THE return of terror to the headlines will not impact on national security funding in the federal budget.

Since September 11 the national security budget has grown extravagantly, although not always in line with the threat.

The death of Osama bin Laden will have no impact on the major focus in the national security budget - the continued construction of the massive new multi-storey headquarters for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.

Initially the building on the edge of Canberra's defence precinct was going to cost under $500 million.

Now it's a nudge over $600 million and while the building has certainly begun taking shape it is still some way from being the new home of ASIO.

There is a wider problem for the man charged with spending the national security budget - Attorney-General Robert McClelland.
His cabinet colleague and Treasurer Wayne Swan is quite determined to cut spending and reach his routinely stated target of a 2012/13 return to surplus.

It is unlikely the national security budget will be spared, especially in the absence of any attack on Australians.

Liberal Senator Russell Trood wants the government to offer a true indication of spending on national security, a budget that would obviously include the roughly $30 billion handed to Defence annually.

Senator Trood is chairman of the Senate's Standing References Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade.

He is not hopeful of either a combined budget or new initiatives to counter what Prime Minister Julia Gillard herself said was the still present threat of al Qaeda despite the death of bin Laden.

"My expectations are rather gloomy," Senator Trood said.

"I don't think there's going to be much money."