Proposed changes to Australian migration law under threat

The Australian government is facing the very likely defeat of its proposed migration legislation.

The law passed the lower house of parliament last week, but numbers are tighter in the upper house, or senate, where a vote is due later in the day.

The bill seeks to tighten immigration laws so that asylum seekers who arrive on mainland Australia by boat will be sent offshore while their claims are processed.

It is seen by government critics as an attempt to please Indonesia and an effort to discourage further Papuan separatists from heading to Australia for political asylum.

It would take just one government senator to vote against the bill for it to be defeated in the upper house.

Judith Troeth, from the ruling Liberal Party, said she would either abstain or cross the floor.

Another government senator, Barnaby Joyce, said he would also abstain if he could not amend the bill to give the senate the power to bring asylum seekers to Australia from Nauru.

Senator Steve Fielding, from the Family First party, said he would be voting against the legislation.

Some members of Australia's main opposition Labor Party say the bill is designed to appease Indonesia.

Relations between Indonesian and Australia became strained earlier this year after Canberra granted temporary protection visas to 43 asylum seekers from the Indonesian province of Papua.

Indonesia responded by recalling its ambassador from Australia in protest.

The Papuans arrived in Australia by boat in January, citing persecution and genocide by the Indonesian military in Papua.

- RADIO AUSTRALIA