Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has warned critics of the coalition's refugee policies to stop "slagging off the good people of Nauru".
Mr Dutton vigorously defended living conditions for refugees on Nauru amid recent protests and claims of mistreatment by local residents and authorities.
He dismissed the criticism as offensive to the welcoming locals, describing them as people with big hearts.
"I'm not going to tolerate people slagging off the good people of Nauru," Mr Dutton told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.
The minister said a field hospital for Australian troops he visited in Afghanistan was not up to the same standard as the Nauru hospital.
As well, classes for refugee children on Nauru were at the same educational standard as Australia.
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