Internal arguments about putting a time limit on asylum seekers on Manus Island show Labor is at war with itself, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says.
New Labor MP Ged Kearney this week used her first parliamentary speech to call for asylum claims to be assessed within a fair time frame.
Another Labor MP, Linda Burney, told Sky News on Wednesday there needs to be "some sort of time limit" on how long asylum seekers are on Manus Island.
Victorian Labor is also due to debate a change to the party's asylum-seeker policy at its state conference.
Mr Dutton seized on the comments to accuse Labor of watering down the coalition's "stop the boats" border policy.
"It is essentially open warfare in the Labor Party on what they're going to do on boats," Mr Dutton told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.
"Labor can change the policy and allow people to drown again."
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten last week insisted a future Labor government wouldn't place any time limits on how long asylum seekers can be held on Manus Island and Nauru.
Labor will debate offshore detention at its July national conference, with a draft party platform seeking to "ensure detention is for no longer than 90 days".
