Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has left the door open to committing Australian ground forces to military efforts in Syria and Iraq if the government received a request from the US-led coalition.
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But Ms Bishop stressed that efforts to end the Syrian crisis should be focused on finding a political solution as the United States and Russia resumed talks that the government hopes will lead to a "single coalition" of countries taking on Islamic State.
It comes as former prime minister Tony Abbott used an opinion piece in The Australian newspaper to call for Australia to consider increasing its military role with boots on the ground in the wake of terrorist attacks.
"Especially in the wake of Paris and Sinai, it's becoming clearer that an understandable reluctance to accept military casualties abroad could easily lead to more civilian casualties at home," Mr Abbott wrote.
But Ms Bishop dismissed Mr Abbott's calls, telling Sky News on Tuesday: "We're not going to expose our soldiers to international consequences should we be acting unilaterally."
"As Tony Abbott well knows, Australia does not act unilaterally. We have to have a legal basis under international law to send our forces into other countries for their own protection," she said.
"Australia plays by the rules. We're part of the US-led coalition. It's going to be a co-ordinated effort."
In an earlier interview with the Nine Network's Today program, Ms Bishop said there would need to be an intensification of military efforts in Iraq and Syria, and Australia "always stands ready to do our part".
But any additional commitment from Australia, including for boots on the ground, would "need to await a formal request".
"Given what has occurred in Paris, given that the threat remains, given that France is in a state of emergency for the next three months and clearly they anticipate more attacks, there will have to be an intensification of the military effort in Syria and Iraq," she said.
"But what form that takes is a matter for discussion between the leaders of the major armed forces and that's the United States and Russia."
US President Barack Obama said overnight the US would not put boots on the ground in Syria in response to the Paris attacks.
Malcolm Turnbull is set to have his first official meeting with President Obama since becoming Prime Minister on the sidelines of the APEC summit which starts today in Manila.
"I note that the President says that they are not putting boots on the ground in Syria. I can understand that. If we're able to achieve a massive disruption of Daesh's activities through air strikes and targeting the leadership then that should be our first priority," Ms Bishop told Sky.
"But a military option is not the only option on the table. We also have to pursue a political solution in Syria and that will also be the subject of discussions with President Obama."
