Julia Gillard has reassured caucus members that the party will have a role in monitoring the treatment of asylum seekers who are being processed offshore, and that all aspects of the Houston report will be implemented.
Ms Gillard yesterday met with Left conveners to discuss how the government would proceed.
Senator Doug Cameron, one of the faction's conveners, said last night that he was pleased that the government had given commitments to go ahead with "all aspects" of the Houston report, which include a recommendation for an early increase to a 20,000 refugee intake.
Senator Cameron said that it was "really important" that caucus monitored what happened "and it will". He said it was understood within government "that the treatment of asylum seekers has to be humane — they have to be treated with dignity and respect".
The meeting came as an Essential Research poll testing support for the Houston panel recommendations found 67 per cent supported the re-opening of detention centres on Nauru and Manus Island, 72 per cent backed limiting the ways refugees arriving by boat could bring their families to Australia, and 42 per cent approved an expansion of the refugee program (46 per cent disapproved of this expansion). One in two people (47 per cent) backed detaining refugees who had arrived by boat for several years, while 39 per cent disapproved. The people swap with Malaysia — which the Houston committee said needed further safeguards — was opposed by 47 per cent, and approved by 30 per cent. Turning back boats (but only if special conditions were met) received approval from 66 per cent.
More than six in ten voters approved the implementation of the total package with only about two in ten opposing.