Greens Leader Bob Brown says New Zealand has shown a nasty streak in its refusal to help end a stand-off involving a group of asylum seekers onboard an Australian Customs ship.

The 78 Sri Lankans are refusing to get off the Oceanic Viking because they do not want to be sent to an Indonesian detention centre and the stalemate is now in its fourth week.

The New Zealand Immigration Minister says he rejected Australia's request to help resettle the group because "queue jumpers" should not be rewarded.

Senator Brown says it is disappointing.

"The New Zealand Government has shown a streak of nastiness, of indifference, which won't hold them in good stead, but we've seen that before here in Australia and it will ultimately be a vote loser," he said.

The Federal Government says it is still hopeful of handing 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers over to Indonesia, despite New Zealand rejecting the re-settlement plan.

Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the Government is working on a way to resolve the stand-off.

"We made an agreement with the Indonesian Government to disembark the people rescued in Indonesia and we remain committed to ensuring that that disembarkation does occur," she said.

"We have been patient with this, we continue to be patient with it."

The Immigration Minister Chris Evans has confirmed that New Zealand has refused to re-settle some of the Sri Lankans, but says reports that the Government is considering sending the ship to the Philippines are incorrect.

"There's been no approach by the Australian Government to the Philippines government on this matter," he said.

"We've committed to a regional solution through the Bali process, we're working closely with Indonesians seeking to enhance our co-operation, we've got strong co-operation in anti-people smuggling efforts."

Turnbull backs New Zealand

The Government has come under fire from the Opposition over New Zealand's refusal to take some of the asylum seekers.

The Opposition says it supports New Zealand's decision to reject a request from Australia to resettle some of the Sri Lankans.

Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull says Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's approach has failed again.

"He's tried the Indonesian solution and now the New Zealand solution and there's no solution in sight," he said.

Refugee lawyer David Manne says Australia should agree to quickly resettle all of the Sri Lankans.

"It needs an ironclad guarantee that these people will be resettled to safety," he said.

The Government says it is continuing discussions for them to disembark in Indonesia.

Under former Prime Minister Helen Clark, New Zealand accepted 131 asylum seekers from the Tampa.

New Zealand Green Party MP Keith Locke says the current conservative government should show more compassion.

"New Zealand's a lucky county in a sense in that boat people never make it to our shores, so surely we should share some of the burden of resettling people who are in quite desperate circumstances," he said.

Chris Kerr from Amnesty International says it is very disappointing.

"New Zealand has previously showed compassionate leadership during the 2001 Tampa incident. Then, as now, that leadership is sadly lacking in Australia," he said.