PM waits to hear from Dutton on refugees

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has left the door ajar to increasing Australia's humanitarian refugee intake from Middle East conflicts.

Mr Turnbull told ABC Radio on Thursday there were no immediate plans to increase the number from 12,000 but he would be talking to Peter Dutton when the immigration minister returns from a visit to the troubled region.

Any changes would be taken by cabinet and not by policy on the run, he said.

"As a nation, we have very big hearts," Mr Turnbull said.

The most important thing was to successfully resettle the refugees, he said.

Mr Dutton has toured the United Nations' Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, a desert city home to about 100,000 people.

In an emotion-charged ceremony this week, he also gave visas to the first four Syrian refugee families to be selected for resettlement in Australia.