Work hand-in-hand on boats: ambassador

Indonesia's ambassador to Australia has denied his country is disappointed with Labor's change of heart on turning back asylum-seeker boats.

The ALP's national conference last weekend voted to keep boat turn-backs in the border protection arsenal should the party win government.

"I believe the best solution for people smuggling is to work-hand-in-hand, all the countries involved - the country of destination, the country of transit and the country of origin," Nadjib Riphat Kesoema told AAP at the Australian National University Indonesia Project 50th anniversary celebration in Canberra.