Australia fails to strike asylum seeker deal

Negotiations have broken down between the government and Australia's main opposition party on a compromise policy to deport asylum seekers to another country.

Both the governing Labor Party and the opposition Liberal Party agree that sending asylum seekers to another country within the Asia-Pacific region would be the best way to curb the increasing number heading from Indonesia and Malaysia by boat.

But the two parties revealed Tuesday that their politically charged negotiations had broken down.

Prime Minister Julia Gillrd accuses opposition leader Tony Abbott of failing to negotiate in good faith.