By DENNNIS SHANAHAN

05feb02

LABOR'S shadow cabinet will try today to head off further division within ALP ranks over detaining asylum-seekers as discord grows within the Opposition.

As Simon Crean's team meets for the first time this year, backbenchers called for a full debate on Labor's refugee policy to distance themselves from the Government's hard line on detainees.

But the Opposition Leader faces a difficult task as some frontbenchers insisted a tough line on detainees must be maintained, while others, and some backbenchers, said they are ashamed of Labor's support for John Howard's policies on asylum-seekers.

Yesterday, more rifts emerged in Labor ranks over asylum-seekers as several MPs demanded a further softening of the party's stance on mandatory detention at the first caucus meeting of the new parliament next week.

The 18-member shadow cabinet, a stripped-down version of Kim Beazley's full 31-member team, meets in Melbourne today to discuss the refugee problem as part of its pre-parliamentary strategy and policy planning.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd said there should be a way to both contrast a more compassionate Labor stance with the Government's position and support an ordered refugee program.

Labor backbenchers told The Australian yesterday there was strong support for frontbencher Carmen Lawrence's public condemnation of Labor's policy on mandatory detention.

The disquiet is cross-factional, with members of both the Right and Left expected to speak at Tuesday's parliamentary Labor Party meeting.

Mr Crean is expected to address the issue publicly today.