Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is using the Christmas Island boat disaster to call for a return to Coalition asylum seeker policies.
The government says about 48 people were killed when a boat carrying up to 100 people sank during rough conditions, just off the coast of the island .
Mr Abbott is calling for a return to Howard government policies, including the re-introduction of offshore processing and temporary protection visas.
He says asylum seekers should be discouraged from travelling to Australia by boat.
"I do want to work constructively with the government but it has to be towards policies that work, ... policies that do stop the boats, the sorts of policies that we've been talking about for many months, " the opposition leader said.
Nauru was used as an offshore centre to process asylum seekers under the Howard government, but was closed after Kevin Rudd became Prime Minister in 2007.
Calls to reopen the centre have been rejected by Immigration Minister Chris Bowen, who says that would not prevent people smugglers from using unseaworthy ships.
'It would take considerable expense and effort to open the Nauru facility, Bowed said.
"And of course, at Nauru, 95 per cent of the people processed at Nauru ended up in Australia or New Zealand".
"So people smugglers and asylum seekers know that. They know that an offshore processing centre in the absence of a regional and international framework is no disincentive to come to Australia. So we have a different approach," he added.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has given no indication of any change in her asylum seeker policy.
She says Australia is working with other nations throughout the region to try to stop people smugglers.
"We have enjoyed some success in arresting people smugglers both in our region and in Australia itself. We will continue with those policies," the prime minister stressed.
"We do though want to smash the people-smuggling business model. We do want to take out of the hands of people smugglers the very evil product that they sell and that is why we are working on a regional protection framework and regional processing centre."
But the government has come under criticism from independent MP Andrew Wilkie who is instead calling for the intake of refugees to be doubled.
Mr Wilkie has rejected the government's invitation to join a group of federal politicians looking at the Christmas Island boat disaster.
He says both the Government and Opposition need to develop a fresh set of policies to deal with asylum-seekers.
"Australia must take a more humanitarian and ethical approach to asylum seekers. These are after all among the most disadvantaged people on the planet," Mr Wilkie said.
"We are a rich country and we can certainly accommodate many more asylum seekers in Australia. They shouldn't be demonised, they should be welcome."
Meanwhile, police have interviewed three crew members from the boat which smashed into cliffs and broke apart last week.
They say the survivors have said the engine was not sabotaged and preliminary assessments show the weather was a significant factor behind the tragedy.
Australian Federal Police Superintendent Gavin Ryan says it is unclear whether the crew will be charged with manslaughter over the deaths.
"The crew have been interviewed for offences. A brief of evidence has been compiled,' Gavin Ryan said, adding, 'Based on what's happened in the past, I would well and truly anticipate that the crew would be charged in the future. But I don't want to go into specifics."
A vigil was held on the island on Sunday for those who died in the disaster.
Share
