Deputy Prime Minister insists public safety is priority amid fallout from asylum seeker court ruling

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has reiterated public safety is the government's priority after criminals were among asylum seekers released into the community, following a High Court ruling.

He was speaking with Today this morning as the government grapples with the court decision that overturned a nearly 20-year precedent that allowed Australia to indefinitely detain asylum seekers who failed character assessments but were unable to be deported.

Marles insisted community safety was "front and centre" of the government's response.

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"We're obviously focused on this and to keep Australians safe. I remind Australians that we argued against this in this High Court. This is not our decision," Marles said.

"But in the decision having been made by the High Court, these people have been released.

"They've been put on bridging visas with the strictest possible conditions.

"That was something that the government did straightaway. We are continuing to assess what option we have here, which includes potential legislative responses and we'll be working on that very quickly."

Yesterday the government revealed to parliament some of the crimes the individuals had committed which led to them failing character assessments.

They include three murderers, several sexual offenders and an alleged hitman from Malaysia.

Up to 94 people could be released under the High Court ruling.

It found the indefinite detention of a stateless Rohingya man who had served time for child sex offences was unlawful, saying it was unconstitutional to detain someone with no prospect of being removed from Australia.