Any move to reopen the Manus Island Detention Centre in Papua New Guinea would be a massive backflip by the federal government, says Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.
He said on Friday the move would be an admission by the government that its border protection policies had failed.
"Their attempt to reopen the Manus offshore detention centre, a centre that was demonised by Labor when it was in opposition, is a stunning admission of defeat by this government," Mr Abbott told reporters in Adelaide.
"It is also yet another backflip. Just another example of the way this government is untrustworthy and incompetent."
Prime Minister Julia Gillard is refusing to confirm her government intends to reopen the Manus Island facility.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
But there is heightened speculation following a visit to PNG by Immigration Department Secretary Andrew Metcalfe and Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs Richard Marles.
"We have been pursuing discussions in our region and with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on a regional solution," Ms Gillard told reporters.
Mr Abbott said in itself reopening Manus Island would not stop the boat arrivals and would not stop the protests inside detention centres.
He said the prime minister should immediately pick up the phone to the president of Nauru and organise to have the detention facility there reopened. "The Nauru centre is about three times the size as the Manus one," he said.
"If it is good to have the Manus centre re-operational, it is even better to have Nauru centre operational."
