



The Abbott government’s recent decision to deploy more Australian

troops to train Iraqi forces is not popular with the Australian public,

according to the latest Essential poll.





Fifty per cent of respondents in the new poll published Tuesday

disapproved of sending more Australian soldiers to help train the Iraqi

forces currently fighting Islamic State militants.





Only 36% approved of the decision – and only 12% of the Essential sample think an increased Australian military presence in Iraq will make Australia safer from terrorism.





The prime minister confirmed a week ago

that Australia will send another 300 troops to Iraq alongside forces

from New Zealand on a joint training mission to train the Iraqi

military. The fresh deployment is expected to begin in May, and will

involve regular Australian forces based in Taji, north-west of Baghdad.





The deployment is supported by the Labor opposition.





The Essential poll indicates a majority of Coalition voters approve of the deployment, but 60% of Labor voters disapprove.





The latest poll also charts a high degree of scepticism about whether engagement with the conflict in Iraq is beneficial for Australia’s national security.





Tony Abbott says regularly that he understands Australians are

reluctant to reach out to far away conflicts, but this particular

conflagration is reaching out to us – citing domestic counter-terrorism

risks posed by radicalisation.






But

30% of the Essential sample think sending more troops to Iraq will make

Australia less safe from terrorism. Only 12% believe engagement will

make Australia safer.





Nearly half of the sample think the current deployment will make no difference to the domestic security outlook.





Evidence given by MI5 to the Chilcot inquiry into the war in Iraq in

2003 confirmed the US-led invasion substantially increased the threat of

terrorist attacks, and was a significant factor causing radicalisation

of young Muslims.





This testimony backed the observation of the then Australian police

chief, Mick Keelty, that the Iraq invasion was likely linked to

terrorist acts, such as the Madrid bombings in 2004. Keelty was

lambasted by the Howard government for departing from the official

government line on the war.





On broader political indicators, a separate poll, the Newspoll, published by the Australian newspaper on Tuesday, recorded Labor

restoring a commanding lead over the Coalition. The two-party preferred

result had Labor federally on 55% and the Coalition on 45%.





The prime minister’s satisfaction rating increased by three points in

Tuesday’s survey, which is within the poll’s margin of error.





Essential also recorded a favourable movement for the prime minister.

Abbott’s disapproval rating dropped six points since February – and

there was a 2% increase in his approval rating.





The government has been in the process of dumping unpopular policies

in the wake of efforts by backbenchers to spill the Liberal party

leadership.