8 July 2014 Last updated at 06:12

Australia asylum: Why is it controversial?

On 7 July Australia confirmed it had returned 41 asylum seekers intercepted at sea to Sri Lankan authorities, after an on-water screening process.

That incident has renewed international concern over Australia's asylum policy, which has grown tougher in recent years.

Australia now places those who arrive by sea in camps in Nauru and Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Violence broke out at a processing centre on Manus Island in PNG in February 2014, leaving one detainee dead and dozens injured.

Why does Australia have tough asylum policies?

The number of boats carrying asylum seekers rose sharply in 2012. Australian government statistics show that between 2012 and 2013 there were more than 18,000 illegal maritime arrivals, compared to just 7,300 between 2011 and 2012.

Most asylum seekers come from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Iraq and Iran. For the most part, they travel to Australia's Christmas Island on rickety boats from Indonesia. Scores have died making the journey in recent years.

Reports have attributed the rise in numbers to continuing instability in asylum-seekers' home countries, particularly Afghanistan. Another contributory factor was thought to be a rush ahead of a likely change of government in September 2013.

Domestically, asylum is a hot political issue. Both parties adopted tough stances ahead of the September 2013 polls. The Tony Abbott-led Liberal-National coalition, which won - ousting the Kevin Rudd-led Labor government, had campaigned in part on a "stop the boats" platform.

What did the Labor government do?

The Labor government reintroduced offshore processing in Nauru and Papua New Guinea (PNG) - a policy it had ended in 2008. It also reached a deal with PNG that any asylum seekers found to be refugees would be resettled in PNG, not Australia.

The Australian government pays outsourced contractors who in turn operate these camps and provide security.

These camps are highly controversial. Human rights groups have strongly condemned living conditions, as well as the effect lengthy processing delays have on asylum seekers' mental health.

A report into the February violence at the Manus Island camp, meanwhile, attributed the unrest partly to racial tensions between detainees and guards, some of whom are from PNG.

What is the new government doing?

Mr Abbott's government introduced Operation Sovereign Borders, which put the military in control of asylum operations, and created a new border "super agency".

It also ended regular briefing on asylum arrivals, causing critics to accuse it of a culture of secrecy on the issue.

Reports then emerged of Australian navy vessels turning asylum boats back to Indonesia or towing them back. Australia has since apologised for multiple violations of Indonesia's territorial waters.

In July 2014, Australia then confirmed it had returned 41 asylum seekers to Sri Lankan authorities, after intercepting and screening them at sea.

Is the policy working?

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said in July that there had been no new arrivals nor deaths at sea for 200 days.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott, meanwhile, said he was "absolutely and constantly" focused on stopping the boats.

"As long as the boats keeping coming, we will keep having deaths at sea. So the most decent, humane and compassionate thing you can do is to stop the boats."

Polls have shown that a significant number of Australians also approve of taking a tougher stance on asylum seekers.

A January poll found that 60% want the government to increase the severity of treatment of asylum seekers. About the same percentage also think those arriving are not genuine refugees, but economic migrants.

But is it a good policy?

Rights groups have been highly vocal in their criticism of both the policy and conditions at offshore processing camps. Amnesty International has called current policy "ineffective, inefficient, inhumane".

Questions are also being asked about the safety - both in terms of physical and mental health - of asylum seekers on Manus Island in PNG, after violence which saw a detainee beaten to death by a mob that comprised camp guards and PNG locals.

In July 2014, the UN expressed deep concern at the on-water screening of asylum seekers. UNHCR said it needed more information to determine whether Australia had met its obligations under international law, which says that refugees must not be returned to their persecutors.

Indonesia has also objected to the tow-back policy and the issue has strained ties with Australia.

Does Australia get a lot of asylum seekers?

Relatively small numbers of asylum seekers are involved. UNHCR's Asylum Trends 2013 report said Australia received 24,300 of the 612,700 claims for asylum lodged in 44 industrialised nations worldwide in 2013.

That meant it received 4% of global asylum applications in 2013, up from 3% in 2013.

Australia has been increasing the number of refugees it accepts under its Humanitarian Programme, according to government figures. Between 2012 and 2013, it granted about 20,000 refugee visas.