Papua New Guinea is ready to open more asylum seeker detention centres if Australia asks, its prime minister says.
Peter O'Neill says the asylum seeker deal signed with the previous Australian government has recently been affirmed by the new government.
Mr O'Neill says he's absolutely committed to "lifting our share of the weight" when it comes to people smugglers.
"The Manus (Island) detention centre is being rapidly expanded and if needed we will expand it even further, or approve the construction of other detention centres around the country, if requested by the Australian government," he told a business luncheon in Brisbane on Thursday.
While he spoke at the Hilton Hotel a large contingent of police watched over a tiny group of noisy protesters outside calling for the Manus centre to be closed.
An incident last week on Manus Island involving members of PNG's police and military prompted a "red" alert at the centre, and staff had to be moved to a more secure location within the facility.
Asked if he was confident of PNG's capacity to process asylum seekers at the centre, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said "there is nothing to suggest otherwise".
As of Friday, there were 1061 detainees in the centre.
