CANBERRA - At least five key senators are refusing to rule out crossing the floor over the government's tough new immigration laws.
Prime Minister John Howard today conceded he was not sure the laws would make it through the Senate when they come up for debate on Monday and Tuesday.
Three Liberal backbenchers yesterday set the stage for a revolt and crossed the floor to vote with Labor against a bill designed to send all asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat offshore.
Petro Georgiou, Russell Broadbent and Judi Moylan were joined in spirit by fellow Liberal Bruce Baird and Nationals MP John Forrest who both abstained.
But the Migration Amendment (Designated Unauthorised Arrivals) Bill passed the lower house, where the government has a clear majority, easily.
In the Senate, the coalition has a majority of just one.
Liberals Judith Troeth, Marise Payne and Russell Trood, Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce, and Family First senator Steve Fielding say they are still undecided.
If just two of them joined forces and crossed the floor or abstained from voting, they could have the bill thrown out.
Senators Payne and Trood met with Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone yesterday, but she is refusing to discuss the details of their conversation.
"Marise Payne and Russell Trood just had a couple of questions that they wanted answered and I answered them," Senator Vanstone said.
Senator Fielding today met two Papuans who were earlier this year granted asylum in Australia along with 40 others, sparking a diplomatic row with Indonesia.
The new laws were drafted soon after that.
He also had a meeting with Mr Howard yesterday, but both men insist they did not strike a deal over the legislation.
Refugee advocates will use this weekend to pressure senators to vote against the bill.
Thirteen prominent Australians, including academics, lawyers, business leaders and the brother of Treasurer Peter Costello have put their name to a statement being circulated among members of the upper house, calling on them to oppose the bill.
They include former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Fraser, chairman of the Melbourne Football Club Paul Gardner, scientist and 2000 Australian of the Year Sir Gustav Nossal, World Vision Australia chief executive Tim Costello and chairman of the Institute of Company Directors Don Mercer.
"We believe the bill is unjustly harsh, could impact on the health and well-being of asylum seekers and opposes fundamental principles of justice, compassion and fairness," the letter states.
"When a person comes to our shores seeking a safe haven, it is our moral responsibility to offer shelter and fairly and humanely determine whether he or she is in need of our protection."
Mr Howard is acknowledging the bill may not pass the upper house when it is debated there next week, but won't say what the government will do if it fails.
"We'll have to consider that," he told Southern Cross broadcasting today.
He was also keen to talk about other things.
"This is an important piece of legislation, but it's not as important as the fact that yesterday we had a 30-year low in unemployment."
Senator Vanstone ruled out making any more changes to the legislation to accommodate backbencher concerns, but offered to meet anyone over the weekend who wanted to discuss the issue.
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