More than 600 people smugglers arrested

More than 600 people smugglers have been arrested trying to bring thousands of people into Australia since a tough border regime came into effect in 2013, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says.

The federal government has revealed attempts to smuggle in 2500 people were stopped, with 33 boats turned back under Operation Sovereign Borders.

Mr Dutton confirmed more than 600 people smugglers had been arrested across six countries since 2013, but warned 14,000 people in Indonesia were ready to "hop on boats".

"People smugglers are an evil scourge who are looking for innocent men, women and children to take money from them," Mr Dutton told reporters in Adelaide.

"They don't care whether they make Australian land or go to the bottom of the ocean."

He thanked the Indonesian, Sri Lankan and Malaysian governments for deterring boats and helping with arrests of people in the "evil trade".

The minister is campaigning in Adelaide alongside the Liberals' candidate for the Mayo by-election Georgina Downer who is in a tough contest against Centre Alliance's Rebekha Sharkie.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten accused the government of trying to goad people smugglers with the comments and suggestions boat arrivals would begin again under Labor.

"The fact of the matter is that people smugglers will not get back into business, regardless of who is the government of Australia," he said.

He said Labor was as committed as the government to stopping the boats and didn't want to see dangerous and unscrupulous voyages restarting.