Kiwi troops expanding their presence in Iraq after Government approves new base for training

Kiwi troops moving outside of Camp Taji in Iraq to train soldiers at another base is the "beginning of mission creep" says Labour's David Shearer.

The Government has approved five New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) troops based at Taji to head to Al Taqaddum Air Base, west of Baghdad, to deliver training to Iraqi soldiers for short stints - about two weeks at a time.

Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has also confirmed it's possible that NZDF personnel will move to even more locations in the future.

"This does not change the size of the overall deployment or create additional costs," Brownlee said.

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"The coalition has a network of secure training sites across Iraq and, as training requirements change, we may receive requests for our Defence Force's specific skills to be utilised.

"These requests will be considered on a case by case basis, but we do have to be adaptable and flexible, as the situation on the ground in Iraq changes."

But Shearer, Labour's foreign affairs and defence spokesman, says Brownlee has given "no solid explanation" as to why Kiwis need to be moving base to provide training rather than it be delivered by the troops already there. 

"This is the beginning of mission creep," he said.

"It's also possibly the thin edge of the wedge that ultimately leads to more boots on the ground in conflict zones. I don't see where this is going to end."

About 100 NZDF troops are based at Taji alongside 300 Australian Defence Force soldiers - to date they've jointly trained more than 12,000 Iraqi troops.

In June the deployment was extended by another 18 months to November 2018 - a move heavily criticised by Opposition parties.

Brownlee has denied reports in recent months that Kiwi SAS troops are fighting on the front line in Iraq.

This comes after an announcement earlier this year that short-term training would be extended to include another secure coalition base at Besmaya.

Al Taqaddum is also a secure coalition base in Anbar province, about 70km west of Baghdad.

"The base is a protected coalition site and comprehensive force protection is in place," Brownlee said.

"The situation in Iraq is constantly changing, as we have seen with the start of the Mosul offensive.

"As a responsible contributor we have to be adaptable. The new training location will not detract from the training already taking place in Taji, which will continue," he said.