Labor considering 'all options' in its quest to resume offshore processing

WAYNE SWAN has accused Tony Abbott of playing politics while asylum-seekers die, as Labor seeks ways to revive offshore processing.

Tony Abbott

ACTING Prime Minister Wayne Swan has accused Tony Abbott of playing politics while asylum-seekers die as he confirmed the government would consider "all options" to resume offshore processing.

Mr Abbott has demanded Julia Gillard cut short her holidays to announce the resumption of asylum-seeker processing on Nauru, saying “once Nauru is up and running, you don't need Malaysia”.

The Opposition Leader  ramped up the pressure on Labor, welcoming the shift in its position on Nauru but declaring the Coalition would continue to oppose the government's stalled Malaysian Solution.

 As Indonesian authorities continue to recover bodies off Java after the weekend sinking of an Australia-bound asylum-seeker boat, Mr Swan urged Mr Abbott to agree to talks with Labor to hammer out a compromise.

 “The fact is that both the Labor and Liberal party support offshore processing,” Mr Swan said in Brisbane.

 “For Mr Abbott to say `no' to a meeting is just a continuation of his negative tactics while lives are being lost.”

Mr Swan said the Malaysian Solution remained Labor's preferred option but it was prepared to talk about the Coalition's Howard-era policies of Nauru, temporary protection visas and turning boats around when safe.

 “What we've said is that all options are on the table,” he said.

 “We remain willing to sit down with the opposition and discuss all options.”

The Australian today reported that Immigration Minister Chris Bowen had been approved by cabinet to do a deal with the opposition that would allow the reopening of the detention centre on Nauru.

 Mr Abbott said the Nauru processing centre could be reopened in a matter of weeks.

“Scott Morrison and I visited Nauru a few months ago. We saw the facilities. It won't take much to get that camp reopened,” Mr Abbott said.

Mr Abbott said he was happy to talk directly to Ms Gillard provided she put an offer in writing.

He urged Ms Gillard to pick of the phone and begin negotiations with Nauran president Sprent Dabwido.

“Now that the Labor party has woken up to this they don't so much need to talk to me, they need to pick up the phone to the president of Nauru and get Nauru going as quickly as possible,” he said.

Hopes of finding more survivors from last Saturday's boat tragedy have faded after Indonesian officials yesterday reported finding dozens of  bodies in the water, 320km from where the overloaded vessel sank off East Java.

Only 47 survivors were rescued from the boat, which was carrying up to 250 asylum seekers.

Mr Abbott said the tragedy appeared to have changed the government's mind on Nauru.

As the standoff continued, World Vision chief executive Tim Costello urged the nation's political leaders to come to a bipartisan solution.

“We can't wait for more loss of life like last week's appalling tragedy in Indonesia,” Rev Costello said.

“If we are going to prevent these deaths, we need to work together and find a solution that's orderly and equitable.”

He said that with so many lives at risk, especially those of children, a solution must be found quickly.

“Whatever the regime, onshore or offshore, Australia still has an obligation to make sure people are treated decently, and their claims processed quickly,” Rev Costello said.