The Australian government's tough new migration laws on Thursday passed through the House of Representatives despite three of the ruling Coalition MPs voted against them.

The legislation passed the House by 78 votes to 62 after three MPs of the Liberal party, part of the Coalition, crossed the floor, neglecting Prime Minister John Howard's plea not to vote against the government.

The bill, which would send all boat people to island detention centers like Nauru for processing, was debated in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

The new laws, which aim to toughen Australia's border protection, were proposed amid Indonesia's anger at Australia's granting visas to 42 asylum-seekers from Indonesia's Papua province in March, where separatist movement has been active.

However, in contrast with a comfortable majority the government has in the House, the government has only a one-seat majority in the Senate where one Liberal senator is already opposing the laws.

(Xinhua News Agency August 10, 2006)