Attorney-General George Brandis is taking his enhanced security evangelism to the business community, with a series of meetings to see if the private sector backs his view.

Senator Brandis has hosted the inaugural meeting of the Industry Consultation on National Security (ICONS), which he said would encourage closer collaboration between business and the Australian Government on security matters.

The meetings have raised concern among parts of the public, where some feel that the Government would rather hear the views of corporate bodies than listen to the general population.

There were “candid discussions on several key threat areas, including terrorism, cyber-security, espionage, and organised crime,” Senator Brandis said in a statement.

The Government has provided no information on the members of the ICONS group, and so it is difficult to tell whether it considers certain industries to be at greater risk, or which has more authority on security matters.

The talks also provide an opportunity for members of the ICONS club to speak on national security deregulation initiatives being considered by the Government.

“It is crucial that business and government work closely together, and share mutual insights and experience,” Brandis’ statement says.

“ICONS will become a permanent feature of our national security architecture and will meet on a regular basis.

“The Government thanks industry leaders for their active participation in addressing key national security issues in a collaborative and effective way.”