PM dodges refugee deal success concerns

Malcolm Turnbull insists the federal government will deal with one administration "at a time" on the US refugee deal.

Malcolm Turnbull has averted questions about the viability of his refugee deal with the US.

Concerns about the agreement to resettle detainees on Manus Island and Nauru have heightened after Bush administration advisor Karl Rove said US president-elect Donald Trump could easily stop the transfer if they weren't on US soil by January 20 next year.

"We deal with one administration at a time," the prime minister told reporters in Sydney on Thursday.