Labor tips surge amid asylum limbo as it courts independent Tony Crook

LABOR has warned of a looming surge in asylum-seeker boats as its Malaysia Solution faces two weeks of limbo.

LABOR has warned of a looming surge in asylum-seeker boats as its Malaysia Solution faces two weeks of limbo, and it attempts to convince conservative independent Tony Crook to side with Julia Gillard to avoid a humiliating defeat when parliament next sits.

As two boats carrying 175 asylum-seekers and six crew were intercepted by Australian authorities, the Prime Minister said Tony Abbott would be responsible for more boats arriving if he did not back Labor's plan to resurrect the Malaysia Solution.

The Opposition Leader hit back, saying the government was responsible because it had changed John Howard's successful policy.

"Our responsibility is to support good policy, not bad policy," Mr Abbott said.

The latest arrivals bring to 18 the number of boats, and to 1145 the number of passengers and crew, to have reached Australian waters since the Malaysian deal was announced on May 7. It emerged yesterday that the government did not put its Malaysia plan to a vote in the House of Representatives on Thursday night - condemning it to two weeks of uncertainty until parliament resumes - after Mr Crook said he would oppose the legislation if a vote was forced immediately. This would have left the government short of the numbers to win a vote.

A spokesman for Mr Crook confirmed this yesterday, saying the West Australian Nationals MP, who sits as an independent but backed the Coalition for confidence during power negotiations last year, wanted both sides to reach a compromise on offshore processing. However, the spokesman said Mr Crook had not yet formed a view on Labor's plan.

With the future of Labor's Malaysia Solution facing two weeks of uncertainty until parliament resumes, Ms Gillard dismissed the continuing speculation about her leadership as a Liberal Party "distraction campaign".

Since the High Court scuttled the Malaysia Solution on August 31, Ms Gillard has been appealing for opposition support for her amendments to the Migration Act to allow her to proceed with her plan to send 800 asylum-seekers who arrive by boat to Malaysia in exchange for 4000 proven refugees. The Greens are implacably opposed to offshore processing.

Immigration intelligence sources believe there could be two more boats, and possibly a third, on their way.

Immigration authorities were "given a jolt" when two boats were discovered within hours of each other, and they are concerned about the impact on resources on Christmas Island if significant numbers continue to arrive.

The Weekend Australian has been told an increase in the number of boats can usually be expected in October.

Ms Gillard urged all MPs to reflect on how they would vote when parliament next sat.

"This is not a time for Mr Abbott to simply press the 'no' button again," the Prime Minister said.

People-smugglers would be watching the parliament. "If they see no resolve . . . we will see more boats and Mr Abbott will need to take the responsibility for that," Ms Gillard said.

"Mr Abbott will also take the responsibility for the expansion of detention and processing in this country.

"If he has exercised his vote so it is not possible to process offshore, then he takes the responsibility for onshore processing arrangements being extended."

She confirmed she was in discussions with the crossbenchers "and those discussions will continue".

Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said Ms Gillard should recall parliament and support the reinstatement of offshore processing on Nauru.

"The latest arrivals put the Malaysian deal on the downhill run before it has even started," he said.

"Almost 600 people have now arrived since the deal was signed for just 800 transfers. The government has never had a plan for illegal arrival 801, and illegal arrival 801 is only a few boats away."

Additional reporting: Brendan Nicholson