Children as young as 14 characterized by police as potential terrorism threats could be slapped with a control order following a 16-year-old's politically-motivated attack on a New South Wales (NSW) police station earlier this month.

A recommendation for the lowering of minimum age from 16 to 14 for control orders, which restrict the movement of terror suspects through surveillance and other means, was made by the NSW government and accepted by Attorney-General George Brandis on Tuesday.

Brandis said "a fifth installment of counter-terrorism laws which have been developed in conjunction with NSW and other states and territories" would be introduced in parliament. "Fourteen is not too young an age for an order of this kind to be made," Brandis told the Australian Broadcast Corporation (ABC) on Tuesday.

"Under the legislation, there will be particular protections and safeguards for minors in the 14 to 17 age category.

"There will be various measures that will limit the capacity of police to question or deal with minors in a way which is regarded - - given the age of the person -- to be unreasonable."

The NSW government wrote to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull following the attack on Oct. 2 which involved a young radicalized boy open-firing and killing two people, hoping to strengthen the nation's terror laws.

NSW Premier Mike Baird also requested terror suspects be able to be held for more time than the four hours police are lawfully allowed to interview a person of interest.

Under the proposal, similar to British law, a terrorism suspect could be detained for a four-day period without charge, and with a court order that could stretch the hold to 28 days being deemed appropriate.

Baird and NSW Police Minister Troy Grant developed the new powers which some critics believe are a breach of human rights.

"(The NSW government) is committed to equipping our law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to prevent terrorism, gather evidence in response to a terrorism act and to protect society from those who intend to harm," Grant said in a statement. Endi

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