Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has been told by government officials today that if Australia drops offshore asylum seeker processing, the community could then expect social problems similar to those of Paris or London.

In a special briefing in Brisbane to led by Department of Immigration secretary Andrew Metcalfe, Mr Abbott was told many more people will flood into the country each month.

The ABC understands the briefing warned that large numbers of people will overflow from detention centres into the community, creating tensions.

He was told that the Malaysian solution represents the best way to deter boat arrivals and that, under the Howard government, the Pacific solution did not work.

But this morning the Opposition Leader again ruled out supporting any Government attempts to revive the Malaysian option.

The Government believes the Migration Act should be amended to allow offshore processing in Malaysia. It needs the support of the Opposition to change the law as the Greens, who hold the balance of power in the Senate, will oppose it.

The Government wants support for changes in the Guardianship Act too to prevent boatloads of children arriving. At present the Immigration Minister is the legal guardian of unaccompanied minors and has a duty of care.

Officials believe it is vital to stop boats setting off for Australia because of the risks involved - when Suspected Illegal Entry Vessel X (SIEV X) foundered in 2001 about 146 children, 142 women and 65 men perished.

Government sources say there are probably other tragedies they do not know about and that boats that are turned around by the Navy - as championed by Mr Abbott - are likely to be sabotaged, putting more lives at risk.

Tensions

The briefing was given by Mr Metcalfe, the acting national security adviser Margot McCarthy, DFAT adviser on people smuggling issues James Larsen and Ian Dean from the Attorney-General's department.

The Government has a view that asylum seekers often send young boys on boats to Australia as anchors, who can then sponsor other family members, taking the place of other displaced people awaiting transfer in a United Nations refugee camp.

Applications by refugees are rejected every day because the refugee intake is only around 15,000. Priority is given to young men from the UN camps - which upsets hundreds of others in the centres.

Sorry, this audio has expired Abbott prepares for asylum briefing ( Sabra Lane )

Mr Abbott was likely told that as Australia's population ages immigration is vital - but the controversy swirling around asylum seekers feeds into racial and community tensions.

The Government believes detention on Australian soil is very expensive and not a deterrent, as many thousands of people have arrived by boat since mandatory detention was introduced in 1992.

As well, onshore detention gives asylum seekers access to courts and delays possible deportation for years.

Deterrent

The officials were understood to tell Mr Abbott that while towing boats back to Indonesia was a deterrent under the Howard government, the action could not work now because the boats would be quickly sabotaged and Indonesia would not accept the people anyway.

The Government believes the Malaysian solution is better because people will be flown safely to Kuala Lumpur, the UNHCR has approved the deal, and there are safeguards for people's human rights.

It is believed the numbers of asylum seekers had decreased since the deadly sinking of a boat off Christmas Island in December coupled with the Malaysian solution announcement in May.

The Government thinks temporary protection visas are largely ineffective because they prohibit people with TPVs sponsoring family to Australia, which led to more people making the perilous boat journey.

It believes Nauru and Manus Island do not represent a solution because the vast majority of people in those camps were found to be refugees and resettled in Australia.

No-one was deported to their country of origin from Nauru or Manus Island however some returned voluntarily.