Labor's Left faction has called for an immediate end to the policy of offshore processing of asylum seekers, heaping more pressure on Prime Minister Julia Gillard in the wake of the High Court ruling on the Malaysia deal.

The High Court struck down the Government's plan to send asylum seekers to Malaysia in return for taking refugees, with Ms Gillard then blaming the court for a "missed opportunity" and accusing Chief Justice Robert French of inconsistency.

This morning influential Labor senator Doug Cameron stepped into the debate as Ms Gillard and Immigration Minister Chris Bowen consulted lawyers to determine their legal options.

Senator Cameron, the Left faction convener, told The World Today he wants all asylum seekers processed in Australia and the Government to allow only very limited mandatory detention.

"Offshore processing is inconsistent with the party platform, and with the party platform is the way to go," he said.

"We were keen to engage in an original solution to an international problem but the original solution must be on a different way than offshore processing.

"They [Manus Island and Nauru] would be unacceptable in my view. We don't want people locked up other than to identify who they are, to make sure their health is OK and to make sure they are not a threat to the community."

Senator Cameron said this would not please everyone.

"Our position is now unequivocally that we go back to the party platform, and the party platform basically says that we should process people onshore and that mandatory detention is only to identify health issues, peoples identity and security risks," he said.

He says the Left accepted the Malaysia solution as it was presented as a fait accompli, but as the High Court ruled against it the Government must reassess its policy.

"We determined to try and make sure that Malaysian agreement met our international obligations and were supported by the UNHCR," he said.

"Clearly the High Court decision says that that is not the case, so our position is now unequivocally that we go back to the party platform."

Untold damage

Sorry, this video has expired Analysis: Political editor Lyndal Curtis on leadership speculation

He says the policies of the past decade have done untold damage to asylum seekers.

"There should be no more Naurus where people are locked up and the key thrown away and then five or six years later saying, well you can come to Australia with all the mental problems and psychological damage that that has wrought on people. That is not acceptable," he said,

But Senator Cameron says he has faith in Mr Bowen will make the right choice.

"I must say I find Chris Bowen one of the most intelligent people I've come across in politics for a long time. I think he has got a good heart and I think he is doing his job, but I think he should make sure that his position is guided and determined by the platform," he said.

Senator Cameron's demands came after Ms Gillard moved to stamp her authority on the leadership in the face of renewed speculation about her future.

As a procession of Labor frontbenchers lined up to pledge their support for the PM this morning, Ms Gillard told the ABC's Madonna King: "I'm not going anywhere".

"I'm the best person to do this job. And I'll continue to do it. And what this job is about is leading the nation to a better future," she said.

"You can be intrigued by fevered speculation in the newspapers. I'm intrigued by whether or not people around the country today can get the benefit of a job."

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Listen Duration: 15 minutes 35 seconds 15 m Julia Gillard talks to ABC's Madonna King Download 7.1 MB

Chief government whip and New South Wales Right faction figure Joel Fitzgibbon backed the PM.

"I would suggest to you that if she lacked authority, people who were quoted in that article would be putting their names to those quotes," he said.

Potential leadership aspirant Bill Shorten agreed, calling Ms Gillard "a leader for the long term."

The Opposition remains outraged by Ms Gillard's criticism of the High Court, and says the Government is clearly in trouble.

"They are not a functioning government," Liberal frontbencher Andrew Robb said.

"They are all over the place. People are just making their own decisions. No-one's in charge.

"It's a very dangerous time for the country and if they can't get their act together we do need an election, because at the moment this is a country virtually without a government."

West Australian Nationals member Tony Crook says he does not believe Labor will see out its full term in office.

Mr Crook says the number of policy mistakes by Labor, and the High Court ruling on asylum seekers, have placed unprecedented pressure on Ms Gillard.

He said in the past he had always believed that Labor would survive a full term.

"I'm not of that view anymore. I think there's enough evidence building up and enough pressure building up on the Prime Minister and the Government that they're going to have to seriously consider their position," he said.

"I won't be at all surprised if those three independents don't consider their position as well at some stage."