Indonesia won't get a right of veto over the coalition's asylum seeker plan, says Scott Morrison. Source: AAP
INDONESIA'S foreign minister is not in a position to rule out the coalition's policy to turn back asylum seeker boats, the federal opposition insists.
Indonesia's Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said on Monday his country would not support the opposition's plan to reinstate the Howard era policy of turning boats back to Indonesia, where it was safe to do so.
He said such policy would constitute a "unilateral type of measure that we do not support".
But Opposition Leader Tony Abbott insists Australia is entitled to do what is in its national interest.
"We will maintain the best possible relations with our friends and neighbours - always have, always will," he told reporters in Launceston on Tuesday.
"But we have the right to act in our national interest."
Stopping the "evil trade" of people smuggling was in both Indonesia's and Australia's national interest.
Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison says Dr Natalegawa is entitled to his opinion but it is up to Australia to decide on its internal policies.
"It's not for him to rule it in or rule it out because that's a domestic policy for Australia," he told reporters in Canberra.
"The coalition is not seeking the agreement of Indonesia."
He accused Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of suggesting Jakarta held veto power on Australia's border protection policies when he signed a communique with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono earlier in July rejecting "unilateral" action.
Mr Rudd earlier said the opposition was only offering simplistic three word slogans on stopping the boats "which frankly is just a bit lazy because it doesn't actually produce the results".
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said Dr Natalegawa had made it clear that Indonesia rejected any unilateral action and his comments were "absolutely embarrassing" for the coalition.
"The way in which they (the coalition) have been disrespectful to the most important of our close neighbours, Indonesia, has been disgraceful," Mr Dreyfus told reporters on Tuesday.
He said the coalition hadn't been "open and frank" with the Australian people.
"They have been suggesting that they've had talks of some kind with the Indonesian government, but it's quite apparent that that hasn't occurred," he said.
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