Dennis Shanahan and Stephen Fitzpatrick – Papuan asylum-seekers face tougher scrutiny in Australia over fears that political activists are manipulating the system to guarantee successful applications for asylum that are damaging relations with Indonesia.

The federal Government will look more closely at applications from Papuans after John Howard and Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone discussed the latest claims that more asylum-seekers from the province were on their way. Senator Vanstone warned that any new Papuan asylum-seekers might find themselves taken to Nauru for processing.

She hinted of other unspecified measures to be taken if the actions of Papuan asylum-seekers were deemed to be "not in Australia's national interest". Ms Vanstone said that while not doubting the veracity of their claims, the federal Government did not want asylum-seekers risking their lives in shaky boats crossing the dangerous waters of the Torres Strait.

Mr Howard said yesterday he had concerns about the latest claims that another boatload of asylum-seekers was coming from Papua because of apparent manipulation of the Australian asylum system.

"I am not going to have the system manipulated by anybody," he said. "I think the revelations in The Australian newspaper a couple of weeks ago about the way in which the 43 were assembled and these latest stories mean that the Government will be looking even more closely at any possible manipulation of the system," Mr Howard said in Sydney.

The Australian revealed that the first boatload of 43 Papuan asylum-seekers, who were granted asylum in Australia for fear of political repression from Indonesian authorities, were carefully vetted and selected to ensure their successful applications and create a precedent.

Edison Waromi, who helped plan the audacious sea trip from Papua to Cape York last January led by independence activist Herman Wanggai, said Mr Howard was in a "dilemma" trying to please both Jakarta and his own partyroom. Mr Waromi would not comment yesterday on whether he knew of new plans to send another group of asylum-seekers by boat across the Torres Strait.

The court decision to grant the 43 visas angered the Indonesian Government, which recalled the ambassador in protest, and dominated a meeting between President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Mr Howard in Batam in July.

At that meeting, Mr Howard declared Australia had no intention of threatening Indonesia's sovereignty over Papua. He said Papuans were Indonesian citizens and Australia would not allow itself to be used as a base for political separatist movements.

But his bill, which included offshore processing of all illegal arrivals, was pulled from the Senate when it faced defeat in August.

Mr Howard spoke yesterday morning to the Immigration Minister about the manipulation of claims and reports that there were more asylum-seekers from Papua on their way.

"I am prepared to defend the proper administration of the asylum system but I am not going to have the system manipulated by anybody," Mr Howard said. "We have an orderly refugee program and if people are trying to manipulate the system, it will mean ever-closer scrutiny of asylum applications in the future."

Kim Beazley said the reports of more Papuan asylum-seekers coming to Australia meant foreign policy focus should be moved away from Iraq towards developing a coastguard.

"What this report shows is that we have got to reorient our strategies and our policies to refocus on the Southeast Asian and South Pacific area. "We need a coastguard, we need a process which ensures that nobody makes unexpected landings on the Australian coastline. And they can be effectively dealt with by what are very powerful and tough laws now."

Indonesian politician Yudhi Krisnandi, part of a foreign affairs delegation that travelled to Australia after the asylum-seeker affair blew up earlier this year, said yesterday that Papuan independence agitators appeared to have mustered enough unity to trick Canberra.

"Like it or not, Australia must admit that its actions (in awarding temporary protection visas to the 43) were not based on correct information," Mr Krisnandi said.