Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has called on the Turnbull Government to seriously consider sending some of the asylum seekers left on Manus Island to New Zealand.

Key points: NZ PM offers to resettle 150 asylum seekers

NZ PM offers to resettle 150 asylum seekers Shorten says resettlement deal should not be seen as putting "people smugglers back in business"

Shorten says resettlement deal should not be seen as putting "people smugglers back in business" Turnbull expected to discuss offer on Sunday with Ms Ardern in Sydney

New Zealand's new Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, renewed her predecessor John Key's offer to resettle 150 asylum seekers currently in Australia's offshore detention centres.

The Manus Island centre officially closed on Tuesday with water and food services cut, although about 600 men remain inside the facility, saying they do not feel safe in replacement accommodation.

The Papua New Guinea Government said it was Australia's responsibility to deal with refugees who did not want to resettle in PNG.

Mr Shorten said his advocacy for a resettlement deal with New Zealand should not be seen as putting "people smugglers back in business".

"Australia is not and must not be a resettlement option but it is [Prime Minister Malcolm] Turnbull's responsibility to work with other nations on resettlement options," Mr Shorten told the ABC.

Mr Turnbull will meet Ms Ardern on Sunday in Sydney and the issue is expected to be discussed.

"He should have the conversation and see if we can make this proposal work," Mr Shorten said.

"There are strong similarities between this plan and the deal with the United States.

"Of course, there would need to be conditions, but we should give serious consideration to this constructive proposal to help end the desperate situation on Manus."

Sorry, this video has expired Asylum seekers in Manus Island detention centre say they don't feel safe

Government position won't be budged: Dutton

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton called Mr Shorten's statement a "cheap political stunt", and reaffirmed the Government would not be considering resettlement in Australia.

"Bill Shorten should be showing leadership, not issuing media statements designed to appease the left of his party," he said.

Earlier, Mr Dutton told 2GB the Government "won't be budging" from its position.

"These people can go back to their countries of origin if they have been found not to be refugees or they can settle in PNG like many people have done before them," he said.

Loading

This week, cabinet minister Alan Tudge said reports asylum seekers were too scared to leave the detention centre and move to new accommodation should be taken "with a grain of salt".

"There's been people from the Manus Island facility who have been travelling to this other destination on a very regular basis, sometimes to do their shopping," he said.

"Sometimes they've already been staying in that new facility and returning at a later stage to the traditional Manus Island facility where they've been more permanently based for the last little while."

Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong told the ABC the Government needed to continue pursuing third-country options for resettlement.

"It's very distressing to see what is occurring on Manus, and it is very distressing to see the way in which this Government has chosen to operate this facility," she said.