Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says parole decisions involving people on terror watch lists should be a “national issue” and have the involvement of ASIO and federal police.

Mr Andrews comments come as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull foreshadowed serious discussions with the states at the next COAG meeting about the issue.

Melbourne gunman Yacqub Khayre was on parole at the time of Monday’s attack in Brighton and it’s understood he was part of an official de-radicalisation program run by the Islamic Council of Victoria.

Mr Turnbull said it was a “toxic combination” if people had links to terrorism and a violent criminal history, like Kharyre did.

“We certainly want to make sure that people like Khayre are not released on parole and we are going to have a very serious discussion about this at COAG,” he told Melbourne’s radio 3AW on Wednesday.

“I don’t want to make this a partisan or a political issue, this is a question of national leadership and national responsibility.”

Mr Andrews says the Commonwealth must have a role in parole decision relating to people with known terror links.

“I want ASIO and the Australian Federal Police not just to be providing advice, but to be directly involved in any decision to grant parole to anybody on that watch list,” Mr Andrews told ABC News on Wednesday.

“We need to make sure all of our agencies aren’t just sharing information, but sharing responsibility to keep Australians safe.”

Victorian Opposition leader Matthew Guy said ASIO and the AFP should have been involved in parolee decisions “from the very start.”

“The government appears to be, as far as I can see, panicking about a system it’s had two and a half years to fix,” he told reporters at parliament.

Mr Andrews said he has received advice from Victoria Police that there are 20 Victorians currently part of a de-radicalisation program, including people who have served their sentences but are not on parole, some who never went to prison and some that are currently behind bars.

None in the program are in community as parolees, he said.

The COAG meeting with the prime minister and other premiers is being held in in Hobart on Friday.

Melbourne gunman Yacqub Khayre was on parole at the time of Monday’s attack in Brighton and it’s understood he was part of an official de-radicalisation program run by the Islamic Council of Victoria.

Mr Turnbull said it was a “toxic combination” if people had links to terrorism and a violent criminal history, like Kharyre did.

“We certainly want to make sure that people like Khayre are not released on parole and we are going to have a very serious discussion about this at COAG,” he told 3AW opn Wednesday.

“I don’t want to make this a partisan or a political issue, this is a question of national leadership and national responsibility.”

Mr Andrews says the Commonwealth must have a role in parole decision relating to people with known terror links.

“I want ASIO and the Australian Federal Police not just to be providing advice, but to be directly involved in any decision to grant parole to anybody on that watch list,” Mr Andrews told ABC News on Wednesday.

“We need to make sure all of our agencies aren’t just sharing information, but sharing responsibility to keep Australians safe.”

Opposition leader Matthew Guy said ASIO and the AFP should have been involved in parolee decisions “from the very start.”

“The government appears to be, as far as I can see, panicking about a system it’s had two and a half years to fix,” he told reporters at parliament.

Mr Andrews said he has received advice from Victoria Police that there are 20 Victorians currently part of a deradicalisation program, including people who have served their sentences but are not on parole, some who never went to prison and some that are currently behind bars.

None in the program are in community as parolees, he said.

The COAG meeting with the prime minister and other premiers is being held in in Hobart on Friday.

– AAP