Prime Minister Tony Abbott says security staff at the Manus Island detention centre in Papua New Guinea have broken a blockade by asylum seekers, describing it as the defeat of a "major challenge" to government policy.
Security staff, including Australian personnel, moved on Delta block on Monday afternoon, after a week of protests.
PNG has denied claims of confrontations between staff and the detainees and says no serious injuries were reported.
"There was a well organised, well co-ordinated protest in some parts of the Manus centre. It amounted to a blockade," Mr Abbott told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.
"That blockade has now been broken thanks to good work by Transfield and their instant response team backed up of course by the royal PNG constabulary.
"I say well done to all of the Operation sovereign borders personnel and I thank you to the government of PNG."
Mr Abbott would not comment on whether any detainees were mistreated during the resolution of the protest.
"The important thing is that order has been restored," he added.
"The blockade of the compound had been lifted."
He described the protest as a "major challenge to the policy of the government".
"I am pleased to say that that challenge has been defeated," he added.
The protesters had been demanding that the Department of Immigration halt a scheduled January 22 transfer of 50 male detainees to what they say is temporary, insecure housing in Lorengau, the Manus capital.
The Refugee Action Coalition claims that to end the protest about 30 people were removed, some in handcuffs, from Delta block and dragged along the ground.
Earlier on Tuesday, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said the situation at the centre remained volatile, calling the threat of further action by detainees "ever present".
Mr Dutton rejected claims by refugee advocates that detainees at the centre had been denied food and water.
"That is complete and utter nonsense on the advice available to me," he said.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has called for increased government transparency into the goings on at the centre.
