Australia's main opposition party (Liberal Party) says the Australian Government should no longer grant refugee status to people from Sri Lanka because the country's civil war is over.
Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop says many Sri Lankan asylum seekers turn out to be economic migrants, not refugees.
She says Sri Lankan asylum seekers should be deported before they get access to Australia's legal system.
"Sri Lanka is already making a significant effort by preventing many boats from leaving their shores, however those who make it through should be the subject to an immediate arrangement to be transferred back to Sri Lanka without coming to Australia," Ms Bishop said.
"There is an extremely high rejection rate for Sri Lankan asylum seekers with the vast majority proving to be economic migrants.
"But once they are in Australia they can pursue their claims for asylum through our courts regardless of the merit."
The opposition's call to send asylum seekers back to Sri Lanka would put Australia in breach of its international obligations, Immigration Minister Chris Bowen says.
"(Opposition leader) Tony Abbott needs to come clean with the Australian people and say whether he would refuse to assess asylum seekers' claims, return potential refugees to Sri Lanka and ignore Australia's obligations under the Refugee Convention," the minister said in a statement on Sunday.
Mr Bowen said Australia has and will return failed asylum seekers to Sri Lanka, but does not return asylum seekers to their country of origin without fully assessing any claims for protection.
It was the "height of hypocrisy" for the coalition to call for a transfer agreement with Sri Lanka, which is not a signatory to the UN convention, yet oppose a transfer agreement with Malaysia on those very grounds, he said.
Meanwhile another boat has been intercepted carrying 48 suspected asylum seekers off the West Australian coast.
ABC/AAP
