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Government to pursue Malaysia deal
PRIME Minister Julia Gillard says her government will continue to press Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to support its bid to resurrect its controversial Malaysian people swap deal.
Ms Gillard on Thursday said she believed the Malaysia deal was the best out come for Australia.
"(But) clearly until Mr Abbott faces up to the nation's interests we will not be able to implement it," she told reporters.
The government had hoped to secure passage of legislation resurrecting the Malaysia deal through the lower house on Thursday morning.
But key crossbench MP Tony Crook announced he would not support the bill, meaning the government did not have the numbers in the lower house to pass it.
