Hopes for asylum deal fade

26 Jun 2012, 6:37 pm   -   Source: AAP

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has ruled out fresh talks aimed at reaching a cross-party compromise on asylum-seeker policy.

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Hopes of a quick solution to the political deadlock over offshore processing of asylum seekers have faded after Opposition Leader Tony Abbott ruled out a return to the negotiating table.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has called for a resumption of talks aimed at securing a bipartisan breakthrough to stem the flow of asylum seeker boats making the dangerous journey to Australia which has peaked at 19 known vessels so far this month.

But Mr Abbott has made it clear he is in no mood for more discussions, despite renewed urgency following the latest tragedy which left about 90 people dead.

"What the Australian public want now is not more talk. They want policies that work," he told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.

The Labor government needs coalition support to pass a bill that would restore offshore processing and its controversial Malaysian people-swap deal.

The government's plan to send 800 boat arrivals to Malaysia for processing in exchange for taking 4000 processed refugees was ruled illegal by the High Court last year.

However, the coalition is opposed to the Malaysia deal, arguing any country selected for offshore processing must be a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention - which would allow its preferred option of Nauru.

It also wants the government to resurrect temporary protection visas and order the turning back of boats to Indonesia when possible.

"The best you can say about Malaysia is that it's a bandaid on a bullet wound," Mr Abbott said.

The government has offered to implement some of the coalition's policies - including reopening the detention centre on Nauru - in exchange for the coalition's support for Malaysia, but Mr Abbott is refusing to budge.

Ms Gillard used question time in parliament to implore Mr Abbott to agree at least to fresh talks.

"We want to put an end to the evil trade of people smuggling and put an end to that kind of evil which seeks to profit so much on human misery," she said.

But Mr Abbott was quick to reject the plea.

"The opposition is prepared to accept the government's legislation if the government is prepared to accept our amendment," he said.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said the opposition's refusal to negotiate was untenable.

"If you want to stop the boats, you've got to stop the games," he told reporters.

Other Labor MPs were more strident in their criticism of Mr Abbott, with parliamentary secretary Mark Dreyfus calling him completely intransigent.

"You're left thinking that he sees political advantage in people dying. That's the real disgrace of this," Mr Dreyfus told reporters.

Mr Abbott said the accusation was "absolutely wrong".

The Australian Greens have called for a new multi-party committee to resolve the deadlock.

Greens Leader Christine Milne says the committee would be similar to the group that helped devise the carbon pricing package.

But the idea is unlikely to get much traction, with Senator Milne making it clear the Greens will not agree to offshore processing.

"Offshore processing as it's currently envisaged is not legal," she said.

About 90 asylum seekers are believed to have drowned when their overcrowded boat capsized between Indonesia and Christmas Island last Thursday. Another 110 were rescued.

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