Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull has turned down a renewed offer from New Zealand to resettle some refugees from a Papua New Guinea detention centre.

About 600 men are refusing to leave a decommissioned Australian centre on Manus island saying they fear attacks from locals.

Mr Turnbull said he would not, at this time, take up the offer from New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern.

The two leaders held talks in Sydney on Sunday.

Ms Ardern had said she could not ignore "the human face" of what Australia was dealing with.