The federal government reached a deal with the states and territories to empower authorities to hold terrorism suspects for up to a fornight before charges are filed.

The new counter-terrorism measures include adding driver's license photos to a national database.  Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says it will help police identify criminals and terrorists much more quickly.

"It's really taking a resource that has been accessed for years and years, and making it available in a 21st century manner," PM Turnbull said.  "I thought that most Australians would assume it would be accessed in this way now but it hasn't been."

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) statement said these measures "will help protect Australians by making it easier for security and law enforcement agencies to identify people who are suspects or victims of terrorist or other criminal activity".

New South Wales was first to allow people to be held without charge for up to 14 days - that was the longest such period in the country, but not the NSW regime will be adopted across the country.

But not everyone is on board with these changes.  "Detaining people for two weeks without charge is offensive to Australian values and the rule of law," said the Greens justice spokesman, Nick McKim, who said the Labor and Liberal leaders have "abjectly failed to make the case for today's COAG decision to sign away yet another tranche of hard-won rights and freedoms".