Tony Abbott has appealed to Indonesia to remember Australia's help after the 2004 tsunami as he stepped up efforts to save the lives of death row inmates Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.
The Bali Nine drug trafficking ringleaders are due to face the firing squad this month despite repeated pleas from the Australian government.
Their scheduled transfer this week to the island prison of Nusakambangan for execution was delayed on Tuesday so authorities can build extra holding cells.
A spokesman for Indonesian Attorney-General Muhammad Prasteyo says the delay also allows the pair to spend more time with their families.
The prime minister said on Wednesday he was making the "strongest possible personal representations" to Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
"Australia sent a billion dollars worth of assistance," Mr Abbott said, referring to the Asian tsunami relief effort.
"I would say to the Indonesian people and the Indonesian government - we in Australia are always there to help you and we hope that you might reciprocate in this way at this time."
Mr Abbott said he did not want to prejudice Australia's relations with Indonesia.
"But I've got to say that we can't just ignore this kind of thing - if the perfectly reasonable representations that we are making to Indonesia are ignored by them."
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop rejected comments made by her Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi that it was "purely a law enforcement issue".
"Indonesia itself makes representations to other governments to stay executions of their nationals who find themselves on death row in countries overseas," Ms Bishop said.
Lawyers for Chan and Sukumaran will go to court next Tuesday to argue their claim that the Indonesian president did not follow the rules in rejecting their clemency bids.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the delay provided an opportunity for the government and lawyers to consider their options.
Professor Philip Alston, a United Nations special adviser on the death penalty, said the delay was encouraging.
"The more time there is, the more opportunity to persuade president Widodo that this is not worth it," he told ABC radio.
"I would think things are looking more encouraging today than they were a week ago."
Vigils were organised across the country by lawyers on Wednesday calling for support for the death row pair.
Victorian Supreme Court judge Lex Lasry told a crowd in Melbourne the rehabilitation of Chan and Sukumaran had been "overwhelming".
"To execute these two men now after nine years of significant rehabilitation and redemption would be a tragedy," he said.
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