particular — faces a profound threat that is likely to be with us for a long time,” he said.

“Of course, the best-resourced agencies, the sincerest community engagement and the most carefully written laws cannot provide an absolute guarantee against a terrorist outrage — as the events at Martin Place tragically demonstrated — particularly in the case of “lone wolf” actors, who may not be active within a network.

“Nevertheless, the public can be reassured that the government has taken, and will take, all appropriate steps to protect our safety and freedom.”

Security agencies last month told a Senate hearing the laws are vital in preventing terrorist attacks.