Mr Howard has defended the proposed migration changes, put in place after strong pressure from Indonesia over the granting of asylum to 42 Papuans.
He says Indonesia's support in important to maintaining border protection.
But he says that doesn't mean the proposed news laws bow to Indonesian demands.
“It is in our interests to have a strong border protection policy and one of the elements of that border protection policy - there are many elements - is the cooperation of Indonesia. It is a very difficult relationship. I find this business about appeasing Indonesia extraordinary, because the real appeasement of Indonesia would have been if we had not given those 42 people the treatment they were entitled to under Australian law,” Mr Howard said.