Offshore detention 'festering wound': MP

Outgoing Labor MP Melissa Parke has fired a parting shot at her party's offshore detention policy, labelling it a "festering wound" that kills people.

In her final speech to parliament on Wednesday, Ms Parke slammed what she believed were four crucial problems in Australian politics: the wars on terror, drugs, each other and people smugglers.

"The present offshore detention system is a festering wound that is killing people and eroding our national character and reputation," the Fremantle MP said.

"It needs to be healed."

Ms Parke said the policy - accompanied by faux concern over drownings at sea - had facilitated "profound deterioration" of Australia's image of itself as a nation of a fair go.

The government falsely accused asylum seekers of arriving illegally when actually it was Australia that was violating its legal obligations, she said.

The former human rights lawyer, who has long opposed offshore detention, called on the government to dedicate a quarter of its 200,000 migrant intake to refugees.

Ms Parke said the only one of the four wars that had been successful was the war against each other, to the detriment of politicians and public trust in the system.

The war on terror was a tool used by governments to oppress dissent, she said.

Terror was used by governments to justify laws to lock up journalists for exposing spy agency activities and sending troops to war.

"It is used to justify cracking down on certain communities," Ms Parke said.

National security was increasingly invoked by the government to survey and monitor the Australian community, she said.