Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has hinted at new details of the planned federal corruption court. 

Mr Dreyfus says encrypted text messages from politicians on platforms such as WhatsApp and Signal could be tapped by the federal government's new integrity commission.

Proposed legislation introduced last week says the National Anti-Corruption Commission would have the powers to intercept telecommunications and use surveillance devices. 

Mr Dreyfus says that includes tapping the phones of politicians, even if they are messaging on encrypted apps.

“I think everyone needs to watch out,” he said.

“We don't want corrupt activity infecting our system of government. That's why we are creating, at long last, an anti-corruption commission for Australia.”

The anti-corruption body will also be able to raid Commonwealth premises - such as the Defence or Home Affairs departments - without a warrant.

Shadow Cyber Security Minister James Paterson says he is concerned about potential security consequences.

“That will put in its possession very sensitive and potentially classified information and that will make it a very attractive intelligence collection target for foreign intelligence services,” he told Sky News.

“If that's the case, they must put in place the most robust protections possible.

“Frankly, I would rather they don't hold any sensitive information like that at all, but if they have to, then it must come with the most-strong protections possible to ensure it is not picked off.”

But Mr Dreyfus insists any sensitive information gathered by the body will be “very carefully stored”.

“There's a whole set of provisions in the bill,” he said.

“This is the distinction that you have to make for a national anti-corruption commission. It's potentially going to be dealing with national security information. That's not something, generally speaking, that state and territory anti-corruption commissions have to worry about.

“This commission will have to perhaps worry about that, and there are special provisions to deal with it.”