Australia 'dismisses human rights concern'

Human rights groups say the federal government has failed to take the chorus of international criticism seriously about treatment of asylum seekers.

Human rights groups are unimpressed with Australia's response to concerns raised at the United Nations about its international obligations.

Australia has adopted 150 of the 290 recommendations made by the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The Melbourne-based Human Rights Law Centre said the federal government had failed to take seriously the "chorus of international criticism about the way we treat people seeking asylum".

"Australia should not seek to shield itself from its obligations by hiding behind the sovereignty of Papua New Guinea or Nauru," Human Rights Watch spokeswoman Elaine Pearson said, referring to offshore immigration detention centres.