Senior Labor MP in VIP jet snub

Labor's support for a Senate inquiry into claims asylum seekers on Nauru were sexually abused may have cost its immigration spokesman a trip to another offshore processing centre.

Richard Marles had been due to fly to Papua New Guinea on Monday as part of Immigration Minister Peter Dutton's entourage.

The trip to inspect the Manus Island facility had been in the pipeline for a month.

The minister's office informed a staffer of Mr Marles late on Friday there was no longer room on the government VIP jet and that he would need to make his own travel arrangements.

As a result, he was unable to go.

Mr Dutton visited the Manus Island detention centre on Monday and met with PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill.

Labor, Greens and crossbenchers combined in the Senate last week to set up an upper house inquiry into the Nauru allegations.

The move followed the public release of a independent review which uncovered claims of sexual harassment and abuse, including three allegations of rape, inside the Australian-funded centre.

A spokeswoman for Mr Dutton said Mr Marles recently flew with the minister to Nauru, a courtesy the previous Labor government had not extended to the Liberals in opposition.