Border policy risks navy lives: Greens

Australia is thumbing its nose at Indonesia with border protection policies that put the lives of navy and customs personnel and refugees at risk, the Greens say.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday the government has apologised to Indonesia after Australian authorities "inadvertently" breached Indonesian territorial waters several times during border protection operations, in breach of Australian government policy.

Australian Greens immigration spokeswoman Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the government cannot be trusted because two days ago the minister said this type of breach of sovereignty of Indonesia would not occur, yet it has.

"This was always a dangerous policy of boat turn-backs, tow-backs and boat swaps, putting the lives of our navy and customs personnel at risk, the lives of refugees, including women and children, and jeopardising our relationship with Indonesia," she told reporters in Melbourne.

Senator Hanson-Young said the latest events show Australia has not just "thumbed the nose" at the Indonesian government, but will continue to do it with its boat-swap policy.

"This is just pure arrogance and shiftiness from the Abbott government. They've been caught out, they're begging for forgiveness, yet they refuse to accept that Indonesia is saying no way to the new boat-swap policy."