Burke heated over asylum-seeker policy

Labor frontbencher Tony Burke has lost his cool after Finance Minister Mathias Cormann accused him of not believing his party's asylum-seeker policy.

Tony Burke (pic) has lashed out at Mathias Cormann during a debate about asylum-seeker policy. (AAP)

Senior Labor figure Tony Burke has lashed out at Finance Minister Mathias Cormann during a debate about asylum-seeker policy.

In a heated exchange, Mr Burke takes issue with Senator Cormann's accusation he doesn't believe in Labor's border protection policies, which include boat turnbacks.

"I've had 33 people die on my watch, don't you tell me that I don't believe this," Mr Burke yelled at the finance minister during a dual interview on ABC TV on Thursday.