Issue examined: Shadow Immigration Minister Scott Morrison.
Cook MP Scott Morrison said his conscience would be clear if no agreement was reached today on the asylum seeker crisis, and more lives were lost at sea.
‘‘I examine my conscience on this issue every single day and have done so for years,’’ the Opposition spokesman on immigration told the Leader this morning.
"My conscience has always been guided by two things — you must have effective measures in place and those measures must satisfy basic standards.
‘‘I have been consistent on both.’’
Parliament is expected to rise late today for the long winter recess without the political deadlock being broken.
A compromise bill put forward by Independent MP Rob Oakeshott, which passed through the lower house last night, is expected to be defeated by the Opposition and Greens in the Senate today.
It would allow refugees to be processed in Malaysia and Nauru for up to 12 months.
The Opposition wants the processing to occur only in Nauru, while the Greens are opposed to both options, and were not moved by a Coalition promise to take thousands of more refugees a year.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard appealed today to senators to pass the Oakeshott bill, urging they ‘‘search their consciences’’ before voting.