Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Monday rejected calls for a more humane approach to asylum seekers, saying the government's current policy is the responsible course of action.
Unions have called on Rudd to order a customs vessel carrying 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers to go to Christmas Island so they can be processed in
Australia.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions took out a newspaper advertisement on Monday, calling on the government to take a more humane approach to asylum seekers.
However, Rudd said the current policy of co-operating with Indonesia was in the nation's interests.
"This is a very hard area for government but our job is to implement a responsible policy in the national interest," he told reporters.
The vessel, the Oceanic Viking, is currently anchored off the Indonesian coast as the Tamil asylum seekers refuse to disembark.
Rudd said Australian and Indonesian authorities would be patient with the asylum seekers.
"It's a difficult matter, patience is what's required," he said.
"We intend to work it through, however long it takes."