Aust must prepare for climate refugees

Australia should not take for granted a lull in asylum-seeker boat arrivals and should be prepared for the prospect of so-called climate change refugees from Pacific Islands in the near future.

That's the assessment of Lowy Institute expert Khalid Koser in a new report which argues the international protection system is malfunctioning because it can't cope with the extraordinary numbers of people displaced and seeking asylum.

He is urging Australia to get behind reform efforts to "guard against future shocks".