Tony Abbott should swallow his pride and stick to Labor's hardline asylum-seeker policies because they are working, says outgoing Immigration Minister Tony Burke.
Mr Abbott did not speak to the media as he continued setting up his government on Friday, amid suggestions Indonesia will not accept part of his border-protection policies and news a fourth asylum-seeker boat had arrived since the coalition won the election.
Indonesia's Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa reportedly said this week his country won't accept part of the coalition's policy for a $20 million community engagement program to pay Indonesian village "wardens" to provide intelligence about people smugglers and a boat buy-back.
"We will reject his policy on asylum seekers and any other policy that harms the spirit of partnership and (Indonesian) sovereignty and national integrity," Mr Natalegawa told a House of Representatives meeting on Wednesday.
Mr Abbott's incoming foreign minister Julie Bishop was not available for comment either.
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But she said in a statement that Abbott government policies would, where appropriate, be discussed during formal bilateral meetings with Indonesian officials in coming weeks and months.
Discussions would not be conducted through the media, she said.
Mr Burke says there was a "complete collapse" in boat arrivals after former prime minister Kevin Rudd changed the rules so that asylum seekers who arrive by boat without a visa are sent to PNG or Nauru and are ineligible for resettlement in Australia.
Mr Burke said that if Mr Abbott sticks with these policies people-smuggling operators won't be able to get their customers back.
"But he needs to swallow his pride and it's hard to swallow his pride so soon after what was such a big win for him," Mr Burke told reporters in Canberra.
The coalition's border-protection plan, called Operation Sovereign Borders, will officially begin when the new government is sworn in next week, Mr Abbott said.
Australian authorities intercepted a boat carrying 158 people, believed to be asylum seekers, north-west of Christmas Island overnight.
Meanwhile, the Australian Lawyers Alliance says Australia has spent almost $28 million on asylum seekers' compensation claims since 2000 - $21.1 million for unlawful detention in 299 matters and $6.9 million for breaches of duty-of-care and statutory duties towards 150 others.
And outspoken barrister Julian Burnside QC suggested the incoming Abbott government should fund a processing centre for asylum seekers in Indonesia to help prevent the perilous sea voyages.
He said Australia should prepare for more arrivals when international troops withdraw from Afghanistan at the end of the year.
