Today's decision marks a new day of shame in Australia's history of mistreatment of asylum seekers, Greens Leader Bob Brown said.

"Offshore processing was the wrong answer under John Howard and it is wrong answer now," Senator Brown told reporters in Canberra.

"Treating asylum seekers humanely by processing their claims in Australia is the best answer.

"It is the humane solution; it is the cost effective solution; it is the international legal solution and it is the popular solution - with 54% backing according to today's opinion poll.

The Gillard Government and Abbott Opposition are edging towards an unholy alliance aimed at agreeing on legislation for offshore processing of refugees in breach of international law, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"The High Court's decision was based on the global refugee convention but now there's an emerging big party consensus to circumvent it. The Greens will not," Senator Brown said in Hobart.

"Our policy for onshore processing is legal, humane and saves billions of dollars - and it is backed by public opinion," Senator Brown said.

Bob Brown on the mining boom, processing asylum seekers onshore, and Gunns dispute holding up the intergovernmental forest agreement progress.

Bob Brown spoke to ABC Radio National’s Fran Kelly today about asylum seekers and the latest Newspoll.

Bob Brown spoke to ABC NewsRadio’s Marius Benson today about onshore processing of asylum seekers as the Greens continue to advocate a legal, humane and cheaper approach than the major parties.

The Greens are offering the Gillard government help to implement the most popular option on asylum seekers which is to process them in Australia, Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"We already have a Senate bill for 30-day processing of asylum seekers, to match best process overseas. The bill also repeals offshore processing," Senator Brown said in Hobart.

"I think it would be a real pity if the government used the High Court and the Solicitor-General as an excuse to cave in to the Coalition and to cave in to the right generally."

Bob Brown speaks on the Hobart waterfront (5/9/2011) about Ta Ann's recorded loss for the financial year and what it means for forestry in Tasmania, as well as the letter he's written to Prime Minister Julia Gillard offering to work with the government to get a better asylum seeker policy.