Boat policy hurting asylum seekers: report

The federal government's turn-back-the-boats policy is putting asylum seekers at risk and has hurt Australia's relationship with Indonesia, new research claims.

The University of Queensland research, out Friday, says the controversial policy had not addressed the causes of migrant smuggling while putting more burden on other nations.

"Asylum seekers bound for Australia instead remain in, or are returned to, countries where they have no permanent status," UQ's Andreas Schloenhardt says in a statement.

"They may have to live in hiding and where the persecuted face a real risk of being returned to their persecutors."

Professor Schloenhardt says the policy, reintroduced in December 2013, had also "tarnished" relations with Indonesia.

"It has effectively rendered Australia's signature of the Refugee Convention meaningless," Professor Schloenhardt said.

The Abbott government has repeatedly backed its policy of turning back asylum seeker boats, saying it has meant fewer deaths at sea and has resulted in fewer children in detention.

The government has previously said the level of concern within the Australian community about immigration numbers was at its lowest since the 1970s.

The UQ research says the policy had worked to stop people reaching Australia by boat.

"The policy has only achieved one of its objectives: that is, to prevent irregular migrants, most of whom seek asylum, from arriving in Australia," Professor Schloenhardt said.