The Prime Minister has revealed new details about his government’s powerful new Home Affairs portfolio.

Mr Turnbull has announced Australia's spy chief Nick Warner will be the director-general of the Office of National Assessments and director-general designate of theOffice of National Intelligence.

The new role and agency is part of the Coalition’s moves to bring together Australia's security, intelligence and immigration functions under minister Peter Dutton.

The existing Office of National Assessments will become part of the new super department, while the Australian Signals Directorate is set to become a standalone agency.

Mr Warner has previously served as Defence secretary and senior international adviser to former prime minister John Howard.

He caught controversy earlier this year for posing with Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte in a photograph where both made Mr Duterte's trademark fist-pump hand gesture.

Human rights groups said it was a tacit endorsement of the over 12,000 extra judicial killings and poor human rights record of Mr Duterte’s regime.