Take asylum seekers to PNG: Marles
Asylum seekers should be taken to Manus Island and not processed over the phone, opposition immigration spokesman Richard Marles says.
He also attacked reports of a "national interest test" to decide which refugees could stay in Australia as "desperate".
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison will reportedly personally apply a "national interest test" to every application from anyone without a visa.
Mr Marles said two asylum seeker boats reported off Christmas Island should have been taken to Manus Island.
"Where safe refuge - we hope - would be provided and their assessments could be fully made," Mr Marles told reporters in Melbourne on Friday.
Mr Marles said asylum seekers' claims could not be properly assessed with a reported four questions each via videoconference.
"We have grave concerns about how it is possible to assess people's asylum claims while they are at sea," he said.
Mr Marles said the Tamil asylum seekers were understood to be going back to Sri Lanka, where many were fleeing from.
He said the opposition was concerned about how Australia was meeting its international obligations to refugees.
Mr Marles also said the reported "national interest test" was Mr Morrison's attempt to get around the High Court, after it rejected his bid to deny permanent visas by imposing a cap on how many can be issued.
"This is a desperate attempt by the minister to bend the legislation to his own will," Mr Marles said.
Mr Morrison was due to visit a Melbourne detention centre on Friday but cancelled after protesters planned to confront him at the gates.
His office did not return requests for comment.
Australian Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said Mr Morrison wanted the power to play God with his moves to implement a national interest test on refugee status claims.
"The stench of his arrogance is wafting through this country and people don't like it," she told reporters.
