Swift end to asylum-seeker talks between Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott

TALKS between Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard on amendments to the Migration Act lasted just 15 minutes today.

TALKS between Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard on amendments to the Migration Act lasted just 15 minutes today, with Mr Abbott leaving the Prime Minister's office without comment.

It's unclear if the pair found any common ground on the government's proposal for legislative changes that would put offshore processing beyond doubt.

Earlier, Ms Gillard said she expected Mr Abbott to negotiate in good faith over her proposed amendments to the Migration Act, drafted after the High Court ruled Labor's Malaysian solution unlawful.

Ms Gillard said Australians wanted their leaders to put politics aside to work on the issue together.

“This is too important for us to continue politics as usual, I will be asking Mr Abbott to work with me in the national interest,” she said.

However the Coalition looks set to oppose the changes even though they would remove obstacles to offshore processing, which the opposition supports, and the Opposition Leader was taking a hard line going into today's talks.

Speaking earlier, Mr Abbott said he was looking forward to his meeting with Ms Gillard but was concerned about the lack of human rights protections being proposed by Labor.

“I am troubled by the way this legislation strips out protections that the Howard government thought necessary and it's a pity this hasn't been more fully discussed in the Labor caucus,” he said.

“If I am troubled, I think members of parliament who were highly critical of what they saw as lack of protections in Howard government's border protection regime should be absolutely appalled by what this government is currently proposing.”

Earlier, the Coalition signalled it was prepared to negotiate on the proposed amendments if Labor agreed to greater human rights protections for asylum-seekers to be processed offshore.

Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison called on Labor MPs to stand up to Ms Gillard over the proposed changes, warning they amounted to a blank cheque that would “detonate” human rights.

The government is reportedly prepared to give ground on the wording of its amendments - which remove protections for asylum-seekers processed offshore - if its Malaysian refugee swap is still able to proceed.

Ahead of the talks between Ms Gillard and Mr Abbott, Mr Morrison suggested the Coalition was prepared to discuss ways to improve the proposed changes.

“Well, as I said, we believe there are constructive ways of ensuring protections can be retained in this bill and still deal with strengthening the Migration Act,” he said.

“But let me be clear, we are in a position currently to be able to implement our policies under our current law.”

Shadow cabinet met this morning to discuss the Coalition's position, which will be taken to the Coalition party room tomorrow.

The Labor caucus is split on the government's proposal, setting the scene for a showdown at tomorrow's caucus meeting.

Left faction leader Doug Cameron said the planned changes breached Australia's international obligations and the ALP's policy platform - a stance which which promises robust debate at tomorrow's party caucus meeting.

Factional colleague Melissa Parke said the Malaysian amendments made no reference to human rights obligations.

But Right faction MP Ed Husic said MPs should back the Malaysian solution to prevent a repeat of the Christmas Island asylum-seeker tragedy in December 2010, in which about 50 people died.

Mr Husic was pessimistic about the Coalition supporting the proposed changes.

“As a much as they're (the Coalition) saying that they want to talk and sort something out, it seems like Tony Abbott walks into negotiations with a mouthful of dynamite,” he said.

Attorney-General Robert McClelland defended the proposed amendments today, saying stopping people getting on boats would save lives.

“The fundamental right people ignore is the most fundamental right of all, that is the right to life,” he told ABC Radio.

“If we let these people-smugglers control the agenda then you're seeing about four in every 100 people who get on a boat drown.”

With Lanai Vasek