Prime Minister Tony Abbott has confirmed Australia has been in discussions with allies on expanding Australian airstrikes into Syria.
Mr Abbott was responding after Liberal MP Dan Tehan, who chairs a parliamentary committee on intelligence and security, called for RAAF Super Hornet bombing raids to be extended from Iraq to include Syria. Mr Tehan said the move was needed to show Australia was heeding the call to do more to help suffering Syrians and step up the international campaign against Daesh/Islamic State.
Mr Abbott on Thursday insisted no formal request from the United States had been made but "obviously there have been approaches at various levels". 
"While the legality is different, whether these air strikes are taking place in Syria or Iraq, the morality is the same," Mr Abbott said.
"The Death Cult is just as evil on either side of the border. It's just as dangerous on either side of the border. It's just as deadly on either side of the border and that's why I can understand why there is some interest on the part of our partners in Australian air strikes being extended," Mr Abbott said.
Labor's Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek accused the government of floating serious policy moves via backbenchers without briefing the Parliament. "It is extraordinary to be sending a backbencher out to run up the flagpole, a decision as serious as this - that we'd send Australian armed personnel into harm's way in one of the most dangerous places on earth," she said.
But Ms Plibersek also indicated any move to extend RAAF airstrikes in to Syria was unlikely to be supported by the opposition.
"As the Prime Minister has said himself, there is no legal basis for Australian airstrikes in Syria," Ms Plibersek said. "And there is no clarity about the outcome Australia would be fighting for. On the one hand we've got the Assad regime and we've got hundreds of groups proliferating in Syria.
"If the Prime Minister believes Australia should be involved in Syria, he should come in to the Parliament, he should explain the basis on which he's changed his mind and he should make a case to the Australian people through the Australian Parliament."
Ms Plibersek said there was a very clear basis for Australia's involvement in Iraq because the Iraqi government invited the ADF to fight against Islamic State.
Defence sources said it was likely Australia would expand airstrikes in to Syria given Turkey had only in the past week joined the US, Canada, Britain and some Arab countries. The Turks have also cleared the way for American bombers to us Turkish airbases.
The RAAF has six Super Hornets conducting bombing raids in Iraq and also has deployed a refueller and airborne early warning and control aircraft.
Mr Abbott's comments came as Justice Minister Michael Keenan confirmed eight Australians feature on a 1400-strong hit list released by a group calling itself the Islamic State Hacking Division.
The leak included the personal information including phone numbers, credit card details, online passwords and private emails on social media.
It includes the personal information of Australian Defence Force employees, a Victorian MP and a several public servants.
Justice Minister Michael Keenan said intelligence agencies were looking into the threats and urged all Australians to take basic measures to keep themselves safe.
"If there was any threat to any Australian's physical security then obviously we would take the appropriate action to make sure people are safe," he said.