Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has come out swinging at the Labor party and the Greens after his controversial migration bill was passed today.

Needing six of eight senate crossbench votes to pass the legislation, the government was able to win support for the bill by promising to release more than 100 children from detention on Christmas Island before Christmas.

Mr Morrison took the Opposition to task, saying they had “opposed the government every step of the way”.

“I will not take moral lectures from Bill Shortern or Sarah Hanson-Young on that or any other issue,” he said.

“They have proven themselves irrelevant and impotent on issues of border protection.”

Mr Morrison warned his colleagues to expect the “inevitable handwringing and hypocritical criticism” from the opposition and took umbrage with Senator Hanson-Young questioning the integrity of refugee advocate Paris Aristotle.

“Senator Hanson-Young couldn't hold a candle to Paris Aristotle and she should apologise for what she said about him last night.

“She can take whatever crack at me likes but when she calls into question the integrity of Paris Aristotle, it’s just simply grubby.”

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young. (AAP) (AAP)

Mr Morrison thanked those senators who had sided with the government on the bill: Palmer United Party’s Dio Wang and Glenn Lazarus; Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm; Family First’s Bob Day; Motoring Enthusiasts’ Party Ricky Muir; and independent Nick Xenophon.

He also thanked Clive Palmer for his work in negotiating on amendments in exchange for his senator’s votes.

Mr Morrison defended the work of Treasurer Joe Hockey, saying their portfolios had many similarities.

“We’ve both been left with an ugly, filthy mess from the Labor party,” he said.

“As Barnaby [Joyce] says, ‘they’ve trashed the house, they’ve shot the dog, thrown the keys on the lawn and just burned out up the street’.

“That’s what the Labor party did at our borders and what they did at the economy.

“With Joe Hockey, I’ll be brothers-in-arms in supporting him to fix the big challenges he has as I know he has been to me.”

Is Australia's treatment of asylum seekers humane? Yes 8702 No 7853

The legislation, which passed the senate with 34 votes to 32, sees the re-introduction of temporary protection visas (TPVs), a divisive measure from the Howard-era Liberal government.

The laws were quickly passed in the House of Representatives this morning.

• TPVs are granted to refugees who are deemed to be legitimately seeking asylum released into the community and are free to work but face being sent home after three years at the government’s discretion.

• They are issued on an individual basis, meaning refugees are unable to bring any family with them.

• The visas have been criticised for limiting education potential and creating anxiety over the finite term of their protection from persecution in their home countries.

• The government says TPVs will deter people smugglers who are now unable to promise permanent settlement in Australia.

• Australia will have sweeping new maritime powers, allowing it to turn back refugee boats and distance itself from the Refugee Convention, despite being a signatory.

• The bill will see the government fast-track applications from the “legacy caseload”, which covers asylum seekers who arrived before Labor legislation was implemented denying them the right to settle in 2013.

Do you support the introduction of temporary protection visas? Yes 5801 No 5344

Senator Muir, who held the deciding vote, said he had major reservations about the bill but decided that any action to release asylum seekers was better than none.

He said he had received a phone call from detention centre staff on Christmas Island pleading with him to help their plight.

"It shouldn't be like this, but it is,” he said.

“The crossbench shouldn't have been put in this position, but we have.

"I am forced into a corner to decide between a bad decision and a worse decision, a position I do not wish on my worst enemies."

Assistant Minister for Immigration Michaelia Cash hailed the reforms’ successful passage through the Senate.

"Tonight we bring an end to 50,000 people coming here illegally by boat because the people smugglers had a product to sell," she said.

"Tonight we will put an end to the deaths at sea because the people smugglers were able to market permanent protection in Australia."

Senator Hanson-Young, who with independent Jacqui Lambie voted against the bill, said crossbenchers had been duped by Mr Morrison.

"These new visas will be a path to nowhere for the overwhelming majority of refugees and despite what Mr Palmer says, there is no access to family reunion in the legislation," she said.