Australia has little to lose by offering asylum to Zimbabwe's former ambassador to Australia, former foreign minister Alexander Downer says.
Jacqueline Zwambila announced last week that she wanted political asylum in Australia, saying the re-election of President Robert Mugabe meant "the end of the line" for people appointed by former prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mr Downer says a lack of economic ties between Australia and Zimbabwe means that the Mugabe government can do nothing but complain.
"To be frank, there's not much the Zimbabwe government can do about it," Mr Downer told the ABC on Monday.
"Through simply appalling economic policies [they] have isolated themselves very much from the international community.
"They can hardly punish Australia by threatening Australian investments in Zimbabwe because most Australian investments in Zimbabwe have been either confiscated, withdrawn or nationalised."
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said on Saturday that any application for asylum would be considered on its merits.
Opposition immigration spokesman Richard Marles told AAP that he agreed with Mr Morrison's stance.
Mr Downer said the government's position was probably the correct one.
"If she's made an application for a protection visa, I think it would be appropriate to handle it in the normal way - which I think the government is doing."
Mr Mugabe won the election on July 31 with an apparent 61 per cent of the vote, amid claims of intimidation and tampering with electoral rolls.
Mr Mugabe, 89, has called on his opponents to accept defeat or commit suicide, telling the New York Times that "even dogs will not sniff at their flesh if they choose to die that way".
Zimbabwe's government has dismissed Ms Zwambila's concerns.
"Everyone is entitled to their opinion but her remarks are surprising because all the leaders of the MDC-T are here," said Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi, referring to Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change party.
"If she is threatened by anyone, she should tell us, as we are responsible for security here as central government."
