The Federal Government has come under fire for its policy of processing asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island.

The Refugee Action Coalition has denounced what it calls a “pointless” and “short-sighted” practice.

In a protest outside Health Minister Tanya Plibersek’s Sydney office yesterday, demonstrators called on the government to change its approach.

They say re-opening the two offshore processing centres is not a humane solution to people smuggling.

2SER’s Sam Buckingham-Jones filed this report.