Gillard hopes to revive Malaysia refugee deal

Australia is attempting to revive a plan to send asylum seekers to Malaysia despite the country's highest court ruling against a controversial migrant swap deal.

The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, will attempt to amend migration laws after an initial attempt to exchange 800 asylum seekers to Australia with 4,000 registered refugees in Malaysia was scuppered by the courts.

The proposed change in legislation will give the government the power to choose where to send asylum seekers and was aimed at deterring thousands of people from making hazardous sea journeys. Australia has long attracted migrants, with more than 6,200 arriving by boat last year.

Ms Gillard said the amendments would "enable the government of the day to design and implement its best solution".

Australia's major political parties support the concept of sending asylum seekers to other countries to deter further arrivals. But the parties differ on which third countries are appropriate.

Opposition Liberal Party lawmakers have opposed sending asylum seekers to Malaysia, arguing that they could be subjected to caning and other human rights abuses.