The Australian War Memorial in Canberra is a new potential terror target in the wake of the Ottawa shooting, Prime Minister Tony Abbott says.
Mr Abbott said on Friday that the Last Post ceremony, which is held daily, could be a target for someone wanting to carry out "something gruesome".
Mr Abbott spoke to his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper early on Friday to directly convey Australia's support and condolences in the wake of the lone-wolf attack on that country's War Memorial and Parliament.
Mr Harper has praised his Parliament's sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vicker for his heroic actions in shooting down the gunman as MPs gave the 58-year old a standing ovation.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has referred to Mr Harper as a "brother" and said the attack was an "affront" on Australia's Parliament because of the two country's cultural similarities.
Mr Abbott said while the attack abroad had not "furthered the risk" for Australia's Parliament he warned "there's a copycat tendency amongst these people".
He said authorities has not considered Canberra's War Memorial a target "prior to yesterday" but now would because it serves as a "symbol of our nation".
"I suppose to extremist fanatics it could therefore be a target. There's the Last Post at our War Memorial every day and I guess if someone wanted to do something gruesome that's the kind of thing that could be looked at," Mr Abbott told Melbourne Radio 3AW.
He talked down the prospect of creating a new super homeland security style agency, possibly to be headed by Immigration Minister Scott Morrison.
"I guess in the sense the Prime Minister is the minister responsible for National Security," he said.
