Boatload picked up near Christmas Island (2)

Senator Nettle said it cost $A225,000 ($NZ255,000) last time the government took eight people to Nauru.

Christmas Island, about 2300km north-west of Perth and 500km south of Jakarta, Indonesia, was excised from Australia's migration zone in 2001 in a bid to curb asylum seekers.

The government is building a new immigration detention centre on the island, which will hold up to 800 detainees and replace a temporary centre set up in 2001 when it becomes operational later this year.

Should the men attempt to seek asylum, they will be the first since a group of 43 Papuans caused a diplomatic row between Australia and Indonesia last year.

The 36 adults and seven children, who had accused the Indonesian military of conducting genocide in their homeland, were granted temporary protection visas after arriving on Cape York in January.