Labor has demanded Tony Abbott explain how his "finely honed instincts for national security" did not tell him that maps showing terrorist recruitment hot spots were not meant for broadcast.
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The Prime Minister is facing criticism after the maps showing suburbs in Melbourne and Sydney where foreign fighters have come from were filmed at a press conference at ASIO's Canberra headquarters on Wednesday.
The maps were shown on a table while ASIO chief Duncan Lewis gave Mr Abbott a security update on Syria and Iraq.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said on Thursday Mr Abbott "needs to explain how a security breach as significant as this could occur right under his nose."
In a statement to the ABC, ASIO noted the documents were "for official use only" and said the agency would "appreciate if you do not publish".
In a later statement, the agency said the documents were "carefully edited and unclassified" and "did not compromise national security".
"The director-general of security confirms the documents used in the briefing were not the subject of a national security classification," the statement said.
Mr Abbott's office said the documents were selected by ASIO and that Mr Lewis was satisfied "no information of national security significance was visible while media representatives were present."
But Labor's defence spokesman David Feeney said the Prime Minister had been shown being "briefed about materials that we now understand are secret".
"He's a Prime Minister who conducted a press conference in the very heart of one of our most sensitive buildings and most important intelligence organisations – ASIO – which I think suggest he has some deep enthusiasm for being photographed in this building," Mr Feeney said.
"The audio clearly showed the chief of ASIO is briefing him and pointing to maps and then ASIO tells us later that those maps are for official use and not for broadcast.
"Can the Prime Minister please explain to us what damage, if any, has been done?"
Mr Feeney said Mr Abbott prided himself on being a Prime Minister with an instinct for national security issues.
"Did he recognise this for the material it was?" he said.
"How can it be that your finely honed instincts for national security didn't tell you this is material not meant to be broadcast?"
In Parliament on Thursday morning Labor tried to censure Mr Abbott, who they said had breached national security by allowing the documents to be shown.
"ASIO should not be used as a prop for a Liberal photo opportunity," frontbencher Anthony Albanese said.
The government used its numbers to stop debate and vote down the motion.
